Bootstrapping should lead somewhere. It’s the part that gets you started and not the one that keeps you stuck. But some entrepreneurs use it to delay the hard decisions. They’re afraid to spend on a proper marketing strategy, afraid to bring on help, afraid to change the model. So instead of pushing forward, they keep repeating “We’re still small,” or “We’re not ready yet,” even when the business clearly is. The risk doesn’t go away just because you avoid it. It just starts costing you in other ways i.e. slow growth, burnout and missed opportunities.
It starts as caution, then eventually turns into self-sabotage. You convince yourself that staying lean is smart, but deep down you know it’s about staying comfortable. You are really avoiding the discomfort of stretching into the next phase. Meanwhile, the business suffers because you won’t give it what it needs to grow. Playing it safe starts to feel like progress, but it’s just maintenance.
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