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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
Entrepreneur had a good piece by Barry Farber earlier this month on how the relationship between value and price can make or break your business. I remember seeing this statement above a local printer's office:
Price, Service, Quality
(Please pick two)
If you choose to lower your pr...
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 19, 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 ...
Seth Godin on Succeeding in a Down Market
in BootStrapMe, on February 9, 2009
Mashable's Andrew Warner recently interviewed marketing guru Seth Godin and talked about how to succeed in a down market.
Seth's advice is especially powerful for bootstrappers in this economy. And it's also encouraging. Among his tips for start-up businesses in this economy: Recogni...
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 ...
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 25, 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 bus...
Are You Successful...?
in BootStrapMe, on December 12, 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 25, 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 guid...
What others have to say about Shawn Hessinger and BootStrapMe.com
in BootStrapMe, on October 20, 2008
... blog topic for me. As founder of PostRanger.com , an interactive blogging network, I share my own bootstrapping struggles with readers regularly and with them seek solutions.
Here's what others...
Another book on bootstrapping
in BootStrapMe, on October 14, 2008
...s " book due out this spring.
In a post on her Distribution Solutionz blog, Chicke suggests bootstrapping may be key to innovation today because:
• Economic hard times tend to squelch innovat...
Bootstrapping key in tough economic times
in BootStrapMe, on October 13, 2008
... thrive in an uncertain economy because they:
• Do more with less. Since the very definition of bootstrapping is getting along without outside investment this implies a startup and growth without lo...
Tips for the serious bootstrapper
in BootStrapMe, on October 11, 2008
...s you'd like to do from day one in your business.) This presupposes, of course, that you're bootstrapping for the long haul not just long enough to get backing.
Remember, whether you eventua...
Help me make this blog even better
in BootStrapMe, on October 8, 2008
...pers .
And, of course, I'll be providing more tips as well...and more tales of my own ongoing bootstrapping efforts .
But if you have any ideas about other things that could be added to make th...
Bootstrapping my blog network
in BootStrapMe, on October 7, 2008
...o 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 ZooQ . If you would like to be added as one o...
Make me an offer!
in BootStrapMe, on October 6, 2008
I'm setting pricing for my latest bootstrapped venture and could use your help.
PostRanger.com , the interactive blog network, is up and running and, as you've probably noticed, some guest posting is already going on, mainly for noncommercial purposes with a link back to a writer'...
Hunger gives bootstrappers their edge
in BootStrapMe, on October 4, 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 4, 2008
...sted in the Yahoo! Group at the end of September .)
1. Our main url as might be expected
2. Bootstrapping brings competitive advantage , a post from December 2007
3. 10 reasons for a bare b...
"Bailout" news may not be good for bootstrappers
in BootStrapMe, on October 2, 2008
... doubts that a credit crunch really represents the end of the world for small business, especially bootstrapping entrepreneurs .
Is there anyone else out there who finds it difficult to swallow that...
Join ZooQ and help bootstrap my business
in BootStrapMe, on October 1, 2008
... 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. Ipser, Jr. has...
Founder: ZooQ is for bootstrappers
in BootStrapMe, on September 30, 2008
...lection of tools offered by the site have passed the Beta stage, ZooQ will remain accessible to the bootstrapping community:
The business model is, essentially, to provide value across the entire sc...
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...
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
...cash flow and forget about needing money (or credit) to get started.
Here's more on bootstrapping and its virtues . Please consider joining our Yahoo! and MySpace groups to network with like...
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 inte...
Bootstrapping principle #3: Freelance over full-time
in BootStrapMe, on September 22, 2008
...tstrappers too. Freelancing or subcontracting are among the easiest ways to start a fledgling bootstrapping business. They should understand the challenges you face and work harder to control costs f...
Bootstrapping principle #2: Partnerships over pay-out
in BootStrapMe, on September 21, 2008
... © Mel B.
Next in our series of top bootstrapping principles , we look at how partnerships triumph over pay-out or how sometimes teaming with others can help cut the costs of startup.
If you nee...
Bootstrapping principle #1: Cash flow over capital
in BootStrapMe, on September 20, 2008
...h flow edges out capital for startup because:
• The business must be operating to generate it. Bootstrapping guru Greg Gianforte explains in his " Bootstrapping your business " how bootstr...
Swerving off the bootstrapping trail...or am I?
in BootStrapMe, on September 18, 2008
...ld not be money. Portions of the company's cash flow would be reinvested for growth using basic bootstrapping principles.
The objective would be additional time gained by the entrepreneur to work...
Bootstrap building blocks: From part-time startup to full-time business
in BootStrapMe, on September 15, 2008
... " From Side Product to Startup " conference in Portland, OR, deal with the importance of bootstrapping in these early stages. Specifically:
• Bootstrap if you want to maintain control. Ta...
My bootstrapping tools
in BootStrapMe, on September 14, 2008
... © quapan
Thought I'd take a moment this post to mention some key bootstrapping tools online.
Many regular readers know that in addition to editing this blog including tips, resources, int...
Ask Google for bootstrap news
in BootStrapMe, on September 13, 2008
... in the know not only about each new post here at BootStrapMe.com , but also on any information on bootstrapping anywhere across the world.
Here's how to get started:
• Go to the Google Alert...
So what's the definition of bootstrapping again?
in BootStrapMe, on September 11, 2008
...t taking venture or angel , and assume that it means you're investing your own money. To me bootstrapping a business means that the business funds itself by making money from day one.
Cooperm...
Bootstrapping and presidential politics
in BootStrapMe, on September 9, 2008
© zenobia_joy
With both major party presidential conventions behind us, it seems the coming general election holds little promise for bootstrappers here in the U.S. (See the video from JibJab below).
However, as suggested in an earlier post on this blog , there may be at least one third...
BootStrapMe readers: Join my Linkedin network
in BootStrapMe, on September 6, 2008
...e rest.
As mentioned in a previous post , networking can be among the most important parts of the bootstrapping process allowing fellow entrepreneurs to share ideas and resources.
Connect with read...
What's your bootstrap venture?
in BootStrapMe, on September 6, 2008
...s an e-mail and share your experiences with us.
If you would like more information on bootstrapping, what it is and why it may be the best way to start a business today, read our mission statement...
Bootstrapper's hall of fame: Cartoonist makes bootstrapping an art
in BootStrapMe, on September 6, 2008
...
Aspiring cartoonist Michelle Prestileo has discovered bootstrapping need not be limited to entrepreneurial startups on line or in the real world.
A decade ago, the Pennsylvania based artist m... ...ge and started her website as tribute to her favorite comic later turning it into a vehicle for showcasing her own work.
• Shoestring cartoonist. Like most bootstrappers, her overhead is remarkabl...
The ultimate bootstrapping trait?
in BootStrapMe, on September 5, 2008
...elieves it is one of the integral parts of the "founding team" of any successful bootstrapping venture.
How large is your social network and what steps can you take to grow it? The suc...
Bootstrapper's Labor Day
in BootStrapMe, on September 1, 2008
...revious posts come to mind both bearing on this day and its significance (or lack there of) to the bootstrapping entrepreneur.
• First, blogger Steve Pavlina reflects on why you shouldn't even...
Connectors key in bootstrapping
in BootStrapMe, on August 31, 2008
Photo courtesy of iStockphoto, Image# 6695073
CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS POST
Still, not only those with a product or service to sell or job to offer are welcome on LeadVine .
In fact, the very concept behind the network is that some members of the community with nothing to buy or sell may...
Bootstrapping tip: Call your competitor
in BootStrapMe, on August 31, 2008
... Photo courtesy of iStockphoto, Image# 6219339
CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS POST
Not just a bootstrapping tool, LeadVine is a bootstrapped venture itself .
At last check, the site boasted 169 us...
Bootstrapping tool inspired by simple business need
in BootStrapMe, on August 31, 2008
Photo courtesy of iStockphoto, Image# 6413338
CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS POST
Interviewed last week after the launch of his new venture , co-founder Allan Margate admits LeadVine was born out of a very simple need shared by all bootstrappers and indeed all businesses starting out.
&q...
Bootstrapping tool makes sign-up easy
in BootStrapMe, on August 31, 2008
Photo courtesy of iStockphoto, Image# 833614
CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS POST
We saw last time how LeadVine creates a new tool for bootstrappers helping them with possibly the biggest challenge of operating a business: recruiting sales and customers.
Of course, best of all is that signing ...
Bootstrapping your sales force with LeadVine
in BootStrapMe, on August 28, 2008
Got a product or service, but no time or resources to get it to those who may want it most?
That's where LeadVine.com , a recently launched website built to serve as a sales tool for bootstrap entrepreneurs, comes in.
"We're basically crowd sourcing the whole sales process,&quo...
Bootstrapper's hall of fame: Bootstrapping in Eastern Europe
in BootStrapMe, on August 27, 2008
...only as the starting point to a business that must grow and evolve over time.
• The bootstrapping lifestyle. In the end, the bootstrapping life is a hard one, Dorobantescue says, but worth the cha...
Bootstrapper's hall of fame: Bra strap bootstrap
in BootStrapMe, on August 24, 2008
Shelli Styles did not start out as a bootstrapper seeking to make a pile of money for herself.
Instead, the founding of Strappity-do-da , a company that markets specialized beaded bra straps from South America, was motivated by a desire to lift her husband's family out of poverty.
Here ar...
Bootstrapper's hall of fame: VA ventures
in BootStrapMe, on August 23, 2008
In a recent e-mail, Denise Aday confirms she has launched a new blog , a sign, it seems, that her virtual assistant business continues to move in new directions.
But way back in 2006, Denise was just getting started after being laid off from a full-time job.
We hope to have a lengthier conve...
Wanted: bootstrapper tools
in BootStrapMe, on August 21, 2008
... Photo courtesy of iStockphoto, Skip ODonnell
In addition to editing this site, I'm also a bootstrapping entrepreneur in my own rite, with my current project being the launch of the fledglin...
More bootstrappers join the party
in BootStrapMe, on August 20, 2008
...link back to your own website and tell fellow members more about what you're up to. I'm bootstrapping PostRanger.com, a new social blog network, and I'm hoping other bootstrappers will use...
Bootstrapper's hall of fame: Printing with promise
in BootStrapMe, on August 19, 2008
No matter what the job, Andrew S. Field and his team at PrintingforLess are ready to help.
Field bootstrapped the current on line service which boasts the ability to print from almost any printing software including Microsoft Publisher and the like.
"I love, love, LOVE Printing for less...
Bootstrapper's hall of fame: Pregnant mommy fashion
in BootStrapMe, on August 18, 2008
...aeden, now 2.
Here's the whole story:
• How she got started. O'Callaghan talks about bootstrapping her startup with very few resources and a LOT of creativity.
• What resources she used...
Guest blogging on bootstrapping and entrepreneurship
in BootStrapMe, on August 15, 2008
... Photo courtesy of iStockphoto, Image# 5521746
Have you got a blog with a need for posts on bootstrapping or more broadly entrepreneurship?
I'm seeking the opportunity to do some guest blogg...
Why you should join our Yahoo! Group
in BootStrapMe, on August 14, 2008
...you have to offer.
• Team building. I've saved perhaps the most important for last. Bootstrapping guru Bijoy Goswami suggests team building may be at the heart of the bootstrapping process. Fi...
Why you should bootstrap the business of your dreams today
in BootStrapMe, on August 13, 2008
...stin Horrocks
It's the basic idea behind our MySpace Group , and, I guess, the idea behind bootstrapping itself.
Why wait to start that business you've always dreamed of until someday in...
More blog posts at BootStrapMe's MySpace site
in BootStrapMe, on August 12, 2008
Photo courtesy of iStockphoto, Image# 3233994
I've added some more retro posts to our MySpace blog , links to some of our earliest posts back in 2006.
Check out the earliest entries from our archives most still full of great advice and information and visit the MySpace profile for this...
Why bootstrapping is so damned sweet
in BootStrapMe, on August 11, 2008
...teryna Govorushchenko
O.K., so there are reasons every entrepreneur might be intimidated by the bootstrapping approach.
I've committed to bootstrapping the startup of my own blog network Pos...
Why bootstrapping is so damned scary
in BootStrapMe, on August 7, 2008
... below.
Our first question is listed above and I'd like to answer it with a few points below.
Bootstrapping is so damned scary because:
• It means working without a net. Without big investors ...
Bootstrapping growth in an existing firm
in BootStrapMe, on August 5, 2008
...mart growth even at most established companies these days often means using existing resources, or bootstrapping , at first with the idea that great revenue will allow for growth.
So here, from my o...
Let's create the ultimate bootstrapper's group
in BootStrapMe, on August 3, 2008
Photo courtesy of iStockphoto, Image# 5822932
The action has cooled down somewhat on our Bootstrapper's Group over at Yahoo! , but the possibilities are now better than ever with a new Rich- Text editor Beta .
This allows you the same kind of linking possibilities available in mos...
