Bootstrap: Built to Last

This is a bit of an "unconventional" perspective, because most of the time, people tend to believe that products from large companies, with substantial funding and well-known brands, offer more security. However, in recent years, we've begun to witness a new trend—"bootstrapped" products often demonstrate stronger sustainability than flashy, well-known startups.

I don't intend to elevate myself by belittling others, but I want to point out some facts based on my experience working in the software industry for over a decade.

The Dilemma of Traditional Startups

First, the vast majority of traditional startups operate at a loss for 5-7 years. They typically follow this path: "Product prototype" → "Fundraising" → "Increase awareness" → "More fundraising" → "Raise valuation" → "Even more fundraising." Essentially, this is a cycle of "using funding to grow in order to secure more funding."

This model has fundamental flaws because the company's primary source of revenue isn't customers, but investors. And investors' core concerns are "growth" and "profitability," not "better quality products." These two goals don't always complement each other—take advertising and privacy issues as examples, which are often methods of sacrificing product experience to increase short-term revenue.

Speaking of growth, investors (especially venture capital firms) always expect explosive growth. The VC industry adheres to a standard of "10x or more" returns, making it extremely difficult for products to maintain a healthy, organic growth path.

Growth is necessary, but not crazy and endless. In nature, the only things that pursue eternal growth are cancer cells.

Advantages of Bootstrapped Products

In contrast, bootstrapped products demonstrate clear advantages in multiple ways:

Optimizing for extremely low operational and expansion costs from the beginning Early focus on establishing reasonable and sustainable business models Concentrating limited resources on what truly matters, not wasting time on superficial efforts Most importantly, users directly become stakeholders in the business

In this model, developers fully commit to communicating with users and meeting their needs, while users care most about the quality and experience of the product itself. This creates highly aligned goals between both parties.

Of course, without the boost of capital, these products typically grow more slowly. But this "slowness" is precisely what makes them healthier and more reliable in the long term. Products can develop at a natural pace, adjusting according to genuine market demands rather than investor expectations or funding cycles.

Bootstrap products are like the small restaurant in your neighborhood—they won't have lavish decorations or waiters in formal attire, but the food is good, the prices are reasonable, and they'll become a lasting part of your life.