Here are some bootstrapping tips especially designed for the Halloween holiday.

Read them and apply them to your own business venture IF YOU DARE!!!

1. Don't be afraid of competition-As a bootstrapper, you will specialize in competition. Because you aren't creating an elaborately funded enterprise but are starting out small with little or no overhead you'll easily be able to find your niche and keeping close to your bootstrapping roots will allow you to change direction when necessary to adjust to the market.

2. Don't be left alone-Bootstrappers need community. It's helpful to talk to others who are sharing what you're going through, those who have been there or have helped others along the way. Join an on line community like Bootstrap Network or our own Bootstrapper's Yahoo! group to get input from others.

3. Don't be afraid of the dark-Bootstrapping is always unfamiliar territory. Starting a new venture or plodding away at an existing one takes determination and drive, but don't worry if you don't always know the answers. Most bootstrappers have learned by experimenting to find out what works for their own business effort. You will too in time.

4. Don't be afraid to scream-Let other people know about your product or service...always from day one. Unveilings and secretive approaches are fine for big funded ventures, but you will need to get what you're doing out there and without a big marketing budget (you're a bootstrapper remember) you'll have to depend on a networking approach to spread the word.

5. Don't turn out the lights-Yea, I know. Sounds like the opposite of No. 3, right? Well, we're talking about a different kind of darkness here. The focus needed to bootstrap your startup can sometimes narrow your vision of what you want to accomplish beyond reason blinding you to other opportunities. Don't let yourself be pulled in too many directions, but also keep learning and keep your eyes open. New opportunities may also take your existing product or service in directions you couldn't have imagined in the beginning.

6. Don't be terrified by financing issues-Cash flow is key for bootstrappers, but how exactly you get to positive cash flow will vary. One of the most important aspects of bootstrapping is not getting pulled in by what experts tell you is the best way to start a business and instead finding the way that will work for you.

7. Don't be afraid to ask for help-Though help and advice must be examined on a case by case basis, open yourself to the possibilities of what others can do for you. This is particularly the case with others who possess complementary talents and might be able to help you on a project in return for your own expertise with one of their own efforts.

8. Don't be spooked by funding needs-Getting a big bank loan or a big round of Venture Capital funding should not be the first concern of an entrepreneur. Figure out how to deliver value and develop cash flow. You'll be surprised how many Funding Opportunities develop as a result.

9. Don't be scared off by the business plan ghoul-We've talked a lot about business plans in the past. A plan needs to be what it needs to be, but honestly some startups may need no plan at all until you figure out how to deliver the service in question. Don't make assumptions about what a business plan must contain or what shape it must take. Do what is necessary. The rest will follow.

10. Don't be afraid of things that go bump in the night-There will be problems along the way. Don't get frazzled when things don't go right. The troubles you face today will make it that much easier to troubleshoot in the future. Every mistake you make is one you're unlikely to make again. Just keep moving.