Bootstrap in Bangalore

So far the blog is moving as the book would probably do – why start, why bangalore and now why bootstrap. I will not stick to a serial order in the future though.

I think in the current scenario in Bangalore why bootstrap has a very simple and short answer – 1) because you can and 2) because you have little choice. Getting to the second part first – as discussed previously there is little or no seed funding available in India. Most of institutional/VC funding is available once you are already up and running. The only option is friends and family or bootstrapping. Considering that money being put in a start up is the riskiest of any investment, you should be taking money from friends/family only if they are very sure that money may never come back. Given that most of us are not blessed with such friends, the only other option is bootstrapping. Even if you are getting funds taking them at such an early stage means that you loose so much of your equity that it will simply make you an employee in the investor’s company. Half of the fun in starting your own venture is in being your own boss (at least while you can be).

The fact that you can is obviously the theme of this blog. I am hoping to move to more practical stuff soon but am still thinking on presentation of ideas: should it be presented through fictional characters, handbook style or how do I organize this bootstrapping experience into logical units. The really practical stuff useful to young folks about to start might be very boring and obvious for many of the people reading this blog. I think you will have to consider yourselves as critics and read those pieces as reviewers rather than the audience. If you have any suggestions on the organization/presentation do let me know.

I do have a working plan though and (I will stick my neck out by saying) the next post is going to be – Bootstrapper’s guide to starting an office in Bangalore.