tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151526162009-06-29T21:10:00.514-05:00Bootstrap Austin is a community of entrepreneurs taking a bootstrap approach to building their ventures.Bijoyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15442882007675771070noreply@blogger.comBlogger183125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15152616.post-85391894320194749152009-06-29T15:40:00.003-05:002009-06-29T21:10:00.658-05:00

Bootstrap entrepreneurs find ourselves constantly juggling multiple activities. Some of these directly generate revenue, others do not. How to prioritize and order them? Here is a simple model to understand and prioritize your activities.Your activities generate one of three kinds of capital: social, working and bootstrap. All three kinds of capital are vital to the bootstrap entrepreneur and

Bijoyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15442882007675771070noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15152616.post-7522275339684333702009-06-23T17:54:00.008-05:002009-06-24T11:44:56.367-05:00

Chris Greta from HeroBracelets.org came to speak about his experience of building a cause business to Bootstrap Cause Subgroup. We had about 10 people attend and had a great discussion afterwords. Chris's presentation gave a lot of great insight on what it takes to get your cause organization off the ground.Chris lives here in Austin and runs The AdRanch. Five years ago Chris heard how little

Olga Kopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16278993629904998974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15152616.post-81886085642376905202009-06-16T18:40:00.005-05:002009-06-16T19:20:48.740-05:00

What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.-- Ralph Waldo EmersonWith the announcement for each Inner Journey Subgroup meeting, you will discover a variety of essential tools to help you navigate the inner journey.Discovering who you are is the beginning of the bootstrap journey, so the first tool presented for inclusion in your inner journey

Ellen Friedmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10894533329023199461ellencfriedman@gmail.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15152616.post-5543464975276070902009-06-14T16:30:00.007-05:002009-06-14T17:07:19.258-05:00

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HeatherMcKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11507092408434429583noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15152616.post-33332040204642701752009-06-14T11:38:00.009-05:002009-06-14T15:35:03.912-05:00

Chris Greta will be speaking at the Bootstrap Cause Subgroup meeting this Wednesday, June 17 at 6.30 at Housewine. He will speak about his experience starting HeroBracelets.HeroBracelets was founded in 2004 to raise money for the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund. At the time, military families only got a $12K death benefit. The Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund DOUBLED that, all through private donations

Olga Kopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16278993629904998974noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15152616.post-30921873145057686832009-06-09T15:53:00.009-05:002009-06-09T16:32:36.715-05:00

I've seen companies succeed and I've seen companies fail. In fact, I've been part of companies that were able to sustain steady growth and still thrive today while others collided as soon as they took off. One company, in particular, that comes to mind never should have failed, but it did. It's also the reason I transitioned out of engineering and got into entrepreneurial coaching in the first

Kimberly Keyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04208817453977497554noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15152616.post-89526490347598590212009-06-08T14:13:00.002-05:002009-06-08T14:15:16.872-05:00

There will no Bootstrap Austin meeting today, apologies for the late notice.thanksbijoy

Bijoyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15442882007675771070noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15152616.post-40851197247295993482009-05-21T17:20:00.004-05:002009-05-21T17:59:03.623-05:00

Bootstrap members provided their answers to the QUESTion: what is bootstrap? at the May 11, 2009 meeting. This 20 minute BootRap Podcast provides highlights of the discussion. Two key points emerge: first, bootstrap members have some of the most incredible insights and wisdom to share with each other! Second, there is no ONE definition of bootstrap - we all come to it in our own way and in our

Bijoyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15442882007675771070noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15152616.post-27438242800774570272009-05-04T13:01:00.012-05:002009-05-07T12:04:42.540-05:00

Ever since its inception, Bootstrap Austin has been engaged in this singular question and has encouraged its members to ask it of themselves. Indeed, a simple definition of a bootstrapper might be: one who asks the question: what is bootstrap?Even while Bootstrap expresses particular answers to the question, as embodied by the Bootstrap Map, principles, actions, etc., these can only be the our "

Bijoyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15442882007675771070noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15152616.post-68397919051231920422009-04-17T17:04:00.000-05:002009-04-18T10:33:38.375-05:00

Over the years, I have commented to more than a few friends that they had a story to tell and that telling their story would be a contribution. Contribution to "what" I never declared, I simply meant that every one of us is a hero and has a hero's story to tell.Years later, about two years ago as I type, I realized that I had a story to tell and set about telling that story. I am and have been

Patrick Talleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00076410777111609358patricktalley@gmail.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15152616.post-17399817957221858212009-04-15T08:23:00.004-05:002009-04-15T09:26:00.323-05:00

Monday. Monday morning 6am. I get up, make coffee, brush teeth, get into jeans. It's dimly lit in the house, skin shrinks slightly from the cold air of the ac. Outside it is completely dark, humid, quiet not yet interrupted. I leave the house, blinking, with water money fuel, and drive: Mopac, Bee Caves, 71 to Spicewood - stop for food, it's now 8am- pass 281, 12 miles, right on 2233,

Lucyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15836180197401481516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15152616.post-8636377613364139922009-04-12T23:33:00.005-05:002009-04-13T03:04:37.753-05:00

BANG!!!!Just like that in a flash of an eye great companies are created and industries are established full grown and mature, profitable and leaders in their field.Really? People tend to forget that great companies like Southwest Airlines, The Virgin Group, Greenling Organic or SweetLeaf Tea where not created full grown by a big bang or pop out mature from the founders head in Zeus like

Martin Monterohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13951724493451463168noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15152616.post-32257967522985262062009-04-03T15:08:00.000-05:002009-04-03T15:11:14.701-05:00

April Fools!

Bijoyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15442882007675771070noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15152616.post-53980081284479705032009-04-01T10:21:00.017-05:002009-04-01T13:31:37.062-05:00

Bootstrap Austin announces a strategic alliance with RART Investments (RARTi). The partnership includes an undisclosed investment and will expand Bootstrap into other cities in the US and around the world.Bootstrap Austin founder, Bijoy Goswami said, "Given our adherence to Bootstrap principles, we normally would not consider any kind of external investment. However, we felt it was the right

Bijoyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15442882007675771070noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15152616.post-70544798458223250762009-03-29T14:32:00.002-05:002009-03-29T14:37:34.397-05:00

Learn from master bootstrap entrepreneurs this Wednesday, 6pm.AnnouncementOn March 31st, the Rice Alliance Austin Chapter is presenting a panel discussion on how to self-fund a business without raising money. Moderated by Bijoy Goswami of Bootstrap Austin, the panel will include CEOs who have successfully bootstrapped a company and generated revenue without becoming beholden to outside

Bijoyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15442882007675771070noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15152616.post-78034244057221544732009-03-26T21:34:00.004-05:002009-03-27T03:15:59.938-05:00

Entrepreneurs like entrepreneursFirst-time entrepreneurs want to ask questions of successful entrepreneurs. Successful entrepreneurs like investing in young entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs of all kinds thrive on each other's passion.Gaps have formed in the traditional funding path for early stage companies. Many venture capitalists are moving towards bigger funds that invest larger amounts of money

Joshua Baerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09024092953874478700blog2009@josh.otherinbox.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15152616.post-69017341269298714812009-03-12T19:35:00.005-05:002009-03-13T03:00:14.105-05:00

The Bootstrap Cause Subgroup was finally kicked off on Wednesday, March 11, after a long Ideation. We had a great group of people gathered at House Wine and while sipping wine and beer, attendees got to know each other and talked about each others venture.Bijoy started off with defining what Bootstrap is, and what it is not, so new people in the group would understand the culture of the Bootstrap

Olga Kopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16278993629904998974noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15152616.post-32321985069730300762009-03-06T11:14:00.008-06:002009-03-09T13:30:09.506-05:00

The Bootstrap Series at Rise Austin included 4 core talks:Bootstrap: Third Way of EntrepreneurshipFounding Teams: Mavens, Relaters, EvangelistsBootstrapping a CommunityBootstrapping an ExperienceTalk #1, by Bijoy, laid the foundations of bootstrapping and how the bootstrap path is differentiated from the cookie-cutter and funding-driven paths of entrepreneurship. All 3 paths have their advantages

Bijoyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15442882007675771070noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15152616.post-30623560157097260942009-02-13T10:16:00.005-06:002009-02-13T10:55:47.186-06:00

Rod, coauthor of The Starfish and Spider, joined the Bootstrap Bookclub to discuss his book and its application for bootstrappers. The conversation is on the BootRap Podcast.The book outlines the differences between traditional hierarchical organizations (spider) and decentralized ones (starfish). While we have seen the recent emergence of Starfish organizations like Wikipedia and Linux, this is

Bijoyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15442882007675771070noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15152616.post-45894388295138093392009-01-31T11:02:00.004-06:002009-01-31T13:12:32.615-06:00

The other day I was involved in an email thread about bulk mailing. While we on the thread generally agreed that bulk mailing was a bulk waste of time I had brought up a process I had used with some degree of success. This process involved sending out post-cards with only one word on them. My theory for doing this was that a post card with one word on it can not be denied, that someone can't

Barry W Thorntonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15726639946934387036barrythornton1@gmail.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15152616.post-14627371543804128812009-01-28T10:07:00.011-06:002009-01-28T10:53:23.435-06:00

In the Bootstrap Bootcamp I explain in further detail, the stages, actions and principles of bootstrap as outlined in the Bootstrap Map.The map has been assembled over the last 5+ years of Bootstrap Austin. My first inklings of the stages came in conversations with Darius Mahdjoubi, who gave us the notion of the "Valley of Death." With this foundation, the map began to take on a life of its own.

Bijoyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15442882007675771070noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15152616.post-23882570599577522422009-01-15T20:16:00.019-06:002009-01-16T18:03:42.291-06:00

Years from now us Austin Entrepreneurs are going to tell our friends we personally know one of the stellar entrepreneurial philosophers of our generation. That we were part of his community and got to meet with him on a regular basis in small intimate groups as well as 1-on-1's. That we got to listen to this journeyman change agent expand on an endless array of topics & ideas while enjoying a

Lyn Graft - CLUB Ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17413211937734901001noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15152616.post-91676372613778982542009-01-07T14:30:00.000-06:002009-01-07T14:38:22.692-06:00

There are many businesses in Austin leveraging online services. Many of these might be classified as Web 2.0. These might be using the ubiquitous "Freemium" model, in which some level of service is given away, and more advanced features require you to subscribe. Others are targeting an ad-supported model. Still others are building "Honeypots" which draw people into a community, providing a

Brian Masseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04046124512823741822brian@conversionscientist.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15152616.post-68740442489891687692009-01-07T11:08:00.003-06:002009-01-07T11:20:40.164-06:00

I would like to offer some supporting thoughts as to the value of the bootstrap process, the wisdom of your choice to follow it, and the ultimate practicality of it today. First a couple of quotes:Forbes this month (Jan 2009 ) "The venture capital industry is staring at the most vicious shakeout in its history . . . Returns are pathetic for most funds, [and] the public offering pipeline on

Barry W Thorntonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15726639946934387036barrythornton1@gmail.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15152616.post-19922552755134422832009-01-02T11:14:00.003-06:002009-01-02T12:12:58.306-06:00

Yo-Ho-Ho!It's the end of the year and everything is supposed to change, reset, fire-up, get going . . . you know, improve. Doesn't that happen every year? Like the Nile flooding and rejuvenating Egypt, rebirth!It is funny how easy it is to imagine time as big circle (couldn't be something about planetary rotation could it?). Well, I typically think of a year as a big loop with repeated energy

Barry W Thorntonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15726639946934387036barrythornton1@gmail.com0