"So many people get caught up in raising money, but you need customers. If you get customers, you can grow your business and own your business. We focus too much on the Silicon Valley ethos, and people think they need to raise money first."
"The longer you work to build your business, the further you get before raising money if at all, the richer you are going to be. If you find yourself in a position where you don't have to raise money at all, you can send me a check."
"People are losing their jobs; people are uncertain. What that means is that you need to talk with your customers more."
Founders should prioritize proving customer demand and generating revenue before chasing venture capital. Bootstrapping longer preserves equity and increases long-term wealth for founders. Loving the act of selling and directly engaging customers drives growth and resilience, especially in tight economic times. Regular, candid communication with customers becomes more important when customers face uncertainty. Founders must rethink how new technologies are used to scale, while actively protecting intellectual property in the AI era. Practical focus on customers, sales, cash flow, IP, and purposeful technology adoption forms the foundation for surviving and scaling a business.
Read at Business Insider
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