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Indeed, An Almost Entirely Bootstrapped Job Search Giant, Gets A Monster Exit

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Re: Indeed, An Almost Entirely Bootstrapped Job Search Giant, Gets A Monster Exit

#6
post #5

Bootstrapping (adj): a self-sustaining process that proceeds without external help. Not bootstrapping: $5M in VC. There is no "partially bootstrapped," you either are or aren't. Can somebody update the headline?

"They had bootstrapped the company, launched the service, and were well on their way. They didn't need our money. But eventually we convinced them to take it," USV's Fred Wilson writes.

Looks like the headline is based on this quote. Still doesn't make them bootstrapped, but it does seem like the $5M was just a safety net, not a requirement.

Re: Indeed, An Almost Entirely Bootstrapped Job Search Giant, Gets A Monster Exit

#7
post #5

Bootstrapping (adj): a self-sustaining process that proceeds without external help. Not bootstrapping: $5M in VC. There is no "partially bootstrapped," you either are or aren't. Can somebody update the headline?

I believe the implication is that they didn't raise money as a startup, but only at the growth stage when they were well established.

Growth stage financing is significantly different from early stage/startup financing, hence it's worth differentiating a company that got to growth stage through bootstrapping rather than the traditional seed and VC stages of financing.

Re: Indeed, An Almost Entirely Bootstrapped Job Search Giant, Gets A Monster Exit

#8
post #5

Bootstrapping (adj): a self-sustaining process that proceeds without external help. Not bootstrapping: $5M in VC. There is no "partially bootstrapped," you either are or aren't. Can somebody update the headline?

It seems like they listened to you:

  "Indeed, An Almost Entirely Bootstrapped Job Search Giant, Gets A Monster Exit"

Re: Indeed, An Almost Entirely Bootstrapped Job Search Giant, Gets A Monster Exit

#10
post #5

Bootstrapping (adj): a self-sustaining process that proceeds without external help. Not bootstrapping: $5M in VC. There is no "partially bootstrapped," you either are or aren't. Can somebody update the headline?

"They had bootstrapped the company, launched the service, and were well on their way. They didn't need our money. But eventually we convinced them to take it," USV's Fred Wilson writes. Looks like the headline is based on this quote. Still doesn't make them bootstrapped, but it does seem like the $5M was just a safety net, not a requirement.

I disagree. Take GitHub for example. They just raised $100M in VC. That doesn't take away from the fact that they bootstrapped from April 2008 until July 2012.

Not bootstrapping is taking early Angel/VC funding in order to run the company.

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