The majority of startups are founded without capital injection from venture capitalists or angel investors. The real numbers are eye-opening: Venture capitalists (VCs) fund only 0.05 percent of startups, and angel investors are responsible for funding just 0.91 percent. Take a moment to really think about those percentages in relation to the approximate 543,000 new businesses started each month in the United States.
With the chances of receiving funding so slim, if you’re serious about turning your idea into a reality, you’re most likely going to have to dip into your own pockets and bootstrap your way to the top. It isn’t easy, but it can be very rewarding, both personally and financially, as you retain 100 percent of your equity.
In no particular order, here are 10 tips to help you bootstrap your way to success:
