Re:Dear Startups: stop begging investors and pitch your clients
by grenek on Thursday March 07, 2013 @05:50AM
(#5337046)
Yeah, sure - in most cases you can't develop your MVP without money (and in my opinion making it at home with buddies within months doesn't make any sense), but investors are not the only and optimal cash source. It doesn't cost you a lot to start selling your product and get paid by first customers. I started 3 companies like that - I sold the product first and after that started producing it. I think you rather create obstacles and excuses than try to overcome them ;)
Re:Dear Startups: stop begging investors and pitch your clients
by mbesto on Thursday March 07, 2013 @05:08AM
(#5336952)
Totally agreed. I'll simplify this even more - people need to pay bills.
Re:Dear Startups: stop begging investors and pitch your clients
by cmaradcliffe on Thursday March 07, 2013 @05:19AM
(#5336980)
I agree that business often need some kind of investment to help get started but it is not always the case.
It feels like the end game of any startup these days is to close a round of investment from a top-tier fund as if that creates a business in itself. That point is very much just the beginning and then the real work starts.
We need to get back to thinking of investment as an aid to building a sustainable business not the first step to a sale to {insert large tech firm here}
Re:Dear Startups: stop begging investors and pitch your clients
by pc86 on Thursday March 07, 2013 @08:19AM
(#5337401)
It doesn't create business but it does get the founders a paycheck.
The more startup stuff I read the more I think a lot of founders are just in it to get investment and draw a salary from that while they around bloviating about the latest buzzwords rather than either building a business or getting a job.
Re:Dear Startups: stop begging investors and pitch your clients
by cmaradcliffe on Thursday March 07, 2013 @08:55AM
(#5337542)
Heaven forbid we would actually have to get a job - imagine all the new buzzwords we would have to learn!
I think these articles are good motivators but they don't fit in the real world. Let me sumarize my view point:
1. You can develop your MVP at home with your buddies, yes, but maybe you need money to make something crucial that requieres some expert contracting to get it done. 2. You can make a web app, yes, but maybe you need money to get some important licences to operate in the real world. 3. You can launch your project with a pitch, but, it will take ages to reach profitability without proper advertising campaign.
I guess some startups became important businesses in less than a month without money inyection, but they're not the rule and, in most cases, they've managed to get important attention from the press.