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Starting a Home Business
in BootStrapMe, on November 27, 2009
© Kai Hendry
Entrepreneur.com took a look recently at what's required when starting up a home based business, and there's a lot in it that's applicable to many of us in the bootstrapping world. The move from a fully-equipped office--with copiers, doughnuts and an IT specialist--to a h...
Seen that? - Torino 2006 - WTF!?
in XboxSpace, on November 26, 2009
...Try out the demo [...] Read More Tales of seven bootrappers from 2006 at BootStrapMe Since starting this blog in June of this year, we'v...
Seen that? - Biggest Gnome proves good example
in BootStrapMe, on November 22, 2009
... Biggest Gnome proves good example at BootStrapMe The story of three central Illinois teenagers who launched their own computer repair and networkin...
Seen that? - Tips on how to make your home business grow
in Home Based Business, on November 19, 2009
...ionally [...] Read More 10 bootstrap ideas for Internet home business at BootStrapMe The Zillion Business Marketing blog has these suggestio...
Seen that? - Business School for Startups?
in Small Business Unplugged, on November 10, 2009
...on-startups), the percentage [...] Read More Bootstrapping business U at BootStrapMe Dr. Bruce M. Firestone, Entrepreneur-in-Residence at th...
Seen that? - An Annuity Primer
in The Personal Finance Weblog, on November 10, 2009
...opriate, [...] Read More Bootstrapper's Primer: Starting with nothing at BootStrapMe As we've explained in previous posts, starting with...
Seen that? - Internet marketing made simple-and cheap!
in BootStrapMe, on November 6, 2009
... Internet marketing made simple-and cheap! at BootStrapMe It doesn't cost a lot to get involved in e-commerce, as any good bootstrapper knows. T...
Pay Yourself First
in BootStrapMe, on October 27, 2009
© kevindooley
It's a basic truth for all personal finance: pay yourself first . Get Rich Slowly had one of the best explanations of this practice I've read in a while. One of the oldest rules of personal finance is the simple admonition to pay yourself first. All the money books tell...
Managing IT on a Bootstrapper's Budget
in BootStrapMe, on October 23, 2009
VentureBeat took a good look at managing your business' IT issues on a bootstrapped budget. There are ways to keep overall costs down during a company’s early stages – and this frugality (and a well thought out IP strategy) is something that will impress VCs when you decide to seek funding...
Seen that? - Why the SBA may not be the best bet for entrepreneurs
in BootStrapMe, on October 23, 2009
... Why the SBA may not be the best bet for entrepreneurs at BootStrapMe A first step for any small business person seeking to create a feasible bluepr...
Keep Yourself Sharp
in BootStrapMe, on October 11, 2009
© Photos8.com
In any endeavor in life, keeping yourself mentally well tuned is extremely important if you want to be successful. Entrepreneur.com 's Scott Halford recently had some tips to help you keep yourself sharp. The foundational idea is simple: be a life long learner. Consider t...
Seen that? -
in The Personal Finance Weblog, on October 8, 2009
...hoto [...] Read More Don't mix personal finance with business finance at BootStrapMe CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS POST Link: Cristian Dorobanetsc...
Seen that? - legal file sharing and movie downloads
in TJ's Weblog, on October 7, 2009
... watch [...] Read More File sharing key to bootstrapping distribution at BootStrapMe For bootstrap entrepreneurs, the same file sharing that...
Seen that? - 10 shoestring principles for business
in BootStrapMe, on October 2, 2009
... 10 shoestring principles for business at BootStrapMe Managing editor Isabel M. Isidro's story entitled 10 lessons for every "shoestring&qu...
First Business? Some Tips...
in BootStrapMe, on September 14, 2009
Entrepreneur published some tips this month for rookie business owners. If this is your first business, you should take note...
Tip number one? Focus! Many first-time entrepreneurs feel the need to jump at every "opportunity" they come across. Opportunities are often wolves in sheep'...
Be Your Spouse's Boss? Maybe...
in BootStrapMe, on September 1, 2009
Women Entrepreneurs asked an interesting question that bootstrappers should consider: should you put your spouse on your payroll?
Of course, for them the issue was complicated by our society's views of male-female authority. While adding your husband to the payroll may help him get affordable...
What's Your Motivation
in BootStrapMe, on August 25, 2009
BusinessWeek had a great piece early this month on what motivates an entrepreneur.
The article was an interview with Bob Crane, aged 58, who has run the company he started ( C Crane ) for teh past 26 years. The company can best be described as a "gadget maker." A Successful gadget make...
Startup Models: Push or Pull?
in BootStrapMe, on August 12, 2009
© toffehoff
Young Entrepreneur examined two contrasting startup models recently. If you have thought much about the difference between a "push" model and a "pull" model for your startup, you should.
The difference between the two models is this:
In a push model an ent...
Building a Niche Business
in BootStrapMe, on August 9, 2009
© country_boy_shane
Entrepreneur Dot Com had an interesting piece recently on building a successful niche business. Niche products and services have the potential to generate big bucks if they capture the hearts, minds and wallets of a dedicated consumer base. Unlike conglomerates that targe...
Working From Home? Consider This...
in BootStrapMe, on July 29, 2009
Bootstraping often means working from home . If you decide to take the path, there are some specific questions you need to consider.
The central question: You need to ask yourself whether you can financially cover the resources needed to take you through your transition, through the acquisition of...
Startup-Friendly Industries
in BootStrapMe, on July 23, 2009
How do you decide whether opening your own startup business is a good idea?
Consider a couple of things. How example, how much startup capital does it take to get into the industry? How long does it take to move a business from opening its doors to profitability? What kind of grow forecast is the...
Too Old to Start a Business? Probably Not...
in BootStrapMe, on July 16, 2009
© BlackpitShooting
A recent survey by the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that senior citizens are the largest demographic group starting new businesses these days, according to Inc.com . Between November of 2007 and May of 2009, the percentage of Americans age 65 or older who are self-emplo...
Employee or Entrepreneur? The Pros and Cons of Self-Employment
in BootStrapMe, on July 12, 2009
J.D. at Get Rich Slowly recently took an interesting look at the pros and cons of self-employment. His perspective is especially interesting because his blog is not about bootstraping - or any other kind of entrepreneurship. It's just about personal finance... Although I tend toward entrepre...
When Setbacks Happen
in BootStrapMe, on June 29, 2009
In this economy you have to expect setbacks. And you have to be prepared to deal with them. Whatever you do to create that mental framework is up to you. I know of people who keep a litttle laminated card in their wallet that gives them a list of steps to remember when bad things happen. I don't...
How Big is Your Farm?
in BootStrapMe, on June 21, 2009
Seth Godin asked that question recently, as a metaphor. If you own a lot of acres but just have a few bags of seed, you might be tempted to spread out what you've got and cover as much territory as you can. Farmers tell me that this is wasteful and time consuming. You end up with less yield an...
Accelerating Relationships with Social Networking
in TJ's Weblog, on June 15, 2009
Business has always been at least partly about networking. More and more, it has come to be about social networking. I wrote recently about the need to focus your efforts in social networking. I came across this piece not long ago by Christopher Rollyson on how business relationships can, ...
Problem Solving is Key
in BootStrapMe, on June 12, 2009
Success in starting a business is mostly about figuring out what to do when challenges arise. So I couldn't help but get a little excited when I say this point on problem solving .
In the piece Sid Kemp looks a six basic steps to assessing and solving problems. And in his view, most of it is c...
Social Networking With Purpose
in BootStrapMe, on June 7, 2009
Entrepreneur.Com had a piece recently that made a simple point: You should be selective with your social networks.
The simple truth is that social networking can be a time consuming endeavor. It's easy to get bogged down trying to read all your Twitter posts. Social networks can become redun...
Viral Marketing Chocolate Grasshoppers
in BootStrapMe, on May 30, 2009
© worak
Small Business Trends had a cute piece recently on a viral marketing campaign that included mailing chocolate covered grasshoppers to some 5,000 marketing gurus with a simple message: if you can eat one of these, you probably have the guts to be an entrepreneur, too.
From Rob Ma...
Using Video to Boost Your Profile
in BootStrapMe, on May 24, 2009
© renaissancechambara
Entrepreneur.com pointed out recently how easy it is to create and host online a video about your business. It's a powerful marketing tool that can give your business' image a big boost.
It's not hard to make a video look pretty professional with an inexpen...
MBAs and Entrepreneurs
in BootStrapMe, on May 21, 2009
BusinessWeek recently published an article that looked at our infatuation as a nation with the MBA and suggested that perhaps we should be more concerned with the talent of entrepreneurship than with training. Rarely have I seen the contrast spelled out so clearly... Now, I understand the us...
The Balance of Life
in BootStrapMe, on May 10, 2009
Like many high pressure careers, bootstrappers face a problem that can sometimes be difficult. It is a problem for which no pat answers or prefabricated solutions are available. The problem: maintaining a balance between your entrepreneurial endevears and the rest of life.
You do have a life , do...
How Sound is Your Business Plan?
in BootStrapMe, on April 27, 2009
I recently reported at BizPlanHacks on some research that shows that business plans don't get start-ups funded by VC's. But what do we care?
A business plan takes on a whole new meaning in the context of a bootstrapped business. PE Hub 's Joanna Glasner rightly points out that the...
Resources for Women Entrepreneurs
in BootStrapMe, on April 19, 2009
Adam over at Blogtrepreneur points out the prominent role women play in the bootstrap community and the larger world of entrepreneurs today. He uses suffrage as a point of reference; 90 years ago women couldn't even vote. "You've come a long way, baby." (Hope that doesn't...
Before You Start a Business, Do an Internship
in BootStrapMe, on April 4, 2009
Before you start a business, you can gain a lot of insight into you new industry or market by doing an internship in a business in the same sector of your economy. That was the advice of Karen E. Klein at BusinessWeek last month. She called it an "inexpensive way to avoid mistakes when you la...
The Value-Price Relationship
in BootStrapMe, on March 31, 2009
...two)
If you choose to lower your price, something else may suffer. No matter how tough the market gets, you'll have to stick to your principles to sell the value that differentiates you from you...
The Personality of an Entrepreneur
in BootStrapMe, on March 25, 2009
Young Entrepreneur had a piece recently on entrepreneurial personality. It was an interesting look at the importance of matching personality to your job function.
The article interviews consultant Bill Wagner of Accord Management Systems. Word to the wise, we can't change our personality bu...
VC's Overrated...
in BootStrapMe, on March 20, 2009
Brad Feld had an interesting piece recently that I thought my BootStrapper friends would smile about. It was on the relationship between entrepreneurs and venture capitalists. When I think about who I spend most of my time with, it's entrepreneurs. When I think about who really drives innovati...
Confessions of a Startup Addict
in BootStrapMe, on March 11, 2009
Ivan Widjaya over at Noobpreneur had a cute piece Monday. He confesses that he's addicted to starting new businesses.
Ivan looks at the symptoms of his addiction (with an eye toward helping to decide if you share his problem). Then he looks at himself as a case study. I started dozens of busi...
The Bootstrapper's Fable: Is a VC Hunting You?
in BootStrapMe, on February 28, 2009
Scott Dig , a bootstrapper himself, had an instructive little fable for the bootstrappers of the world earlier this month. I won't retell it in its entirety, but the moral is that we often lose sight of our most valuable assets.
Scott's message is simple: as a Bootstrapper, your most valua...
Due Diligence Comes in Flavors
in BootStrapMe, on February 16, 2009
Sometimes it's easy to forget that there's more than one type of due diligence. At the start-up stage, remembering to do both legal due diligence and business due diligence is critical.
Scott Dig posted a good description of the two type of due diligence earlier this month. He's ...
20 Bootstrapping Tips
in BootStrapMe, on February 4, 2009
Evan Carmichael has a good piece today that looks at ways you can bootstrap. What it amounts to is 20 tips for succeeding as a bootstrapper.
The tips are basic: Hire people on a part time basis
Automate wherever possible
Don't quit your day job (and we've said that before)
Form ...
Focus on Strength
in BootStrapMe, on January 28, 2009
Black in Business ran in encouraging piece earlier this month on how to develop a positive outlook on your business activities.
It's a simple message. Manage your weaknesses; we all know that. But the important part of the message for bootstrappers is that we should enhance out strengths. Our...
Building a Start Up from Scratch
in BootStrapMe, on January 21, 2009
Evan Carmichael over at the Young Entrepreneur blog has a nice basic step-by-step on how to start out with nothing and build yourself a start up business. Here are the steps that I took. This process helped me build my business with $0 in startup capital. Hopefully you can learn from my experien...
Unemployment Benefits? One of the Risks of Going it Alone...
in BootStrapMe, on January 15, 2009
National Public Radio had an interesting story yesterday that highlighted the plight of many people involved in entrepreneurship and home-based business. If their business fails, they are just as unemployed as a laid off autoworker. But they are not eligible for unemployment benefits. Most people ...
The Place of Loyalty in Your New Company's Values
in BootStrapMe, on January 12, 2009
Jack and Suzy Welch over at BusinessWeek had a good article a few days ago on the role of loyalty in corporate culture - especially in hard times. I thought it was useful to consider in the context of building a new business.
Your business is off the ground and you've hired a few people. The...
Fear Not! In a Recession, Fear Will Kill Your Business...
in BootStrapMe, on December 26, 2008
Brian Solis over at TechCrunch had an excellent piece early this week on the negativity and fear that comes with a recession. While bootstrappers are probably a little less prone to fear and panic than most other business people, Brian 's advice is still timely.
A tidbit from the piece: S...
What is a Bootstrapper?
in BootStrapMe, on December 24, 2008
Dave Cheong had an interesting piece this week on bootstrapping. It was a nice, simple review of the concept.
"A bootstrapper is someone who uses his own time, money and resources to get a business launched...," Cheong writes. Then he asks every bootstrapper's favorite question: Isn...
Are You Successful...?
in BootStrapMe, on December 13, 2008
Dan Schawbel over at Personal Branding Blog has an insightful interview online at the moment Romanus Wolter , "the Kick Start Guy." And Wolter makes what I think is a very important point for today's world: you don't get to define success all by yourself.
"A person is su...
Cash Flow: Solving the Problem of How to Get it Started
in BootStrapMe, on December 3, 2008
I saw a post last month that I like by Yaro Starak over at Entrepreneurs-Journey.Com about getting your cash flow started.
Lack of cash flow when you first get started in a business can be a major obstacle. Often the solution is a catch-22: you get a second job to bring in money for the start-up ...
Free Guide to Social Media for Small Business
in BootStrapMe, on November 26, 2008
A Facebook friend of mine, Anita Campbell, pointed me toward a new free guide to social media for Small Business . The book is "Let's Talk: Social Media for Small Business," by John Jantsch of Duct Tape Marketing. I just finished reading it and recommend you check it out. The ...
What others have to say about Shawn Hessinger and BootStrapMe.com
in BootStrapMe, on October 20, 2008
... Photo courtesy of iStockphoto , Devon Stephens
Since June 2006 , BootStrapMe.com has been sharing the possibilities of bootstrap startups with entrepreneurs the world over.
It's more than ju...
Share bootstrap resources on Yahoo!
in BootStrapMe, on October 16, 2008
© Yodel Anecdotal
Got a resource you'd like to share with other bootstrappers?
Do so at The Bootstrapper's Group on Yahoo! using the Rich-Text Editor function to create links to blogs and other website resources .
Using The Bootstrapper's Group you can:
• Share resources you...
Another book on bootstrapping
in BootStrapMe, on October 15, 2008
Photo courtesy of iStockphoto , Courtney Weittenhiller
Travel industry entrepreneur Chicke Fitzgerald is one of numerous contributors to a new " Bootstrap Business " book due out this spring.
In a post on her Distribution Solutionz blog, Chicke suggests bootstrapping may be key to i...
Bootstrapping key in tough economic times
in BootStrapMe, on October 14, 2008
Photo courtesy of iStockphoto , Tatiana Gladskikh
Despite the market's dramatic rebound today, some in the business community continue to be pessimistic about the immediate future.
But, as I mentioned in a recent post at the Bootstrapper's Gtoup on Yaho o!, Mark "Rizzin" ...
Tips for the serious bootstrapper
in BootStrapMe, on October 11, 2008
Photo courtesy of iStockphoto , Magdalena Duczkowska
Once the wave of exuberance over starting a new bootstrap business passes giving way to a lot of hard work accompanied by occasional disappointment, it's time to take some serious stock.
Unlike the funded model, there may not be any bi...
Help me make this blog even better
in BootStrapMe, on October 8, 2008
Photo courtesy of iStockphoto , Rafal Zdeb
I've received a few very nice comments over the last couple of days about this blog and how it has been helpful to readers.
Thanks to all of you for visiting and responding.
In the near future I plan to have more interviews with other companie...
Bootstrapping my blog network
in BootStrapMe, on October 7, 2008
...9;t joined yet, do so, and feel free to ask to link to my network by simply telling me you're a BootStrapMe reader.
You can also follow the bootstrapping of this interactive blogging network at ...
Make me an offer!
in BootStrapMe, on October 6, 2008
...d us in business.
I'm using ZooQ , a new problem solving community profiled recently here on BootStrapMe , to get some suggestions on the question of setting prices. Here's what I posted un...
Hunger gives bootstrappers their edge
in BootStrapMe, on October 5, 2008
Photo courtesy of iStockphoto , Skip ODonnell
( Editor's Note: Entrepreneur Cristian Dorobantescue interviews mike Michalowicz about the ultimate bootstrapper advantage. )
I've recently had the chance of interviewing Mike Michalowicz , serial entrepreneur and author of the book...
Top 10 links on BootStrapMe.com
in BootStrapMe, on October 5, 2008
...ly checked the Google Analytics account for this blog and discovered the top performing links among bootstrapme.com readers run the gamut from info on the importance of cash flow to how to start a thr...
"Bailout" news may not be good for bootstrappers
in BootStrapMe, on October 2, 2008
Photo courtesy of iStockphoto , Lilli Day
As a revised version of Monday's failed Wall Street "bailout" legislation passes the Senate and is now being evaluated by members in the House here in the U.S., it's time again for reflection.
I've posted before about my doubts...
Join ZooQ and help bootstrap my business
in BootStrapMe, on October 1, 2008
Photo courtesy of iStockphoto , Khuong Hoang
CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS POST
Now that we've reviewed the tools available through ZooQ , the new problem solving application with implications for the bootstrapping entrepreneur , I've decided to try it myself.
Co-founder Edward A. ...
Founder: ZooQ is for bootstrappers
in BootStrapMe, on September 30, 2008
Photo courtesy of iStockphoto , Ashok Rodrigues
CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS POST
Ultimately, ZooQ 's co-founder Edward A. Ipser, Jr. maintains that the application is a perfect fit for bootstrappers . In a series of e-mails on the subject earlier this month he explained:
ZooQ is [a]...
Bootstrapping your group or challenge with ZooQ
in BootStrapMe, on September 30, 2008
Photo courtesy of iStockphoto , Alistair Scott
CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS POST
Use these simple tools to bootstrap your group or advisory board with ZooQ :
• Set a challenge. Define the challenge, the problem you need to solve. Decide who you want to help you solve it. (Open it to ev...
Tool gives bootstrappers board of directors of the big guys
in BootStrapMe, on September 29, 2008
Photo courtesy of iStockphoto , yang yu
CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS POST
So how does ZooQ work?
Well, the new social application officially launching beginning in October is built on the premise that anyone should be able to get together a bunch of advisors to solve a problem no matter how ...
ZooQ gives bootstrappers company building tool
in BootStrapMe, on September 29, 2008
Photo courtesy of iStockphoto , christine balderas
Many of you know that in addition to editing this site, I am also the founder of an interactive blog network called PostRanger.com .
Now established as a site featuring posted links to blogs and other on line resources on a variety of subjects...
Forget the credit crunch: bootstrap your business
in BootStrapMe, on September 27, 2008
Has the latest news on U.S. and global financial problems got you down?
There is an alternative. Stop worrying about Wall Street and bootstrap your business startup or expansion instead.
Here's how:
• Start with no money. Begin with a service (generally the least capital intensive kind ...
Reader's pick for bootstrapper principles
in BootStrapMe, on September 23, 2008
© a2gemma
We've laid out a couple of what I consider to be among the most important bootstrapping principles over the last few days: Here they are .
But I want to keep this site as interactive as possible so now it's your turn to add to the list.
If there are any important princi...
Bootstrapping principle #3: Freelance over full-time
in BootStrapMe, on September 22, 2008
© douglemoine
As anyone in an operating business can tell you these days, hiring freelancers or subcontractors can sometimes be a better option than full-time employees .
So it should come as no surprise that bootstrappers must sometimes rely on freelance over full-time workers and should b...
