The bootstrapped tag has no wiki summary.
-1
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0answers
18 views
Should I take out a short term or long term loan?
I've got a small business that has been making a steady profit for a few months. However, I'm looking to bootstrap it a little more.
So I was looking at peer to peer lending to make that possible. ...
-1
votes
0answers
16 views
Best way to get critical mass of user base for location based chat application [closed]
I am developing a chat app which lets you talk to people near you, I know this type of application exist - but this app will be different from the existing ones.
Now this app will work as website and ...
-1
votes
0answers
28 views
Bootstrapped data-driven app - How can an application's data store and server capacity growth be bootstrapped? [closed]
I have an application I have been prototyping. It's data-heavy (it's a personal productivity app). It will have web, windows, tablet, and mobile apps all connecting to the same data store/account.
My ...
9
votes
8answers
926 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 ...
1
vote
1answer
80 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 ...
9
votes
3answers
182 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 ...
3
votes
6answers
336 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 ...
4
votes
2answers
123 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 ...
-2
votes
1answer
188 views
How to implement “infrastructure” ideas? [closed]
I have several ideas that I label "infrastructure ideas" (both physical and virtual). This means that the ideas will create completely new infrastructure (I use a very broad definition of the term) ...
7
votes
4answers
674 views
When is it a bad idea to bootstrap?
There are two types of startups - those who try to get big quickly and then figure out a way to become profitable, and those who are profitable from the beginning, but grow much slower. The first type ...
2
votes
4answers
275 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 ...
7
votes
19answers
2k views
How do I survive when starting a business without a paycheck?
When you start a new company, it is necessary to dedicate 100% of your time and effort to make it successful? How do you do this without a paycheck? Especially if you have a family?
0
votes
0answers
55 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
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 ...
7
votes
14answers
2k views
How much should I expect to pay for design work?
I received a quote for design work for my web / iPhone startup - it was quite a bit higher than what I expected, but I wanted to check if my expectations are off. The quote is from an overseas agency ...
1
vote
3answers
133 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
3answers
215 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
199 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
210 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
226 views
What are effective ways to bootstrap using your own open source?
I'm the founder of a hosted ecommerce startup. We haven't launched a public beta yet, and we're trying to earn enough runway to be able to work on the startup full time for just a few months to get it ...
2
votes
5answers
422 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 ...
5
votes
7answers
400 views
Are press releases a good idea for a bootstrapped company when launching a product?
I never hear much about this. Would it possibly get my business and product some press? Are they cost effective?
5
votes
3answers
1k 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 ...
9
votes
6answers
416 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 ...
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 ...
4
votes
3answers
358 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
2answers
276 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 ...
0
votes
1answer
353 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 ...
4
votes
7answers
505 views
Anyone get closer to success after working on their startup part-time?
Many suggest to work on your prototype part-time and quit after getting some users. I found that it is hard to build a quality product on a part-time basis because of distractions.
I have tried a ...
1
vote
2answers
175 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
150 views
interns for startups
We looking for interns to work with us (yumety) ( machine learning, supervised algorithm ) - anyone knows how to contact interns?
1
vote
2answers
478 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 ...
2
votes
2answers
95 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
356 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') ...
1
vote
4answers
202 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 ...
8
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2answers
309 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 ...
3
votes
10answers
590 views
We've launched, are bootstrapped and have a few thousand $s for marketing, advice?
As requested, here is more information.
Our startup is PubliciTweet. We're like a Constant Contact for Twitter. While in public beta the service is completely free. We are most interested in ...
2
votes
2answers
199 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 ...
0
votes
1answer
131 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 ...
3
votes
5answers
306 views
Starting New School Revenue Streams
Hey guys, it's me again. As was to be expected, I've run into funding problems with Idea School.
The quality teachers I'm looking for are worth about $50-60K per year. Now, of course, they ...
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
4answers
580 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
204 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 ...
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?
...
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
191 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 ...
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
189 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 ...
