It ain't easy being green

Filed in archive Bootstrapper Resources on August 25, 2007

Lack of experience or being "green" is seen as a weakness in many fields.

In bootstrapping a business startup, it is not only a necessity but a strength. (After all what kind of experience could you have creating a brand new business anyway)

Here, from the seaside reflections series, are some recommendations to make your lack of experience work to your advantage or perhaps get you back to that creative starting point if you've been bogged down with too many rules of the road.

1. Think outside the box. Bootstrap guru Greg Gianforte insists the lack of money inherent in a bootstrap venture forces creative thinking and innovative solutions, but lack of experience can have the same effect. It's also the reason Gianforte insists that bootstrapping is so much fun!

2. Break the rules. A company I work for goes long stretches without filling top management positions, but no one ever asks the question, Do we really need these? Why? Because we've always had them and that's the way it's done.

3. Take a simple focus. Read books, take courses, gain experience. But in the end the bootstrapper's focus must be on developing a working business model. Provide value to your customers and everything else will fall into place.

4. Clear your mind of questions. Borrowing from another little guy who knows a lot about...well...greenness. Introspection and questioning are fine pursuits, but action can be the bootstrapper's most defining characteristic. Waiting for the proper experience can rob you of action while moving forward will give you the experience you need anyway in the end.

5. Don't repeat mistakes. If something doesn't work don't continue to do the same thing over and over again, even if your experience tells you you should. Remember whatever experience you have is based on existing business models. The one you as an entrepreneur create will not necessarily be the same even if it is in the same field.