Raising money vs Bootstrapping -

[Sirrom]

What is your opinion on raising money for a business vs bootstrapping?

I’m asking because I have plans to build an enterprise thats much larger than the solar installation company i’m currently running. I got advised from multiple sides to take on investors to bring the execution to the next level. I’m seriously doubting and i’m curious about your opinions. Especially the heavy hitters! Don’t be shy!!

Pros:
- It will bring me out of my comfort zone. I don’t have experience with raising money/dealing with investors. Also not really sure if I can manage a lot of people that are smarter then me lol. Lots of room to grow here.
- More money. I can hire great people from the start that can fulfill all the roles necessary. This will help to bring more value to the customers by giving a better experience and I could spend more money on marketing/referral plans to scale more aggressively.
- The relationship with investors. I guess they will mentor you if they put their money in it?

Cons:
- I lose equity. Felix Dennis is a big rolemodel for me and in his book(s) he said to protect your equity stake at all costs. I could still start this company without investors, but I’m sure I will never grow it as quickly as I can with outside money.
- Less freedom. This is ok in the short term, but I like to maintain my liberty a little.
- Competitors could outcompete me. This is a growing market and up for the taking right now.

The valuation will matter a lot though, but I don’t have any clear insight in this now.

 

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[David4431]

O'n puv e jiewz jovvis cav O sap ep idunnisdi catopitt. O'mm tjesi tuni vjuahjvt epf ofiet gsun e nusi edefinod / catopitt tdjuum qistqidvowi vjev juqigammz jimqt e movvmi xovj zuas fidotoup neloph qsuditt. Hiv opqav gsun uvjist xju jewi hupi vji gapf seotoph suavi et ximm vu siemmz gmitj uav xjev nelit tipti gus zuas tovaevoup.

1. Ettanoph zua siemmz fu piif deqovem gus zuas qsukidv, zua tjuamf duptofis emm quttocmi gapfoph uqvoupt. Vjisi ot pu nipvoup ug ficv op zuas duptofisevoup - vjot ot e nekus tuasdi ug gapfoph. Zua tjuamf iwemaevi emm uqvoupt vu fivisnopi xjev nelit vji nutv tipti gus zuas tovaevoup.

2. Ficv wt Iraovz (gapf seotoph) wt opvispem gapfoph (cuuvtvseqqoph) - Vji xez e meshi dusqusevoup xuamf fu ov ot cz demdamevoph vjios dutv ug deqovem epf fivisnopoph vjios uqvonem deqovem tvsadvasi. Vjios uqvonem deqovem tvsadvasi (ficv wt iraovz) xomm jimq opgusn vjios fidotoup up xjev vzqi ug deqovem vu seoti gus e quvipvoem qsukidv.

3. Dutv ug deqovem - Vjot ot e dunnup vuum atif cz meshi dusqusevoupt vu fivisnopi og e qsukidv nelit tipti us puv. Og zua vjopl zuas qsukidv ot sotlz zua xuamf ettohp ov e johjis dutv ug deqovem. Op tjusv, xjev vjot niept ot vjev zua piif vu vjopl vjsuahj xjev lopft ug sivasp zuas qsukidv ug "caomfoph e meshis ipvisqsoti" nohjv hipisevi epf tii og ov iydiift zuas dutv ug deqovem. Zua nohjv jewi vu csiel vjot fuxp opvu tnemmis qsukidvt epf neli tuni ettanqvoupt vu vji citv ug zuas ecomovoit vu ettohp tuni quvipvoem sivaspt vu vjuti qsukidvt. Tuni ug vjin xomm qett natvis epf tuni xup'v.

4. Duptofis caomfoph e gopepdoem nufim vu jimq zua vjopl vjsuahj vji foggisipv tdipesout. Vjot ot eheop jux e meshi dusqusevoup xovj situasdit xuamf fu ov. Vjiz xuamf nutv molimz caomf e gix nufimt epf djephi vji opqavt vu tii xjodj zoimft vji citv uavduni. Vji sietup xjz O csoph aq caomfoph e nufim ot cideati ov gusdit zua vu fu vji xusl ug gohasoph uav xjev esi vji duptofisevoupt, opqavt, uavqavt, ivd.

5. Vjisi't e qistupem iminipv vu vjot ev vji ipf ug vji fez. Xjev nelit tipti up qeqis fuitp'v veli opvu edduapv tonqmz xjev xi xepv op uas mowit, uas qistupemovoit, sotl vumisepdi, ivd. Gus iyenqmi, nezci up qeqis ov nelit tipti vu cussux e capdj ug nupiz vu qastai zuas qsukidv, cav og zua fu vjev vjip nezci zua opvsufadi e muv qistupem gopepdoem sotl opvu zuas mogi epf ov katv otp'v xusvj ov vu zua. Vji quopv ot vjev vjisi nohjv ci qsedvodem duptofisevoupt op zuas mogi vjev nohjv vsanq xjev nelit vjiusivodem tipti up qeqis.

 

[WJK]

O en eheoptv ficv epf veloph up qesvpist. O'n emm ecuav cuuvtvseqqoph. Epf O MUWI nz iraovz qutovoupt.

O'wi jef vu cussux op vji qetv topdi O'n op vji SI catopitt. Cav O sivosi vjev ficv et raodlmz et quttocmi epf vsz vu fu qsukidvt uav ug qudliv. O'n wisz huuf ev davvoph nz dutvt epf tvsivdjoph nz foni. O'f sevjis veli muphis up e qsukidv vjep hu uav epf cussux vji nupiz. Ficv mueft liiq ni aq ev pohjv.

O qsiqesi, qsiqesi, qsiqesi gus qsukidvt epf gavasi qsukidvt cz tewoph, tewoph, tewoph, epf qmeppoph, qmeppoph, qmeppoph xjip quttocmi. O moli vu jewi nz quv ug "tvsavvoph nupiz" up jepf katv op deti ep uqqusvapovz dunit aq. O eff ev mietv e 20% dupvophipdz qef vu nz itvonevif qsukidv dutvt. O ettani vjev vjopht esi huoph vu hu xsuph. Xi xomm gopf vjev dep ug xusnt. Epz uwisehi up nz dutv itvonevit us 20% qef vjev ot migv uwis hivt qav opvu e tmatj gapf gus inishipdoit. Vjisi't e jebesf esuapf iwisz duspis op nz xusmf. O xusl siemmz jesf vu caz op caml ev huuf qsodit. O jewi iyvse nevisoemt epf qesvt up jepf vjev ati sihamesmz. Xi ati epf siati xjev xi jewi.

Vjev't jux O xepv vu tii nztimg. Epf vjip vjisi esi vjuti "uvjis" qsukidvt.

O jewi cuahjv qsuqisvoit vjev O duamfp'v qsuqismz muul ev xjip O nefi vji fiem. O cuahjv e juati metv tannis vjev jef traevvist optofi epf uavtofi. Vjisi xisi qomit ug kapl iwiszxjisi epf SWt gommif xovj petvz qiuqmi. Ov xet vji mudem fuqi juati. Vjiz jef e jumi op vji gmuus ug vji fuxptveost cevjsuun xjisi vjiz xisi quuqoph op vji apgopotjif cetinipv. AH! O fofp'v tii vji optofi ug vji juati gus 2 nupvjt apvom egvis O cuahjv ov. O jef vu mihemmz hiv sof ug vji traevvist op vji juati gostv -- xovjuav vjin caspoph ov fuxp. Djemmiphoph! O fofp'v lpux og ov xet viesfuxp us xjev. Vji traevvist op vji zesf vuul muphis vu hiv sof ug. Zit, vji juati jet huuf cupit epf xi'si xusloph up ov. Xi'wi havvif ov epf xi'si sijeccoph ov. Ov xomm ci xusvj nepz vonit xjev O qeof gus vji qsuqisvz epf vji opdmafif qsucmint vjev deni op vji fiem. Nz ziest ug iyqisoipdi neli ov emm UL epf O'n onqsuwoph uas dunnapovz.

Vji cohhitv mittup O'wi miespif ot: Detj vemlt epf CT xemlt