Gavin Bowman, director of V4 Solutions e-mails:

Hi Shawn,

Just read your post asking for suggestions for links relating to bootstrapping/entrepreneurship.

I run a weekly newsletter post on my blog for a small community of independent software developers, and the linked contents tend to have that entrepreneur/bootstrapper vibe.

If you think it might be of interest to your readers, the blog link is:-

http://webhelperbrowser.com/blog

Look for any of the 100 or so Micro ISV Digest posts.

If you think the content is a bit specialized, no worries, keep up the good work.

Cheers,

Though I know next to nothing about software development, I've decided to take Saurabh Chandra's advice about "How to become the right person" in order to bootstrap an idea called PostRanger.com to reality.

Whether that will mean learning programming myself or finding a partner or reasonable subcontractor to build the platform while I continue to focus on content, my personal forte, you can bet I'll be spending time on your site in the near future, Gavin.

If you've got a great idea that won't go away, don't chuck it just because you don't have all the appropriate talents. Instead:

• Focus on learning. Educate yourself as much as possible. Bootstrapping means you won't have the security of a big bankroll to buy the expertise you need and maybe that's for the best. Having two much money could be dangerous if you know too little about your business and trust experts for hire who are working for the payoff not for you.
• Get yourself connected. Surround yourself with good people committed to your dream and willing to take a share of its possible future. Good managers and entrepreneurs have always known it doesn't require expertise in every facet of your business to succeed so long as you know enough to guide the people who do.
• Focus on core competencies. Just because you'll be learning a lot of new skills, doesn't mean you should abandon the talents you already bring to the table. Regardless of how much I learn about programming in the effort to build PostRanger.com, I know that creating content remains my strong suite and it is where I will continue to concentrate my energies.

Photo Credit: Jane M Sawyer, MorgueFile

You don't need to wait until the time is right to launch your bootstrap venture.

In fact, as entrepreneur Greg Gianforte has pointed out, one of the best things about bootstrapping is that you can start right away.

O.K. maybe the first couple of steps aren't the most glamorous, certainly nothing like the launch party of a big venture capital company.

But plenty of tools already exist out there to start your little unobtrusive company right now and let it grow for the future.

To test this theory out, I decided to jump start an idea for the ultimate content/social network called PostRanger.com with a couple of simple on line tools.

Here's how I went about it:
• I've got no software programming experience so I decided to stick to what I know (content)
• I used an existing tool (Squidoo) with established revenue potential to launch a couple of simple sites
• One site, The Coal Country Chronicle, takes advantage of my knowledge of the Pennsylvania Anthracite region after working a decade at a daily newspaper in the area
• Another site, Tamaqua Gateway Gazette, provides resources on a small town in northeastern Pennsylvania where I still own a house and which I have gained a knowledge of simply after spending about nine years living there.
• A third, Ocean City Fever, will provide resources on my favorite Maryland getaway

No these sites alone won't make me millions overnight, but here is what, in my view, they do provide:
• Revenue to be used for furthering my broader agenda of either partnering with a software entrepreneur or hiring a contractor to build PostRanger.com myself
• Experience and on line visibility as a content provider working in the field where I expect to build my business
• Interaction with others (entrepreneurs, software designers and other content providers) who may be future partners, costumers, suppliers for a growing venture in the future.

Be sure to check out the new sites. Your input is greatly appreciated.

Photo Credit: Stuart Whitmore, MorgueFile

So here we are at the beginning of another month of posts on bootstrapping here at BootStrapMe.com.

We'll be hearing from some readers this month who have made some suggestions about content.

As I've mentioned before here and here, you can do the same by dropping me an e-mail or leaving a comment below. (Love to see them!)

I'm also trying to encourage more contributions on our three on line communities at MySpace, Yahoo! and MyBlogLog. Join up if you haven't yet and network with other like minded bootstrappers.

Here's a definition of bootstrapping to further explain what we talk about here and what we're about.

Send me a guest post if you'd like on some topic of business bootstrapping. I'd love to get some other voices on the blog too, so I hope you'll contribute.

That's about it. Up next, "Build your bootstrapped business today."

Photo Credit: Mary R. Vogt, MorgueFile

Two weeks ago I made an announcement not only here but on our Yahoo!, MySpace and MyBlogLog groups that I was looking for some reader interaction for some future posts.

As I stated on this blog at that time I'm looking for:

•...visitors to share a suggestion or link to a great blog or other website on bootstrap entrepreneurship. If I use it, I promise to give you full props in the resulting post and a link to your blog or other website if you've got one.

• I'm also looking again for guest bloggers on any aspect of bootstrap entrepreneurship. Please send any writing you think would be appropriate for a future guest post here at BootStrapMe.com and the same deal goes as above. Links and or mention and credit for any post/posts that I decide to use.

I think the benefits to all involved are pretty clear.

• Yes, I'm expecting the contributions are going to generate interest not only through good posts that readers will enjoy but also with links in from those who contribute and want others to see their posts
• But also I will give some good old fashioned link love as mentioned above and in thanks for your efforts.
• Obviously, if you've got a new blog/website this could be a great way to introduce readers to your writing and jump start traffic to your new site
• It's pretty much a way for all involved to help bootstrap each others efforts, and I'm hoping other bloggers/webmasters see it that way.

Now, I've already got some submissions and we'll be starting up with those soon, but I'm really hoping for more, so if you're interested drop me a line. And if you've already e-mailed with a suggestion hang tight. I'll get back to you soon...

Photo Credit: Bianca, MorgueFile

An educational session featuring one of Montana's leading bootstrappers is aimed at giving rural entrepreneurs and others an insight into this self-reliant technique of venture startup.

Greg Gianforte, founder and CEO of RightNow Technologies and co-author of "Bootstrapping Your Business" a seminal book on the subject will keynote the May 23 gathering at Grouse Mountain Lodge in Whitefish, Montana.

An article on the session at mtbusiness.com explains:

The seminar will teach bootstrapping - building your business with little or no outside investment capital - to business leaders, community members, and individuals interested in entrepreneurship.

Other presenters will include:

• Cindy Taylor, Chairwoman of TechRanch and founder of IPG Consulting, on sales planning and strategies
• Jake Cook, Founder of Sweet Onion Creations, on guerilla and Internet marketing
• Gary Bloomer, Director of Client Development of TechRanch, on planning tools and techniques for cash management
• Jessica Watson, Director of Finance for TechRanch, on thrift and outside funding options

MY TWO CENTS: Heck, rural entrepreneurs where I live in Pennsylvania and elsewhere could use similar programs and it would be nice to see anyone from the SBA to SCORE to some other business help group provide them.

For more on the session sponsored by Bootstrap Montana, a loan program funded through Gianforte's efforts, visit the website and sign-up if you wish or contact Prairie Lee at TechRanch for more information.

Photo Credit: John Rivers, MorgueFile

So, what do you do when you lack the skills to create the product or service you hope to bootstrap?

A recent post at Bootstrap in Bangalore offers this advice for the entrepreneur who may at first not seem the right fit for the venture he/she imagines:

The lesson is to break the dream into smaller actionables and even scale down business objectives into more achievable targets with lesser resources. As long as those smaller business objectives are 'making you the right person' for the bigger objectives you are doing fine. So if you want to sell an educational ERP system, it might be a good idea to make colleges your customer by first doing a small alumni portal for them. Doing something smaller for the same customers or something because of which skills/experience develop in the area of interest is a great way to bootstrap.

I plan a similar approach in efforts to bring my own bootstrap project PostRanger.com (part blog platform/part social network/part message board/part discussion group) to the web.

My steps:

• First focus on content. As a content creator I'll be concentrating on the type of content I as a user would create for a platform like PostRanger.com if it existed today
• Try to generate revenue. The revenue from content created on already existing platforms TypePad, Squidoo, Blogger etc. can be used for the part of the venture where I lack expertise-building the network itself
• Find partners. Whether providers who work as independent contractors helping me build my vision or full-fledged partners who handle the technical side of the venture for free, my hope is that talking about the project will draw folks with the skills necessary to help me see it through
• Build/Promote. Once constructed the platform could easily be marketed virally both by simply telling others about it and simply using it myself and recruiting other content creators to do the same.

Want to talk more about the idea and how could be part of the equation? E-mail here.

Photo Credit: bmwvan, MorgueFile