128 sats \ 7 replies \ @pleb349 12 Jul 2022 freebie \ on: Hey so SN raised a seed round meta
SN seems like the perfect business to bootstrap and keep 100% ownership. I'd really reconsider. You can never get that ownership back. There are other options.
This is perfectly valid approach and usually ensures your business stays under your full control.. and generally, small. Get cash flow positive in a sweet niche you enjoy and there's a lot of happiness and stress-free existence that flows from that.
However, when your ideas and market and goals are MUCH bigger, it's better to travel in a group - more ideas, more connections, and more existing wheels to re-use rather than re-inventing/re-discovering everything alone.
Raising capital can be a smart thing to do, but you want smart money not dumb money. Smart money brings expertise, ideas and connections. Dumb money sits quietly and offers no additional input/value. Both have their place but don't confuse the two.
Hard won perspectives.
Congratulations @k00b on the raise - that shit is a lot of hard yards.
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Too late lol ... SN wouldn't be where it is today without all the investors helping me. They've given me tons of great ideas and helped with so much.
I've tried bootstrapping, and its painful and lonely because you're the only one with skin in the game. Mad props to people who do it though.
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Investors are not your friends, no matter what they tell you. Their advice and encouragement come at a steep price. You now work for them.
Come on, man. You are very close to having a business that will run itself, while you are sitting on a beach drinking Margaritas. Self-sovereignty!
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I disagree. Friends/partners/whatever. It's humans helping humans. Even if they're only helping for returns, they're helping me do something I can't do on my own and I want them to get returns. Something that I hope benefits us all.
I'm done building things alone.
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I sure hope you are right. My experience is that outside investors bring with them a whole new level of stress. If what you want are collaborators, how about bringing in a technical partner? Someone who will actually work side by side with you, every day. Give them some ownership instead of a VC.
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Have you ever worked directly with investors? Perhaps you got a bad experience.
A lot of investors are very helpful and provide great mentorship. Interests are generally aligned and allow early platforms (which challenge incumbents) to survive
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I'll have both investors and collaborators. It's not black and white, and imo shouldn't be for me/sn.
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