Bootstrapping: It's about the money
Filed in archive Bootstrapper Resources by Shawn Hessinger on January 05, 2008

In his latest post leading up to a new book on bootstrapping, Jeff Cornwall, blogger at the Entrepreneurial Mind and director of the Center for Entrepreneurship at Belmont University, discusses what may be the best reason to choose the bootstrapping path.
It's all about the money.
Simply put, Jeff argues that with less debt and fewer investors bootstrappers:
• Have more money available to draw out of the business for personal income
• Will receive a higher valuation if they decide to sell because of increased ready cash and potential earnings
To this, a self-described "former entrepreneur now completely burned out and working for the government" posting at A1A South ads these caveats.
• A bootstrapper must honestly evaluate his/her strengths for success. A1A South suggests:
What are the things that you can do...better than (almost) anybody else for your business? Some people have specific skills in inspiring and leading people, others have phenomenal sales successes without ever having the benefit of a marketing degree, while others have an ability to keep an eye firmly on the bottom line and the company solvent.
• Don't build a business that makes you indispensable. Our semi-anonymous blogger ads:
So what happens if you become disabled, die, or wish to sell your company? Less drastic, what about if you want to take a relaxing vacation with your significant other? What if you get called for jury duty for a long trial? If you are truly indispensable, you won't be able to. Take it from me, whose days away from the grindstone for 25+ years consisted of 3-day weekends, being indispensable sucks.
Fair enough!
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