Ask HN: Non-VC backed founders, any tips on growth?
I've been building a company for the last 10 years. For the first 9, no VCs ever contacted us. In the last year, we've gotten pounded with requests, and have thus far declined to talk, but maybe will eventually.<p>So my tips:<p>1) If you are going to raise money, decide to do it and go at it hard. Talk to lots of investors, all at once. Until then, I wouldn't meet with any investors. Just thank them for their interest and tell them you'll contact them later if you decide to raise money.<p>2) To decide whether to raise, start with your goals. Decide what you want to achieve with the company, then analyze your company (business plan, spreadsheets), then choose whether to raise now, later, or maybe never.<p>What you want to achieve is isn't a simple sort of expected value (EV) question, for a profitable, boot-strapped company. You may prefer to take the option that maximizes the chance of a certain level of return for shareholders, over the option that maximizes the absolute EV. It depends what you want, what your risk tolerance is, what you think your business can achieve, and whether you think VC money helps you get there.