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612: (Solo) Funding vs Bootstrapping - The Real Tradeoffs EVERY Founders Needs To Know
Should you raise money or bootstrap your business? It’s one of the biggest questions every founder faces — and the wrong decision can shape the entire future of your company.
In this episode, I share the lessons I’ve learned from speaking with hundreds of founders about funding, and what I’ve personally applied in building Foundr and my ecommerce brand, Healthish.
You’ll learn when it makes sense to take on capital, when to stay independent, and how to make this decision from a position of strength — not pressure.
Here’s what you’ll take away:
• The real trade-offs between funding and bootstrapping (speed vs. control)
• Why money amplifies what already exists — and can’t fix bad unit economics
• What investors actually look for: traction, margins, and market size
• 5 questions to ask before raising: Do I need funding to scale or survive? Is this a $1B opportunity? Do I have product-market fit?
• Real founder stories — including Toy Guru’s Shark Tank collapse and BigCommerce’s billion-dollar exit — that show both paths in action
• Creative alternatives to equity funding: Kickstarter, grants, partnerships, and strategic capital
If you’re stuck wondering which path to take, this episode will help you make a clear, confident decision based on your goals — not hype.
This is a brand new solo series I’m testing, and I’d love your feedback. Email me directly at [email protected] — I read every reply. Hope you enjoy it.
SAVE 50% ON OMNISEND FOR 3 MONTHS
Get 50% off your first 3 months of email and SMS marketing with Omnisend with the code FOUNDR50. Just head to https://your.omnisend.com/foundr to get started.
HOW WE CAN HELP YOU SCALE YOUR BUSINESS FASTER
Learn directly from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders inside Foundr+
Start your $1 trial → https://www.foundr.com/startdollartrial
PREFER A CUSTOM ROADMAP AND 1-ON-1 COACHING?
→ Starting from scratch? Apply here → https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-start-application
→ Already have a store? Apply here → https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-growth-application
CONNECT WITH NATHAN CHAN
Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/nathanchan
LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanhchan/
FOLLOW FOUNDR FOR MORE BUSINESS GROWTH STRATEGIES
YouTube → https://bit.ly/2uyvzdt
Website → https://www.foundr.com
Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/foundr/
Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/foundr
Twitter → https://www.twitter.com/foundr
LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/company/foundr/
Podcast → https://www.foundr.com/podcast
View all episodes
By Foundr Media
4.9
562562 ratings
Should you raise money or bootstrap your business? It’s one of the biggest questions every founder faces — and the wrong decision can shape the entire future of your company.
In this episode, I share the lessons I’ve learned from speaking with hundreds of founders about funding, and what I’ve personally applied in building Foundr and my ecommerce brand, Healthish.
You’ll learn when it makes sense to take on capital, when to stay independent, and how to make this decision from a position of strength — not pressure.
Here’s what you’ll take away:
• The real trade-offs between funding and bootstrapping (speed vs. control)
• Why money amplifies what already exists — and can’t fix bad unit economics
• What investors actually look for: traction, margins, and market size
• 5 questions to ask before raising: Do I need funding to scale or survive? Is this a $1B opportunity? Do I have product-market fit?
• Real founder stories — including Toy Guru’s Shark Tank collapse and BigCommerce’s billion-dollar exit — that show both paths in action
• Creative alternatives to equity funding: Kickstarter, grants, partnerships, and strategic capital
If you’re stuck wondering which path to take, this episode will help you make a clear, confident decision based on your goals — not hype.
This is a brand new solo series I’m testing, and I’d love your feedback. Email me directly at [email protected] — I read every reply. Hope you enjoy it.
SAVE 50% ON OMNISEND FOR 3 MONTHS
Get 50% off your first 3 months of email and SMS marketing with Omnisend with the code FOUNDR50. Just head to https://your.omnisend.com/foundr to get started.
HOW WE CAN HELP YOU SCALE YOUR BUSINESS FASTER
Learn directly from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders inside Foundr+
Start your $1 trial → https://www.foundr.com/startdollartrial
PREFER A CUSTOM ROADMAP AND 1-ON-1 COACHING?
→ Starting from scratch? Apply here → https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-start-application
→ Already have a store? Apply here → https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-growth-application
CONNECT WITH NATHAN CHAN
Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/nathanchan
LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanhchan/
FOLLOW FOUNDR FOR MORE BUSINESS GROWTH STRATEGIES
YouTube → https://bit.ly/2uyvzdt
Website → https://www.foundr.com
Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/foundr/
Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/foundr
Twitter → https://www.twitter.com/foundr
LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/company/foundr/
Podcast → https://www.foundr.com/podcast
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