How can founders make their businesses less dependent on outside financing?

Chungin Lee

CEO, Co-Founder · Cluely

Build a Working Product

Chungin Lee advises founders to focus less on fundraising and instead get something working, because if your product is working, funding will come to you from VCs whose job is to find such companies.

The answer starts at 1:37:10.

Will Drewery

Founder & CEO · Diagon

Use a Promissory Note

Will Drewery says founders can set up money they put into the company as a promissory note, a loan from their personal bank account to the company, so the money can later be repaid or converted to equity.

The answer starts at 16:58.

Hala Taha

Host of Young and Profiting Podcast · Yap Media

Bootstrapping

Hala Taha says she bootstrapped her company and never took investments, describing it as something she is happy she did.

John Furrier

Co-Founder, CEO, Executive Editor, Cohost of theCUBE · Siliconangle & Thecube

Keep 10% Cash Reserve

John Furrier advises founders to keep at least 10% of annualized revenue in the bank at all times, saying cash is their biggest KPI and that money drained from the company rarely gets put back.

The answer starts at 5:53.

Victor Cardenas Codriansky

Co-Founder, CEO · Slash

Raise Only When Needed

Victor Cardenas Codriansky says founders should only raise money when they need it, ideally at a time when they don't actually need the money, to generate as much leverage.