The Next Web

SEPTEMBER 22, 2013

But have you ever had the opportunity to pick the brains of founders who created amazingly successful startups and companies like Envato , Backblaze , Simple , or Treehouse ? Few people like talking about their mistakes, but thankfully nine founders took some time to share some of their hard-earned knowledge with you.

Cofounder 164

Cofounder Founder Startup Bootstrapping 164

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 9, 2020

In my years of advising startups and occasional investing, I’ve seen many great ideas start and fail, but the right team always seems to make good things happen, even without the ultimate idea. You need to have a technical genius on the team to get your startup product off the ground. The industry veteran. The sales professional.

Technical Cofounder 308

Technical Cofounder Cofounder Advisory Board Stock Options 308

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 7, 2020

Yet everyone has limits, and every investor implicitly has similar limits on what makes a startup investable, or one to avoid at all costs. Here is my perspective on the highest risk elements, from my years of working with investors and watching startups come and go: All the co-founders are first-time entrepreneurs.

New York City 315

New York City Silicon Valley Startup Bootstrapping 315

YoungUpstarts

AUGUST 11, 2011

by Oliver Wilkinson , founder of SSL247 and co-founder of jobiso.fr. Master the art of bootstrapping: aim to “bootstrap” first. In the 4 or 5 years since then, SSL247 has doubled in size 5 or 6 times and I’ve set up another 2 startup businesses. Be curious and adventurous: think like The North Face.

Entrepreneur 221

Entrepreneur Bootstrapping Cofounder SMS 221

YoungUpstarts

AUGUST 25, 2016

by Aytekin Tank, founder & CEO of JotForm. Determining if your product can be bootstrapped. Business decisions must be made carefully at a bootstrapped company. In order to scale while continuing to be a profitable bootstrapped company, we focus on tasks that will provide the most value first. Learning by doing.

Bootstrapping 100

Bootstrapping San Francisco New York City Software Development 100

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 18, 2018

In my years of advising startups and occasional investing, I’ve seen many great ideas start and fail, but the right team always seems to make good things happen, even without the ultimate idea. You need to have a technical genius on the team to get your startup product off the ground. The industry veteran. The sales professional.

Technical Cofounder 144

Technical Cofounder Cofounder Advisory Board Startup 144

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 9, 2023

That’s why investors acknowledge that two co-founders are often better than one -- with one focusing on the technical solution, and the other focusing on defining and building the business model. The founder had simply not done the work to validate a price and customer segment. These two jobs need to be done in parallel.

Technical Review 220

Technical Review Advisory Board Software Review Business Model 220

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 8, 2014

Yet everyone has limits, and every investor implicitly has similar limits on what makes a startup investable, or one to avoid at all costs. Here is my perspective on the highest risk elements, from my years of working with investors and watching startups come and go: All the co-founders are first-time entrepreneurs.

New York City 254

New York City Silicon Valley Bootstrapping Technical Review 254

A Smart Bear: Startups and Marketing for Geeks

APRIL 25, 2011

Everyone says small startups require focus. Given my specialty and my goals, traditional career (or startup) theory says I should have said “no.&#. “Yes&# if this extends the runway of our startup by at least three months. “Yes&# if it means one of the co-founders can quit her day-job.

Java 311

Java Software Review Technical Review Salary 311

VC Cafe

MARCH 16, 2025

Mention that you do “Consumer tech” as a startup founder and you’d be limiting your funding options to one third of the venture capital funds (in Israel that figure is probably closer to 10%). Until now, consumer tech was perceived as a risky binary investment. But don’t just take it from me.

Technical Review 78

Technical Review B2C Generative AI IPO 78

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 2, 2023

Yet everyone has limits, and every investor implicitly has similar limits on what makes a startup investable, or one to avoid at all costs. Here is my perspective on the highest risk elements, from my years of working with investors and watching startups come and go: All the co-founders are first-time entrepreneurs.

New York City 246

New York City Silicon Valley Bootstrapping Technical Review 246

Startup Lessons Learned

APRIL 29, 2013

This post was written by Sarah Milstein, co-host of The Lean Startup Conference. We’re looking for speakers for the 2013 Lean Startup Conference. If you’re a Lean Startup veteran, feel free to skim the beginning, as this is mostly stuff you already know. Last week, we announced that our short application form was live.

Lean 165

Lean Technical Review Startup Software Review 165

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 11, 2010

Taking other people’s money to fund your startup changes your life in ways you cannot predict. To someone laboring in a cash-strapped startup, money often seems to be the endgame. And that they don’t set your co-founders or key employees against you in meetings. By Francine Hardaway, Ph.D. What do they need to do?

Advisory Board 233

Advisory Board Cofounder Phoenix Arizona 233

ReadWriteStart

MAY 30, 2022

The Proud Owners of a Startup. Today, as the proud owner of a startup, you’re probably much better at managing your money. While investors can seem like a solution to countless problems you encounter as a founder, don’t be too hasty to start eating from their hands. We have all been there, done that. You might even ask for it.

Bootstrapping 147

Bootstrapping Startup Equity Silicon Valley 147

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 22, 2018

Yet everyone has limits, and every investor implicitly has similar limits on what makes a startup investable, or one to avoid at all costs. Here is my perspective on the highest risk elements, from my years of working with investors and watching startups come and go: All the co-founders are first-time entrepreneurs.

New York City 202

New York City Silicon Valley Bootstrapping Technical Review 202

Genuine VC

SEPTEMBER 18, 2014

When Chad Pytel introduced me to Bryan Helmkamp , CEO/Co-founder of Code Climate , I knew that I had to pay attention. Chad is the CEO of thoughtbot, a consulting firm that makes web + mobile apps for early-stage startups.

Software Review 191

Software Review Chad Ruby PHP 191

Jeff Hilimire

OCTOBER 8, 2014

I realized that I enjoy interviewing startup friends about their business, but sending them a bunch of questions and having them reply didn’t allow for me to react to their answers, and honestly, if I actually interviewed them over Skype or something I think about eight people would actually watch the video.

Cofounder 68

Cofounder Charlotte Raleigh Atlanta 68

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 13, 2015

In my years of advising startups and occasional investing, I’ve seen many great ideas start and fail, but the right team always seems to make good things happen, even without the ultimate idea. You need to have a technical genius on the team to get your startup product off the ground. The industry veteran. The sales professional.

Technical Cofounder 120

Technical Cofounder Cofounder Advisory Board Stock Options 120

viniciusvacanti.com

SEPTEMBER 7, 2010

Home About Contact Me How To Make It as a First-Time Entrepreneur Vinicius Vacanti Guide to Finding a Technical Co-Founder September 7, 2010 | View Comments Steve Job's Technical Co-Founder “I’ve got this HUGE idea. I just need to find a technical co-founder.&# So, why should they pick you?

Cofounder 43

Cofounder Technical Cofounder Founder Ruby 43

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 7, 2011

Blogs weren’t popularized yet so it was an oddity for me to read the founder of a software company spewing out advice. Joel met his co-founder for Fog Creek software and learned a valuable management lesson. Within a small startup with 3 engineers, everyone will work on all aspects of the site.

Software Review 285

Software Review Software St. Louis API 285

SiliconHills

OCTOBER 25, 2019

Instead of seeking venture capital, Joyce Durst, Co-Founder, and CEO of Growth Acceleration Partners decided to bootstrap the software development company. Before co-founding GAP, Durst served as CEO of venture-backed startup Pinion Software, a security software company.

Software Developers 91

Software Developers Software Development Partner Software 91

mashable.com

AUGUST 20, 2011

Startup life is all about bootstrapping, but you need a place to work, right? Here’s a breakdown of three workplace styles — home-working, coworking and traditional office space — with pros, cons and input from startups utilzing each environment so you can figure which the right choice is for you.

Cofounder 81

Cofounder San Francisco Social Media Startup 81

www.readwriteweb.com

OCTOBER 7, 2007

This is typically called “bootstrapping&# and it is fraught with potential pitfalls and dangers. But when done well it can really help get a company going fast, professionally and without the founders having to give up much (if any) equity - or bankrupting themselves. What is bootstrapping? Why bootstrap?

Bootstrapping 41

Bootstrapping Offshore Startup EC2 41

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 9, 2016

Yet everyone has limits, and every investor implicitly has similar limits on what makes a startup investable, or one to avoid at all costs. Here is my perspective on the highest risk elements, from my years of working with investors and watching startups come and go: All the co-founders are first-time entrepreneurs.

New York City 120

New York City Silicon Valley Startup Bootstrapping 120

The Next Web

JUNE 19, 2012

Under the relatively fresh ‘TNW Profile’ banner, we regularly shine a light on great European entrepreneurs and startup founders, to learn more about their journey and their business, and what drives them personally. Me and my cofounders Joanna Socha and Mariusz Lusiak just got into Y Combinator. TNW: Do you ever sleep?

San Francisco 136

San Francisco Cofounder Founder Poland 136

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 7, 2015

That’s why investors acknowledge that two co-founders are often better than one -- with one focusing on the technical solution, and the other focusing on defining and building the business model. The founder had simply not done the work to validate a price and customer segment. These two jobs need to be done in parallel.

Business Model 120

Business Model Technical Review Advisory Board Software Review 120

YoungUpstarts

SEPTEMBER 23, 2017

I raised money and traded equity, but with my venture, I had to make one of the toughest decisions, to build it with some assistance of co-founders. Find the right co-founders. Having co-founders provides a strategy to avoid funding your start-up, with the help of investor’s money.

Cofounder 124

Cofounder Sweat Equity Equity Dilution 124

The Next Web

AUGUST 26, 2013

Editor’s note: This is a guest post by Christian Reber, CEO and co-founder of Berlin-based 6Wunderkinder. Today, in steps 10-12 I want to discuss with you raising your first round of money, hiring to develop and maintain your company culture, as well as defining your role in the management of your startup.

Management 120

Management Cofounder Startup Bootstrapping 120

Up and Running

MAY 10, 2012

It’s never easy to leave a stable job to launch a startup. Ben Lamson and Sulaiman Sanni, WeDidIt cofounders. ” The competition did more than educate and put money in the bank for this otherwise bootstrapped startup. “Since winning the competition, things have almost exploded for us.

Small Business 142

Small Business Advisory Board Employee Entrepreneur 142

Startup Lessons Learned

APRIL 14, 2009

Lessons Learned by Eric Ries Tuesday, April 14, 2009 Validated learning about customers Would you rather have $30,000 or $1 million in revenues for your startup? In an early-stage startup especially, revenue is not an important goal in and of itself. Let’s start with a simple question: why do early-stage startups want revenue?

Customer 167

Customer San Francisco Lean Hockey Stick 167

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 19, 2015

That’s why I recommend that they find a co-founder who loves business challenges, including marketing and finance. Most founders bootstrap product development. Patents can raise startup valuation by investors by as much as a million dollars, and will attract acquisitions rather than copycats.

Technical Review 120

Technical Review Intellectual Property Cofounder Bootstrapping 120

YoungUpstarts

MAY 6, 2019

by Arsalan Sajid, startup community manager at Cloudways. Life is not a box of chocolates and startups are not always easy to start. There is a complete process that governs the startup lifecycle including inception to exit. This startup stage starts from the day you decide to work on a startup idea. Early Stage.

Startup 113

Startup Technical Cofounder Merger Early Stage 113

YoungUpstarts

AUGUST 16, 2016

by Evan Varsamis, Founder/CEO at Gadget Flow Inc. Myself and my co-founders were just a bunch of young upstarts with a big idea. Not a garage like many startups stories but then this is no ordinary company. The culture for startups and new business has moved more towards raising capital and fueling growth this way.

Greece 100

Greece United Kingdom Ukraine Philippines 100

YoungUpstarts

JULY 21, 2019

Around half of all startups fail by their fifth year. If you and your co-founder(s) are friends, why not work on your home instead? If you haven’t been able to save up for your capital, consider bootstrapping your business. Create Marketing Partnerships with Other Startups. Stay online.

Software Review 191

Software Review Entrepreneur Cost Cofounder 191

Up and Running

JULY 10, 2017

You can have all traction in the world—acquire, activate, and retain users, but until your startup earns money, you are doing charity work, not running a business. Even if you are just starting to consider building a SaaS startup , you’ve probably used products with either freemium pricing or a free trial. Choose wisely.

Startup 110

Startup Non-Compete Viral Software Review 110

A Smart Bear: Startups and Marketing for Geeks

APRIL 29, 2013

The answer for a funded startup is “Bid as much as possible, to get as many customers — and data! ” Easy for them to say, but what about a bootstrapped, profit-driven business? A surprising number of startups have CAC > LTV. Profit-seeking bootstrapped companies cannot afford those delusions.

Bootstrapping 285

Bootstrapping Affiliate Cofounder Channel 285

Hunter Walker

AUGUST 26, 2024

It was his mobile productivity startup Acompli (later acquired by Microsoft) which first caught my attention. HW: You’ve been a startup founder as well as an executive at larger tech companies. I don’t believe that lack of startup experience should rule someone out from a job at a startup.

Puerto Rico 143

Puerto Rico Hiring Founder Cofounder 143