tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151526162008-05-15T03:53:32.312-05:00Bijoyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15442882007675771070noreply@blogger.comBlogger92125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15152616.post-76116048516322391782008-05-08T15:28:00.005-05:002008-05-08T18:10:28.404-05:00

Who's on your web team? If you're a bootstrapper, the team probably consists of one person - you - and, if you have budget, a relatively low-cost web developer or designer, probably someone you know, just met, or was referred. Because your funds are limited, your web presence is inherently constrained by your need to limit expenses. You know you have to address the web somehow - it's the

Jon Lebkowskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16248713335392018033noreply@blogger.comhttp://www.bootstrapaustin.org/2008/05/building-effective-web-experience.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15152616.post-36414913542706705122008-05-01T09:30:00.001-05:002008-05-04T22:26:27.955-05:00

We always hear about people starting with a thought, a concept and then growing it, going through ideation, surviving VoD and then "scaling" it. Well what if your idea began with visions of the "scaled" concept of your business and had to find the FOCUS and what is that other loosely thrown around word that everyone likes to advise you with...oh yeah..PATIENCE to scale it BACK so that you can

Sarah Siddiqihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02826021357342728081noreply@blogger.comhttp://www.bootstrapaustin.org/2008/04/turning-bad-visions-into-reality.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15152616.post-45069497339598660982008-04-24T22:30:00.016-05:002008-04-25T01:44:28.554-05:00

When I ran into Bijoy last month at SXSW we had a good chat about the past year and the ups and downs of innerTee, my bootstrap t-shirt mixing community. At SXSW Interactive last year innerTee was up for a web award and now just over a year later its up for sale. Obviously things didn't go as planned but I thought it might be helpful to share some of the lessons we learned and how my

Miles Simshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11123961338863840797noreply@blogger.comhttp://www.bootstrapaustin.org/2008/04/innertee-post-mortem-lessons-learned.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15152616.post-59362207142857723202008-04-18T12:56:00.014-05:002008-04-18T16:40:21.341-05:00

Bootstrapping a startup means to forgo having a boss, but it also often means doing without many of the regular comforts of office life: the water cooler, usually. The magic wardrobe of Post-Its and swank Rollerballs, almost certainly. And the paycheck -- well, it's usually there, but you're not always sure how big it'll be. Which is to say when you bootstrap, you live by your wits. Which is

Kyle Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07590253020697150101noreply@blogger.comhttp://www.bootstrapaustin.org/2008/04/heros-journey-in-bumper-stickers.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15152616.post-19029776091608964722008-04-11T20:17:00.001-05:002008-04-11T20:17:23.107-05:00

Last month's Bootstrap Web presentation entitled "Conversion: The Most Important Word for Online Businesses" is available (with slides) on the Boot Rap Podcast. You can find it at the newly redesigned HearThis.com. I prepared this presentation so that business owners will look differently at their Web site. There are a few unfortunate thoughts lurk in the depths of our minds when we imagine a

Brian Masseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04046124512823741822noreply@blogger.comhttp://www.bootstrapaustin.org/2008/04/business-owners-can-avoid-much-online.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15152616.post-34617946424021574222008-04-03T16:48:00.002-05:002008-04-03T16:54:06.667-05:00

I have made all the classic mistakes that one can make on the Bootstrap journey through the Valley of Death and lived to tell about it. Sitting on my couch watching the 2004 Tour De France was the seminal moment that changed my life and moved Mikons.com into Ideation. Indeed on that hot summer Texas night my mind was awhirl with ideas, fantasies, and dreams. I am a Maven and I like that place.

mikonmarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11871769575452677662noreply@blogger.comhttp://www.bootstrapaustin.org/2008/04/mikons-and-hijacking-maven.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15152616.post-87838639675213435022008-03-27T12:38:00.000-05:002008-03-27T12:56:33.476-05:00

A couple weeks ago Bootstrap Austin had two opportunities to enlighten the attendees of SXSW Interactive on the hallmarks of what it means to be a Bootstrapper and how to be a Bootstrapper. In the second panel discussion, Bootstrapping through Entrepreneur Collaboration Networks, the panelists Kevin Koym, Allen Beuershausen, Bijoy Goswami, Bruce Krysiak, and myself illustrated how the "

Nancy Schillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15005639625694087542noreply@blogger.comhttp://www.bootstrapaustin.org/2008/03/moving-safely-through-collaborations.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15152616.post-82411255726981811722008-03-20T22:10:00.012-05:002008-03-21T09:38:02.840-05:00

In my own experience and based on some of the entrepreneurs I have talked to over the years, I think there is a useful and simple way of defining an entrepreneur's risk profile. That is, a simple way of explaining how an entrepreneur evaluates the opportunities available to him versus the utilization of available resources associated with this activity. I break it down simply into three types

Jonathan McCoyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14460188075001438304noreply@blogger.comhttp://www.bootstrapaustin.org/2008/03/entrepreneur-vs-wild.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15152616.post-11861278769718077962008-03-14T02:43:00.017-05:002008-03-20T23:42:28.596-05:00

Like most people I thought entrepreneurship was reserved for those with business degrees. I thought I would need to learn how to write a business plan, buy a suit and try to make friends with my local banker. I thought I would have to have a BIG IDEA to have them overlook what some college era naivety had done to my credit rating. I was wrong. These are some of the myths that Bootstrap Austin

Austin Art Starthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405685576948594779noreply@blogger.comhttp://www.bootstrapaustin.org/2008/03/my-baby-is-ugly.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15152616.post-10040666983936711832008-03-07T02:57:00.007-06:002008-03-07T03:17:29.928-06:00

I am excited and honored to sit on the Bootstrap 101 panel during SWSX. The Interactive portion of this event is proof that life reflects art and art reflects life, and business, deservedly is an art. This is probably why so many terms used by artists and entrepreneurs are so interchangeable. Art in its highest form is an inspiration of the spirit of mankind. When great artists deliver great art

Bijoyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15442882007675771070noreply@blogger.comhttp://www.bootstrapaustin.org/2008/03/bootstrapping-art-and-sxsw.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15152616.post-82675522780064960732008-03-05T17:31:00.007-06:002008-03-07T03:13:47.689-06:00

Boot Rap has released the Paul Carrozza podcast from the February meeting of the Bootstrap Network. Subscribe to Boot Rap The Boot Rap Podcast is produced by Brian Massey of HearThis.com and Jeffrey Blair of Sound Quality Inc.

Brian Masseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04046124512823741822noreply@blogger.comhttp://www.bootstrapaustin.org/2008/03/paul-carroza-of-runtex.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15152616.post-24065202638324271442008-02-18T12:38:00.005-06:002008-02-29T09:00:40.266-06:00

The second RISE Austin is March 4-6 (next week) as part of National Entrepreneurship Week. Bootstrap Austin is excited to be a partner in the event. A number of bootstrappers are leading sessions including Nancy Schill, Maura Thomas, Chris Greta, Michael Strong, Maggie Miller, Bjorn Billhardt, Kevin Koym and Bijoy. RISE is free and open to the public and a great way for potential and active

Bijoyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15442882007675771070noreply@blogger.comhttp://www.bootstrapaustin.org/2008/02/bootstrap-sxsw-panels.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15152616.post-82325900277584105082008-02-14T23:20:00.003-06:002008-02-18T22:41:42.709-06:00

For those that didn't make it Monday, you missed a good one! Paul Carrozza, the founder and owner of RunTex, spoke about his experiences bootstrapping RunTex into the bona fide Austin tradition it has become today. Some of the highlights of his talk included: Launching RunTex out of a small shop of old inventory on a personal loan from his parentsStories about some of the first running events

Geoff Chudleighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15382062027998555186noreply@blogger.comhttp://www.bootstrapaustin.org/2008/02/mondays-monthly-bootstrap-austin.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15152616.post-8198756592522289622008-02-07T15:05:00.001-06:002008-02-07T16:16:40.858-06:00

How can we buffet the effects of a possible economic recession with regards to business growth in Austin? Recently there has been a bunch of press about the growing threat of recession coming to the US. The New York Times tells a story that all of us as entrepreneurs need to start preparing for called "As Lenders Tighten Flow of Credit, Growth at Risk" From the article there are two important

Kevin Koymhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09530778401585221047noreply@blogger.comhttp://www.bootstrapaustin.org/2008/02/building-business-in-austin-despite.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15152616.post-8619629031443944692008-01-31T23:19:00.003-06:002008-03-20T23:35:03.891-05:00

If a friend of yours told you he was going to make soup in his kitchen and deliver it to you each week, would you find that appealing? You might wonder about health issues. What if he told you it would be $10 a quart? That's a bit pricey. What if he told you he was going to deliver it on his bicycle each week? That certainly sounds a bit unreliable. This was the business proposition of the Soup

Brian Masseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04046124512823741822noreply@blogger.comhttp://www.bootstrapaustin.org/2008/01/if-you-selling-to-humans-you-got-to.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15152616.post-8680902902880261052008-01-29T17:00:00.000-06:002008-01-29T17:06:37.388-06:00

Vivek is a seasoned entrepreneur who has taken both the bootstrap and funding-driven paths. He teaches entrepreneursship and writes regurlarly for BusinessWeek. In this article he starts with fallacy of business plans in the Ideation stage. My favorite line: A startup business plan is always a good piece of fiction filled with great ideas. He then goes on to describe the Demo/Sell/Build process

Bijoyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15442882007675771070noreply@blogger.comhttp://www.bootstrapaustin.org/2008/01/vivek-wadhwa-debunks-business-plans-and.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15152616.post-45562294194037758882008-01-18T03:05:00.000-06:002008-01-18T03:29:40.585-06:00

The Bootstrap Film Subgroup was kicked off at the June 2007 meeting with Tim League, owner and cofounder of The Alamo Drafthouse. He inspired bootstrappers by sharing his journey of creating a successful business and demonstrated how bootstrapping a business has its rewards. The film subgroup is led by Brandy Rainey, who provides us with a review of the year's speakers and topics. The dominant

Bijoyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15442882007675771070noreply@blogger.comhttp://www.bootstrapaustin.org/2008/01/bootstrap-film-subgroup.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15152616.post-84168917421871286962008-01-07T20:54:00.001-06:002008-01-07T20:55:11.553-06:00

I thought this was an interesting use of 10 minutes. It's a video featuring Guy Kawasaki called The Art of the Startlet. Kawasaki started his new venture Truemors for about $12,000. Some of his most interesting points include: Don't spend money on Marketing. That's easy for him to say given his celebrity. Spend money on the lawyers to setup the company (he spent $5000). He 'offshored' development

Brian Masseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04046124512823741822noreply@blogger.comhttp://www.bootstrapaustin.org/2008/01/debuting-foundwatch-art-of-startlet.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15152616.post-34866784944947605012007-12-14T03:50:00.000-06:002007-12-14T05:57:05.100-06:00

We are incredibly lucky to have so many successful bootstrappers in our city - and Bootstrap Austin has been privileged over the years to have many of them share their stories at our monthly meetings. 2008 is no exception with David Ansel (Soup Peddler), Paul Carrozza (Runtex), Clayton Christopher (Sweet Leaf Tea) and Larry Warshaw (Constructive Ventures) already confirmed to speak. The sheer

Bijoyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15442882007675771070noreply@blogger.comhttp://www.bootstrapaustin.org/2007/12/bootstrap-speakers-in-2008.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15152616.post-67158372197783847982007-12-11T13:47:00.001-06:002007-12-11T13:47:22.896-06:00

If you're an entrepreneur, we need you. The videos shown at my kids' elementary school are touching. Small cinder-block rooms are shown, lined with basic shelving for books donated by American students and parents. Smiling, singing black children pull at the heart strings. And the shelves are almost empty. The empty shelves are promising. The books are in the hands of ravenous minds in dusty

Brian Masseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04046124512823741822noreply@blogger.comhttp://www.bootstrapaustin.org/2007/12/entrepreneurial-imperative.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15152616.post-74673229266355877592007-12-11T11:37:00.001-06:002007-12-11T11:37:49.118-06:00

I'm a fan of the content coming from Found+Read. I thought you'd enjoy this. Do you want to be Rich, or be the King? « FoundRead

Brian Masseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04046124512823741822noreply@blogger.comhttp://www.bootstrapaustin.org/2007/12/do-you-want-to-be-rich-or-be-king.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15152616.post-33834227739098892162007-11-30T08:29:00.000-06:002007-11-30T10:50:20.839-06:00

When I started the BD Tech Daily blog posts, I mentioned that bootstrapping is a third way of entrepreneurship, differentiated from the cookie-cutter/franchise and VC/funding approaches. Bootstrapping is actually an integration of these two paths. It brings together the low-cost features of the cookie-cutter, while generating the innovation of the VC. I hope this has become more clear as we have

Bijoyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15442882007675771070noreply@blogger.comhttp://www.bootstrapaustin.org/2007/11/bootstrapping-third-way-of.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15152616.post-4758223877880591342007-11-16T07:55:00.000-06:002007-11-19T17:43:39.588-06:00

The Growth Stage does not last forever and the great ventures realize that they must continually repeat the Demo/Sell/Build actions of Ideation/VoD/Growth. In others words, they must rebootstrap. And if they are still involved with their companies, founders are the best-equipped to lead this process. Virgin and Apple are two of the most prominent and successful rebootstrap companies in the

Bijoyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15442882007675771070noreply@blogger.comhttp://www.bootstrapaustin.org/2007/11/rebootstrap.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15152616.post-64758630123819273092007-11-08T16:01:00.000-06:002007-11-08T19:35:42.645-06:00

In our ongoing tour of the Bootstrap Stages, we leave the Valley of Death/Opportunity and arrive at Growth. I wrote an article in the latest issue of Business District Magazine titled, "Investor Funding (much) later than you think," which covers some of the important considerations of the Growth phase, including the ever-prevalent question of investor capital. Growth is paradoxically the most

Bijoyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15442882007675771070noreply@blogger.comhttp://www.bootstrapaustin.org/2007/11/growth.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15152616.post-38046563922861711082007-11-02T02:17:00.000-05:002007-11-02T13:01:07.124-05:00

When the founders quit their job, they leave the heady Ideation stage armed with their Demo and enter the Valley of Death. Or is it? Earlier this week I had the pleasure of interviewing John Paul DeJoria for the Bootstrap Bootcamp DVD. JP spoke to Bootstrap Austin in November, 2005. He cofounded Paul Mitchell, Patron Spirits and is involved in numerous other startup ventures including John Paul

Bijoyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15442882007675771070noreply@blogger.comhttp://www.bootstrapaustin.org/2007/11/valley-of-death-renamed.html