- Default to bootstrap. Raise only if:
- The market has a winner-take-all dynamic.
- Speed-to-scale is the moat.
- You can credibly become a $100M+ business in 7 years.
Bootstrapping forces you to build a profitable business. VC forces you to build a fundable business. Those are different.
Next action
Turn the lesson into work.
Pick one concrete next step now, while the context is still fresh.