Bootstrap Bumper Stickers

By Bumperactive

To view and get your own stickers, go to the Bootstrap Bumper Sticker page on Bumperactive.

The goal of the project is to create four bumper stickers representing the four phases of the Bootstrap model of business development: Pre-Ideation, Ideation, Valley of Death and Growth. Actually, our goal is a bit more ambitious than that; rather than simply making stickers that sloganeer about the phases, we've designed them with the intent of actually invoking each phase's inherent mental state. So that viewing the stickers won't explain Bootstrapping so much as cause you to experience it. Purty nifty, eh?

The Pre-Ideation sticker is the single word, "Awaken", designed to stir you from whatever reverie you may be in at the moment of viewing the sticker. The idea is to cause you to examine the quality of your own thought. For the typeface, we chose a modern interpretation of Greek stone carving, representing the fact that the Bootstrapper's journey is an analog of the Hero's Journey of myth. By definition, to embark on the Bootstrapper's Journey is to begin something new. But the "new" in question is also very, very old.

Appropriately, the Ideation bumper sticker is really more of a sticker-in-theory. The inspiration comes from the notion of a table-card at a five-star restaurant, proclaiming the arrival of a very important bumper sticker is indeed imminent. Hopefully, upon viewing this sticker comes the question: What is the perfect bumper sticker, exactly? Welcome to ideation.

The Valley of Death sticker, like the Valley itself, can't really be talked about. Either you get it or you don't. The riddle is its own answer.

Finally, the Growth Sticker isn't here yet. We've got something extra special planned for that one that's going to require its own implementation. The Bootstrapper's Journey of the bumper sticker project of the Bootstrapper's Journey isn't complete yet. Stay tuned....