The Bootstrapper's Bible Quotes

“3. ALWAYS LEAVE BOTH SIDES AN OUT. Nothing lasts forever, especially business partner- ships. A dear friend of mine spent two years wrestling with a former partner when he left in a huff. In the end, everyone loses. Make sure you have a well-defined clause that lets either party leave without wrecking the business.”
― Seth Godin, The Bootstrapper's Bible: How to Start and Build a Business With a Great Idea and (Almost) No Money

“ASSOCIATE WITH WINNERS
Four groups of people will dramatically influence how your business evolves:
» Customers
» Employees
» Vendors
» Peers
Line yourself up with the wrong people in each category and, like a poorly created bonsai tree, your business will grow up twisted and misshapen.”
― Seth Godin, The Bootstrapper's Bible: How to Start and Build a Business With a Great Idea and (Almost) No Money

“You need a formal business reinvention process. Put it in your calendar. Every three months, take your most trusted advisers, employees, backers, and even customers and get away from the phones for a little while.
Start from scratch. “If we were starting over—no office, no employees, no customers—would we choose to be where we are today?” If the answer isnʼt, yes, then itʼs time to take a hard look at the path you took and the impact it has had on your business.”
― Seth Godin, The Bootstrapper's Bible: How to Start and Build a Business With a Great Idea and (Almost) No Money

“REDO THE MISSION STATEMENT AND THE BUSINESS PLAN EVERY THREE MONTHS”
― Seth Godin, The Bootstrapper's Bible: How to Start and Build a Business With a Great Idea and (Almost) No Money

“Faking your way through isnʼt going to work. Hoping that the sales process will go away wonʼt help either. As a bootstrapper you must sell yourself and your business. Otherwise, no business.”
― Seth Godin, The Bootstrapper's Bible: How to Start and Build a Business With a Great Idea and (Almost) No Money

“A combination of more convenience, better service, aggressive pricing, and better results will make you irresistible to some people.
It wonʼt work for everyone. Some folks may never switch. But thatʼs okay. You donʼt need everyone. Just enough to keep you busy and the cash flowing!”
― Seth Godin, The Bootstrapper's Bible: How to Start and Build a Business With a Great Idea and (Almost) No Money

“The time to develop a multiple income source strategy is not when you run out of money.
Then it will be too late.”
― Seth Godin, The Bootstrapper's Bible: How to Start and Build a Business With a Great Idea and (Almost) No Money

“Do you have enough money in the bank to make it if everything goes wrong?
If you do, congratulations. Go run your business with focus and with confidence. Stick with the high road and do the things you need to realize your business plan.
If not, donʼt despair. You need an alternate plan. A plan that allows you to spend a percent- age of your time each week on low-risk revenue sources. A way to bring in freelance income while you build your core business.”
― Seth Godin, The Bootstrapper's Bible: How to Start and Build a Business With a Great Idea and (Almost) No Money

“The entrepreneur is comfortable raising money, hiring and firing, renting more office space than she needs right now. The entrepreneur must dream big and persuade others to share her dream. The freelancer, on the other hand, can focus on craft. She can most easily build her business by doing great work, consistently.”
― Seth Godin, The Bootstrapper's Bible: How to Start and Build a Business With a Great Idea and (Almost) No Money

“Given the choice between building a thriving, profitable business with a niche and a really boring product and putting your life savings into an intensely competitive business where youʼre likely to fail but the product is cool, the experienced bootstrapper will pick the former every time. If you find an industry filled with wannabe entrepreneurs with a dollar and a dream, run away and look for something else!”
― Seth Godin, The Bootstrapper's Bible: How to Start and Build a Business With a Great Idea and (Almost) No Money

“Whatʼs a bootstrapper to do?
You have to go where the other guys canʼt. Take advantage of what you have so that you can beat the competition with what they donʼt.”
― Seth Godin, The Bootstrapper's Bible: How to Start and Build a Business With a Great Idea and (Almost) No Money

“Most entrepreneurs donʼt think about money too much when they decide to start a business. Whenʼs the last time you asked someone at a cocktail party what he does, and he responded, “Every month, I generate more cash than I spend”?”
― Seth Godin, The Bootstrapper's Bible: How to Start and Build a Business With a Great Idea and (Almost) No Money

“If you try to steal the giant’s lunch,
the giant is likely to eat you for lunch.”
― Seth Godin, The Bootstrapper's Bible: How to Start and Build a Business With a Great Idea and (Almost) No Money