What does Bootstrapped mean?
Building a company using personal savings and revenue from the business itself, without taking outside investment from VCs or investors.
Indie context: The indie hacker default mode. Bootstrapping means you own 100% of your company and answer to customers, not investors. Slower growth, but total control.
Bootstrapped
Building a company using personal savings and revenue from the business itself, without taking outside investment from VCs or investors.
💡 The indie hacker default mode. Bootstrapping means you own 100% of your company and answer to customers, not investors. Slower growth, but total control.
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Related Terms
Indie Hacker
An independent entrepreneur who builds profitable online businesses, typically bootstrapped and often as a solo founder or small team, focusing on sustainable revenue over venture capital.
Solopreneur
An entrepreneur who builds and runs their entire business alone, handling everything from development to marketing to customer support without co-founders or employees.
Ramen Profitable
A business state where the monthly revenue is just enough to cover the founder's basic living expenses (rent, food, and ramen).
Side Project
A project you build outside of your full-time job, typically evenings and weekends, often with the goal of eventually turning it into a full-time business.
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