So, what difference can the bootstrapping approach really make when starting a business? All the difference in the world.

Here from my "seaside reflections" are five reasons why:

1. How low can you go? Instead of asking 'how much do you need'-a typical investor's question-a bootstrapper asks 'how much can I do without'. Contrary to the claim by critics that the bootstrapping approach is all about doing things on the cheap, the question really is how to make your venture work using available resources.

2. Action not words. Small business blogger Dane Carlson in his bold but controversial "20 Things Not To Do Before Starting a Business" cautions against being "all talk and no action" when it come to your new venture. In fact, action is the most important part of bootstrapping. You've got to DO SOMETHING. So get going.

3. Don't ask permission. Since there's no large structured loan, no venture capital, no government funding and no large group of investors, the only question is whether your business model will work. No one can give you the answer to that but the customer.

4. Show me the money. The well known line from the Tom Cruise movie Jerry Maguire can be your mantra as well. In this case it is not so much something an entrepreneur should say to his/her clients or customers, but a good phrase to remember when evaluating your business' success. Cash flow is the difference between life and death for a bootstrapper and a business model that cannot sustain itself is no business model at all.

5. Start today. One of the best things about the bootstrapping approach is that there's no need to wait to start that new venture. Time's a wastin'!