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> My wife and I have a profitable business here in SF that would be perfect as a startup Keep doing what you're doing. Being VC funded shouldn't be the holy g
by RowanH 2y ago
> My wife and I have a profitable business here in SF that would be perfect as a startup
Keep doing what you're doing.
Being VC funded shouldn't be the holy grail - the holy grail is having a business you enjoy doing, that's making you the life you want.
For some the life you want is pitching, raising, getting the kudos of the big numbers, onto the next raise etc.
For some the life you want is the complete opposite and bootstrapping it.
For some it's just all about the technical aspect, coding the next crazy thing.
There's no wrong or right answer in how you get to the 'happy place'.
You know in your heart of hearts what drives you, and what you'll be happy doing.
Me :
I'd been with the money men for a period of years and it's super stressful, board reporting, projections, market analysis etc.
Now I've got my little B2B SaaS startup that's blended a life long passion with my software chops, and our clients love us, we get to work with the absolutely best people in our industry, we're making a difference in their lives, and they in turn pay us money.
It's hard, rewarding, graft. At the end of the week when the money lands in stripe (for me..) there's nothing artificial, there's no projections, there's no-one to pay back, it's a 100% value exchange of 'heres my(our) hardwork, here's a product and you're giving me money for it'.
Sure - could I potentially have gone the VC route (maybe!). Would it be different, hell yes. Would I (probably) earn more ultimately 5 years down the line (sure?). That 5 years would be very, very different...
- _akhe 2y agoI really appreciate this comment. Service offered / payment received is irreplaceably wholesome and satisfying :) especially when they come back as repeat customers or become regular clients. Repeat business and gradual growth gives us both an exciting feeling about the future that I never quite felt at a startup. I've found too often a venture-backed startup is really a lifestyle business in disguise for the founders, not really about serving customers, so it's hard to truly get excited about them anymore. Where running a business that solves a problem for paying customers feels more like changing the world: > we're making a difference in their lives, and they in turn pay us money We've felt this too in our community, it's the real meaning of "Make something people want" (and why we haven't had a day off in like 62 days or something lol). It's strange to refer to our business as a "startup", but it is one, moreso than most VC-funded ones and I bet we have more customers, higher revenues, and a better growth outlook than the average local seed-funded startup. For us, a loan or VC route would just let us expand nationally right now to other major cities, instead of focusing first on the Bay Area and expanding nationally over the next several years which feels inevitable. The amount a VC might pressure us to go in the wrong direction is another worry, and because it's just capital we'd need (not advice), they might just get in the way and throw off timing or team structure. Thanks for your comment! I needed the reminder of how rewarding it is compared to conventional employment as today has been exceptionally hectic!
- dig1 2y agoI fully agree with you. I witnessed numerous small & stable companies that decided to go with the "startup" route and pick VC money because "that was the way". As soon as the first funding tranche arrived, once stable business suddenly became a hectic mess of hires and crazy projects, and, ultimately, they ended up with MBA managers installed by the VC board to salvage things as much as possible. Won't mention founders that usually go from very happy, loving persons to coke/alcohol/xanax junkies.