Bootstrapping? Growing your business from scratch

First term I read this term, it sounded like just another fancy term.

In electronic parlance, bootstrapping is more like “feedback”.

However, there was this article I read which teaches me a different meaning to this term.

I define “Bootstrapping” as the act of starting a business with little or no external funding. Bootstrappers don’t write lengthy business plans, chase deep-pocketed investors, or indulge in overly academic market research exercises. Instead, they focus all of their considerable energy, brainpower, determination and skills on creating a business that can actually succeed in the real world.

Read the whole article here. http://www.bootstrapit.com/why.htm

This site is pretty interesting as well and there’s even a page showing successful “bootstrappers”. http://www.bootstrapit.com/bootstrappers.htm

Well, since I didn’t get any funding for my business and just grew from there, so this technically makes me a “bootstrapper” too. Nice…

All in all, I agree with this article. Take it slowly. Learn, improvise, adapt to the ever changing environment. As long as you are not spending someone else’s money, there won’t be pressure on you to yield to their demands. Why heck, you can take the “ethical/moral” high ground any time you like and refuse business with unsavoury characters. That’s power, my friend!
I assure you, it’s a fun journey!

10 November 2006 | Business | Comments