Bootstrapping requires a rare breed of founder who is financially secure enough (or frugal enough) to manage life on a reduced salary, capable of building useful products on a budget, and willing to risk the missed opportunity cost of a cushy Big Co position. In my experience, the hardest thing to master is the actual building - plenty of people are bootstrapping "theoretically useful" inventions in basements/garages/etc, that don't solve actual problems. Such people can really benefit from VC oversight and business acumen.
I don’t know that it’s really that rare. I look around and I see people with the fiscal responsibility, knowledge and ability to get things done in every quarter.
Depends on your circle. Most of my peers have families and mortgages, and don't have inherited wealth or sufficient savings. They are fiscally responsible but bootstrapping a company requires more resources than just being sensible with your money.
Absolutely right. My point is just that it isn’t that people couldn’t, but that they can’t. The former meaning that people generally do have the needed skills, the latter meaning they don’t have the opportunity.
> Such people can really benefit from VC oversight and business acumen.
Would it not be financially more prudent to hire/consult experts, particularly if you can get access to a startup/accelerator program? Even without easy access, there is no dilution of ownership.
