There are loads of profitable bootstrapped companies. Not taking outside investment can definitely slow your growth, but you own it 100% and can dictate the dir

There are loads of profitable bootstrapped companies. Not taking outside investment can definitely slow your growth, but you own it 100% and can dictate the direction that you are going in. You also don't get some of the pressure that funded companies sometimes get. I know a number of seriously successful companies that were started without funding or investment - many of them are quietly getting on with making money :)