How to Raise Money (2013)
Yes, lots of startups need external funding, say, venture funding.<p>But the US is awash, from border to border, in successful businesses, say, <i>Main Street</i> businesses, that never got external funding.  They were, say, <i>bootstrapped</i>.<p>Maybe if pick an information technology (IT) project carefully, then can bootstrap it or start it with just own checkbook and no external funding.<p>Really, an IT startup should need less money to start than a lot of Main Street businesses.  E.g., can quickly need $100,000+ in spending to get to the first $1 of revenue in an auto body shop, auto repair shop, asphalt driveway paving company, dentist&#x27;s office, pizza or Chinese carryout restaurant, etc.  Heck, in my neighborhood, the guys mowing grass show up with $100,000+ in equipment.<p>In contrast, for, say, a Web site, can plug together a quite powerful server for less than $2000 and can get a lot of relevant software tools and infrastructure software for free or nearly so.  Can run ads from ad networks.  If people like the site and keep a $2000 server busy, then in a year can have more in pre-tax earnings than could get from a venture seed round.