The bootstrapped tag has no wiki summary.
8
votes
3answers
215 views
How do entrepreneurs start their first bootstrap startup?
I really want to start my entrepreneurial career, the problem is I don't have money. I am mid-level IT manager, read lot of startup blogs, articles and books and keep planning (aka dreaming) about ...
4
votes
2answers
121 views
A dilema of starting a company vs. doing a project for a client
I got a request for a proposal to create a web application. The application would be used internally by a company to manage aspects of their business process.
Coincidentally, the proposed application ...
9
votes
3answers
168 views
When is it too early to measure conversion rate?
My bootstrapped saas startup launched only a few months ago. My traffic is growing steadily but still fairly low (~200 hits/day). Although I do consider the product validated (we have a growing ...
0
votes
0answers
54 views
how to supplement product startup income with consulting?
We have a bootstrapped product startup which is generating revenue but not at a level yet where the founders can comfortably live yet. We need to work more on the product to improve product/market ...
1
vote
1answer
70 views
Newly formed software department as a startup company
Our company recently created a new department/unit that will develop apps for consumers. The company is engaged in the hardware reselling/distribution for 15 years and wanted to expand into the ...
2
votes
3answers
209 views
Is bootstrap a startup development methodology?
I've always understood bootstrapping in the context of startups to mean that the business achieves sustainability through customers, not loans, equity deals, etc.
Ash Maurya has a blog post from a ...
1
vote
1answer
187 views
What are the typical milestones and timeline for an internet startup?
Young, three-person, bootstrapped enterprise-focused startup, finishing up work on our backend about to begin development of our API, frontend, and possibly Chatter/Yammer integration. Hopefully ...
28
votes
9answers
4k views
Dilemma: to outsource the coding or do it yourself
I develop and sell iPhone apps. I've released one app, and decided to build a few more, in parallel. I thought about outsourcing some of the coding, so I went on Elance and posted some jobs there. The ...
0
votes
2answers
176 views
Should I use a user feedback system like UserVoice or just use a support forum?
I don't really like the idea of paying $20+ per month to run a glorified message board (GetSatisfaction, UserVoice, etc.). But these kinds of services seem to be pretty popular. So am I missing ...
1
vote
3answers
132 views
Product equity rather than company equity - any examples?
We're all familiar with the traditional shared equity arrangements in a startup; Some contribution = Some % of shares (thus equity) in the company, which may or may not payoff down the road at either ...
2
votes
2answers
270 views
How to start a UK online business? (admin)
A few years ago I had an idea for an online business, its going to operate as a freemium model and simply deal with information no tangible goods. since then I have been creating the site learning ...
1
vote
1answer
72 views
Pondering Angel Investment
My startup has been bootstrapping for 4-5 months, we're at the point now, the other cofounder is working 40+ hours a week on a full time job at a company, would potential angels look down on this and ...
0
votes
1answer
81 views
Starting company with co-founder in industry
At what point do you end a startup relationship, if you're 1.5 months into development and the business cofounder says he only have 8-12 hours a week to work on a company? After saying he could do a ...
1
vote
2answers
174 views
Boot-strapping a startup
At what point in a boot-strapped startup do you know its time to go for the gold and have both co-founders go full-time with an idea?
Currently, I'm the sole technical person. I'm finishing up last ...
2
votes
2answers
93 views
Is there a best place to start up?
I live on the west coast. Of France. I'm currently looking at starting my own web startup. I have the idea, the expertise, even the cofounder. I'm reading a lot on the subject, and I intend to ...
2
votes
3answers
148 views
interns for startups
We looking for interns to work with us (yumety) ( machine learning, supervised algorithm ) - anyone knows how to contact interns?
2
votes
2answers
94 views
Is it possible to create sucessful startup with one guy working f/t other in school?
Background... met my partner about 2 months ago off a list-serv in my general geographic location.
My partner - about age 28, has a wife, no kids, but seems to get busy as heck at times and ...
5
votes
3answers
347 views
How to record monies owed to me by my new startup? (bookkeeping question)
I have recently started a startup.
I am totally bootstrapping the startup, and so costs are being kept to a minimum. There is no way the company can afford to pay me my normal (or even 'discounted') ...
8
votes
2answers
302 views
How and When to Raise Funds For Your Company
Funding your company is an important part of your startup and expansion strategy. It's a broad topic that has a lot of aspects including: keeping your idea secret, seed funding, angels, venture ...
1
vote
4answers
199 views
bootstrapped startup needs to be creative about “enaging” with out of house expertise
Fanciful title really translates in simple English as this:
We are (read I am) a bootstrapped, cash strapped startup and I need to employ the services of outsite experts but want to a). minimise any ...
0
votes
1answer
128 views
Should I suspend my startup? [closed]
I was working for a large financial firms as Senior Technical Architect, spending almost 15 hours a day. I quit my job around 18 months back to start this startup and taking an underpaid/under skilled ...
2
votes
2answers
195 views
Single-owner SaaS business
I have been building a bootstrapped SaaS business for the better part of a year working late into the night most nights per week. I have never spent anything aside from my own time and a few ...
1
vote
1answer
203 views
Bringing on equal partner after starting solely bootstrapped?
I came up with an idea for a startup, and after trying to start other ventures with non-paid partners I knew the only way to get this done right was to hire a developer straight up to code the ...
9
votes
6answers
413 views
How to find potential co-founders for a startup?
I've been working on a bootstrapped startup for about 2 years now. I've been working on it solo to this point, but I feel I'm starting to run out of gas. I need fresh ideas, money and assistance in ...
9
votes
4answers
576 views
What is the best way to spend an initial budget of $1000 on SEO?
We recently launched an online quoting SaaS and are targeting some fairly competitive keywords (e.g. quoting software or quoting system). Because the domain is relatively new (~6 months), I know it ...
1
vote
1answer
162 views
Effective bootstrapping methods?
This may be slightly different based on your industry, but I'm interested in your expertise on what your proven and effective methods for bootstrapping... where to save money, what steps to skip, ...
6
votes
1answer
190 views
Equity and compensation for boot strapped venture
I have been approached by a friend to help with the business side of a venture that he has developed/bootstrapped. No external funding until now. He has developed a working product with outsourced and ...
7
votes
3answers
137 views
Crowdsourcing for videos
My partner and I wanted to have a video on the landing page that explains our startup. Is there any crowdsourcing for videos out there? How do usually startups get someone to make a video for them?
...
3
votes
6answers
338 views
Can Price be the ONLY competitive advantage?
I am just venturing into a new product and one thing I realised is that "Price is the ONLY one advantage" I have. I have solid web-development experience and I can build web apps in a fraction of time ...
6
votes
3answers
188 views
Is it better to pay more up front for a custom coded website, or go with open source CMS?
Is it better to pay more up front for a custom coded website, or go with open source CMS, which is a much more economical alternative.
Specifically for this bootstrapped micro startup, there is one ...
3
votes
2answers
227 views
Does one's “day job” effect one's start-up?
I have a start-up idea I'd like to move forward on. There's no way I could quit my job outright to work on it, but as a single mom, I also couldn't pull off the hours I currently work plus the ...
2
votes
4answers
274 views
Wait to develop mobile apps?
I'm in the middle of developing a site that focuses on restaurant reviews. My dilemma is whether or not to develop a mobile app and release it at the same time as the site launch. The site itself will ...
4
votes
3answers
355 views
Living on no income
I'm sure this has been asked before, but my searchfu failed me, so I'll ask...
How do people bootstrap (which I assume is the most common early-funding model) and manage to pay the rent and feed ...
2
votes
3answers
850 views
Hiring contract developers to bootstrap a startup
We are developing a music service with a certain implementation model & revenue model in mind. Its nothing out of the blue, but a combination of best of everything, in a nice way. We have external ...
2
votes
5answers
418 views
Outsourcing most development/design for a SaaS startup. Is it feasible or will I go broke before starting?
The service I'm planning to launch, requires a lot of work (code and design-wise), and it definitely needs more than 1-2 persons.
In my country, start-up partners are hard to find/non-existent. It ...
3
votes
3answers
348 views
Need Help - Steps in building a successful web startup [closed]
I wanted pointers to documents, blogs, website, etc. where there is detailed step by step instructions on important steps required for building and launching successful web startup.(if possible also ...
3
votes
6answers
335 views
New job to bootstrap startup?
Context: I started a SAAS based platform for small and medium sized companies around a year back. To save some time I intentionally took this underpaid job close to my home. I have successfully ...
1
vote
2answers
476 views
Free event and action dashboard for startups - Is this is a useful idea?
This post/question is little long but could be useful for startups so I decided to write it here.
I have been using an internal dashboard to track my application events and user actions in a php ...
0
votes
1answer
351 views
How to deal with a partner who doesn't want to leave his day-job?
I'm a biz dev & marketing guy with a development background and about a year ago I started coding an idea. It took shape and I mentioned it to an ex-colleague / friend. He was extremely unhappy in ...
2
votes
6answers
186 views
Buying Expensive Commercial Licenses for Startup?
This is regarding a SAAS based software product I am about to launch. One of the key innovation of this product is automation of a human process, this automation is built on top of an expensive ...
5
votes
3answers
984 views
What is the appropriate equity % for software bootstrap key employees?
I have been working with a start up without pay for the last 8 months.
I have been a senior sales executive with tier one companies for the past 20 years. My position is to build and manage all ...
3
votes
4answers
1k views
How much VC equity stake for a product that is fully built for a mid-stage start-up company?
So I have a site that will accept subscriptions the first quarter of 2011. I have been developing this product over the past year and it is almost complete. I would like to use the VC money to help ...
9
votes
5answers
401 views
Savings, Bootstrapping, Starting Up
A friend of mine recommended 3 years worth of savings in order to start bootstrapping for my self-funded startup. Does this seem reasonable? I had previously been working towards a goal of 1 year's ...
2
votes
2answers
117 views
Is it a good idea to pay users to sign up for my service
We recently launched our word of mouth advertising startup, www.boostria.com. We want to rapidly grow our user base to mature our system. But it takes lots of time/effort to sign new users. So, my ...
7
votes
4answers
215 views
How can a bootstrapped startup start to expand sales without outside funding?
So I have a bootstraped startup that's starting to get some traction. A little background: we make a classroom recording appliance that works with fixed positioned cameras in classrooms to record and ...
1
vote
1answer
115 views
Current fertile areas for bootstrap startup
Looking at the web environment, it is quite good for a bootstrapped startup. Reasons are:
Low barrier to entry
Low startup / teardown costs
Can start or be built with a single person
Highly scalable
...
0
votes
1answer
303 views
How do you structure/run your company to ensure you maintain control over the finances?
I've repeatedly heard the advice (from successful business owners) to not give up direct control over the company finances. It seems that enough founders out there have been burned by seemingly ...
1
vote
1answer
121 views
What's the best automation trick you know that would relate to most startups? [closed]
Believe the question is clear, if you have questions, just let me know. All real answers will get a vote up by me, and I will select an answer in 24-48 hours. Cheers!
Example: MS-Word Mail Merge, ...
12
votes
7answers
815 views
What are the best free resources for a startup?
Question's focus is: free + resource = value
So, far there have been a lot of answers related to software, have any other suggestions?
Examples: Books, Trial Services, etc.
5
votes
5answers
320 views
How to bootstrap when you have a high social overhead?
I love the idea of bootstrapping, but when I hear the bootstrapping evangelists talk about what it takes, they basically portray a lifestyle that only makes sense for a single person in their early ...
