Map

The Bootstrap Network introduces an innovative framework for building a venture for long-term success. While bootstrapping itself is timeless, the Bootstrap Community strives to articulate and propagate the principles and stages of Bootstrapping. The stages are similar (and indeed derived in part from) Darius Mahdjoubi's Venture Development Model. Bootstrapping is the third way of entrepreneurship, distinct, yet drawing from both the cookie-cutter and funding-driven models.

Here is a 5min video segment describing the Bootstrap Stages from the Bootstrap Bootcamp. The following history of Apple Computer shows the stages and key actions.

Each stage has a corresponding key action and principle, noted on the map. For example, the key action in the Matrix stage is Awaken and the key principle is "know thyself." Here are links to blog posts on the stages: Preideation, Ideation, Valley of Death, Growth and Rebootstrap.

The community articulates the stages of a venture as follows:

• Matrix - the development of the bootstrapper's personal development, talents & passions. This stages is the birth of the Founder/Team Journey
• Preideation - the time when an individual decides to take the bootstrap journey. The birth of the Inner/Hero's Journey
• Ideation - the time when the bootstrapper works part time on their venture and works towards a demo. Birth of the Product Journey
• Valley of Death - the time when the bootstrapper is committed fulltime to the venture. The venture is on a quest for customers (who pay it $ for its product/service), but is not yet sustainable. Birth of the Customer Journey
• Growth - the time when the venture becomes sustainable and scales its activities. Birth of the Organization Journey
• Rebootstrap - the time when large companies need to systematically recreate Bootstrapping within their organizations to generate new products and services. Renewal Journey

The Bootstrap Bumper Stickers project describes the stages through bumper stickers.

Resources

• Bootstrap Bootcamp by Bijoy Goswami
• Bijoy's Bootstrap Book list
• Body and Soul: Profits with Principles--The Amazing Success Story of Anita Roddick & The Body Shop by Anita Roddick