Bootstrapping comes before any raise
Schreiber says every founder bootstraps at the start and the only question is how long, and that raising money is never step one. He describes bootstrapping as a loop of seeding resources, turning value into customer revenue and reinvesting it, which can run indefinitely or serve as a bridge. He adds that bootstrapping needs resources and that outside capital costs dilution and control.
“Whatever path is chosen, an initial bootstrap phase is always present.”— Thomas Schreiber, The Bootstrapping Mandate: It’s Not a Question of If, But How Long, Sep 2026
Do this
Write down this week how you will cover your living costs and first expenses from your own money and revenue, and for how many months.