Crash Course: Bootstrapping
This Crash Course diagrams bootstrapping strategies for startups. Several area companies in the Front Range ? ranging from early startups to more established entities such as SparkFun and Backflip Studios ? have achieved financial viability without the assistance of outside financing. Experienced entrepreneurs Bill Flagg, Don Martin, and Sarah Schupp will discuss their experiences building a business with limited outside financing.
Finding creative ways to fund a startup is important for a range of businesses. Some early stage startups may lack access to institutional financing. They may need to prove up a concept before venture capital or angel options become available. Moreover, established businesses may make a conscious decision not to take on outside financing. A variety of reasons ? ranging from low capital intensity to control issues ? may militate against a startup taking outside money from sources such as angel investors and venture capitalists.
This Crash Course will focus upon strategies associated with bootstrapping a company. This Crash Course will address the following:
- Best Sources of Funding
- Increasing Odds of Success
- Freedom to Create and Thrive
We hope you will join us for the Bootstrapping Crash Course.
Speakers:
Bill Flagg
Bill Flagg is an angel partner in four boot-strapped, built-for-life, internet-based companies (PosterBrain, SnapEngage, StickerGiant, and SurveyGizmo). This community of businesses, The Felix Fun, delivers value to over 20,000 customers, with the help of 100 co-workers, generating $15 million in revenue per year, and growing. He talks about it here? Bill Flagg's blog. Prior to this Bill Flagg helped build RegOnline which he sold in 2007.
Sarah Schupp
Sarah Schupp is the founder and CEO of UniversityParent: the number one destination for parents to find everything they need to help their student succeed. Schupp was recently included on Inc. Magazine's 30 Under 30 list and is a CU graduate. She started UniversityParent as part of the CU Entrepreneurship Program. See what she's started at www.universityparent.com
Don Martin
Having lived in Boulder for most of his life, Don was determined to start a company and raise his own family in Boulder. After receiving his undergraduate degree in Business and Art, Don attended the CU Leeds school of business with an emphasis in Marketing and Entrepreneurism. As an artist himself, he decided greeting cards might provide a unique opportunity to combine his talents. After his undergrad degree, and while working towards his MBA, Don worked for one of the larger greeting card companies in Boulder, Leanin' Tree. Don struck out with a mutual friend and formed Bloomin Flower Cards. Since 1995, Bloomin Flower Cards has expanded beyond greeting cards to include seed paper gifts, Promotional products, wedding invitations, and bulk seed paper that is distributed around the world.