Bootstrapping Archives

This Entrepreneur Shares How She Bootstrapped Her Startup (and How You Can, Too)

There are several different ways a startup founder might fund his or her business, including series funding, crowdfunding, loans, venture capital and angel investments. Bootstrapping is another option. As an entrepreneur, investment advisor and consultant...

byJackie Hermes

April 23, 2023

3 Resources Bootstrappers Need to Overcome Common Challenges

There are many ways to grow a successful business, and bootstrapping, while not necessarily en vogue, is what most entrepreneurs are faced with—funding a business straight from your own wallet or customer revenue, not from...

byBrian Elrod

March 15, 2022

Secrets of Bootstrapping From an Entrepreneur Who Leveraged his 401(k)

If you’ve never bootstrapped a business, you’re going to need to be prepared for the unexpected. I learned this myself when I transitioned out of the U.S. Army and became a federal decision officer for...

byChas Sampson

February 17, 2022

7 Creative Financing Options for New Businesses and Startups

It takes money to make money. But financing isn't always easy — especially if you're the proud founder of a brand new business. Traditional banks and financial institutions set a high bar for borrowers. They...

bySamantha Novick

August 8, 2021

What You Must Know Before Raising Investment for Your Business

The following is excerpted from “Investor Ready,” courtesy of Julie Barber, CEO of Spark! Consulting www.areyouinvestorready.co.uk Before you dive into planning your investment approach, there are some important things to think about. StartupNation exclusive discounts...

byJulie Barber

July 8, 2020

5 Reasons Why Bootstrapping Your Business Helps Improve Customer Service

Brands have always waged war over customers’ attention, trust and loyalty. They’ve competed on just about everything — from features and specifications to special discounts and service plans. But in today’s marketplace, product and pricing...

byDmitry Dragilev

October 10, 2019

5 Leading Entrepreneurs Share Their Best Advice for Bootstrapping a Business

About 42 percent of startups fail because there’s no market need for their product, and almost 30 percent don’t make it because they run out of money. So, what does it really take to succeed in business,...

byThe Oracles

July 11, 2019

The Art of Bootstrapping: How to Start a Business with Little to No Money

Bootstrapping is a term that has long been applied to entrepreneurs and the entrepreneurial process. According to Dictionary.com, when used as a verb, bootstrapping means to “help oneself without the aid of others.” In the...

bySimon Slade

March 21, 2019

6 Funding Ideas for a First-Time Startup Founder

Finding cash for your new business venture may seem like a daunting task. With some high-profile startups boasting angel investment amounts in the millions, is it even likely that an unknown, fledgling business like yours...

byLinsey Knerl

January 23, 2019

Is Venture Capital The Right Choice For Your Startup? Maybe. Here’s Why

Not every company is one that can be backed by venture capital. Pursuing venture capital investment in your startup is a decision that you’ll make based on your company strategy. If your business requires lots...

byJim Barnish

August 31, 2018

Why Transparency Should Be a Key Pillar of Your Business Strategy

As entrepreneurs, we all love a good challenge. If we didn’t, we wouldn’t bother trying to start a business in the first place. But starting a business is one thing, and bootstrapping one is another; especially...

byPeter Schroeder

August 17, 2018

3 Tips For Bootstrapping Your Business Like a Boss

A couple of years ago, I shared my story of how I bootstrapped the purchase of my small business. Nearly a decade has passed since that moment in time and in retrospect, I am still...

byDeborah Sweeney

March 26, 2018

The 5 Best Ways to Fund Your Startup This Year

While it would be cool to pitch for investment on "Shark Tank," not everybody can, or needs to. So don’t worry if you don’t get the chance. The vast majority of startups get their initial...

byMeredith Wood

January 23, 2018

Women in Tech: Kickstart Your Dream with Confidence [Book Excerpt]

The following excerpt is from "Geek Girl Rising: Inside the Sisterhood Shaking up Tech" by Heather Cabot and Samantha Walravens. Copyright © 2017 by the authors and reprinted with permission of St. Martin's Press, LLC. The segment below highlights...

byHeather Cabot and Samantha Walravens

May 23, 2017

4 Realities of Bootstrapping a Business From Nothing

I started my business back in 2010 with absolutely no money. The first month I decided to try freelancing I made $5. Granted, back then, freelancing was still seen as something you did when you...

byAmanda Abella

March 30, 2017

Financing: 4 Business Trends to Look for in 2017

If you have plans to launch a business of any size this year, one of the most important decisions you'll need to make is how you'll be financing your business. In 2016, we saw the rise...

byDanielle Solomon

February 13, 2017

Bootstrap: Four Lessons I Learned After I Bought My Business

Bootstrapping: It ain't easy! It’s a fairly well known fact that I didn’t start MyCorp – though I’ve worked with the company in different roles since its beginning, I bought the company and became its...

byDeborah Sweeney

June 29, 2015

Legal Questions: Where to start when launching a business

Choosing the Right Business Structure, Where to Launch, & Other Legal Questions Starting a business creates a lot of questions for you as the owner. What should you sell? Who are your customers? Will this...

byNellie Akalp

April 21, 2015

Things Investors Say When Really What They Mean is, “No”

One lesson I learned the hard way as a founder is that investors never like to say “no.” They especially don’t like to say “yes,” but “no” is almost as difficult to get out of...

byStartupNation

November 1, 2014

Financing Options for a Small Business

Finding the Right Funding Financing your business is one of the first critical decisions you'll make. A while back, we were approached by "Brian," an Entrepreneur who started a company with a combination of funds from...

byStartupNation

October 19, 2014