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Not just that. Defining a successful startup as a startup that exited is a bit narrow of a definition. A bootstrapped startup that has sustainable growth and ca
by pul 8y ago
Not just that. Defining a successful startup as a startup that exited is a bit narrow of a definition. A bootstrapped startup that has sustainable growth and can remain independent is successful in my book.
- sillysaurus3 8y agoNot quite. The point of a startup is to get rich and then not think about money. It's why people endure the pain. (It wasn't till I tried starting one that I realized just how painful it is.) A bootstrapped startup that you stop paying attention to will rapidly stop making money.
- ci5er 8y ago> I tried starting one that I realized just how painful it is. Yup! Then try hitting the wall at 600 mph, after raising $100M. That ain't pretty either.
- onion2k 8y agoThe point of a startup is to get rich and then not think about money. For some, sure. For many others it's to have the freedom to do something they enjoy, or to solve a pain they've encountered, or to help others. YC funds plenty of non-profits that aren't likely to ever make the founders "fuck you money" rich. In fact, most of the founders of those startups could earn much more elsewhere.
- chillydawg 8y agoOr you hire a manager/staff to run it?
- danieltillett 8y agoOnce you make enough money you can sell off a bootstrapped business or at worse just run it out for cash.
- bmpafa 8y agoI think a startup you bootstrap to generate a steady stream of revenue is just called a 'business,' or 'small business.' The all-or-nothing drive is, afaik, what makes it a 'startup.'