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I think the issue is, for a lot of these people they don't have enough capital to bootstrap it. Let's look at a large number of YC launches we see on here. Oft
by that_guy_iain 3y ago
I think the issue is, for a lot of these people they don't have enough capital to bootstrap it.
Let's look at a large number of YC launches we see on here. Often they're 1-2 years after they joined YC. They took 1-2 years to get to launch with a team of employees. Sure, they had customers before the launch but really at that point it was still lets see what works and experiement and change ideas and whatnot.
I'm currently trying to bootstrap a source-available SaaS Subscription and Billing software. I've taken 3-months to work on the MVP by myself and still not got a MVP ready. (Almost there, working on final stuff like documentation and whatnot) Not many people can commit to that long before seeing if the idea is going anywhere. There are quite a few people who can't afford to work full time on their bootstrap idea for 3-6 months without an income.
- JohnFen 3y ago> There are quite a few people who can't afford to work full time on their bootstrap idea for 3-6 months without an income. 3-6 months? In my ventures, the quickest I've seen meaningful personal income from them has been 2 years! Typically, I have either saved up a "warchest" to get me through that time, or I've had a second job, or (most typically) both.
- that_guy_iain 3y ago> 3-6 months? > In my ventures, the quickest I've seen meaningful personal income from them has been 2 years! To be fair, seeing some income feels way better than seeing none. And if you're seeing growth it's another thing too.
- JohnFen 3y agoYes, to both points. When I'm starting a business, I view it as an exercise in delayed gratification. I'm not expecting to make any money in the early stages. Instead, I'm expecting to make up for it in what I make in the later stages. It's an investment in that sense. Seeing growth, and seeing the company (not necessarily me personally) developing an income are important things through the whole deal, from the beginning through maturity.