10 Growth Hacks When You’re Cash-Strapped
Startups are hard as hell when you’re low on cash. But the upside is well worth the pain.
Here’s how we scaled into 30,000 stores and 30 countries from a household income of $30k 👇
Startups are hard as hell when you’re low on cash. But the upside is well worth the pain.
Here’s how we scaled into 30,000 stores and 30 countries from a household income of $30k 👇
1️⃣ Do the unscalable
It’s the little things. The personal phone call. The personalized note and customer service. Getting on Zoom with an influencer. Scaled businesses can’t embrace the “human side” of startups the way you can. Lean in.
The more unscalable, the better.
It’s the little things. The personal phone call. The personalized note and customer service. Getting on Zoom with an influencer. Scaled businesses can’t embrace the “human side” of startups the way you can. Lean in.
The more unscalable, the better.
2️⃣ Leverage authenticity
Authenticity is your fastest path to forging brand devotion. Luckily, you have it in excess. Your story, your character, your VIBE. Everyone roots for the underdog. Take your customers behind the scenes.
Don’t be afraid of the messy.
Authenticity is your fastest path to forging brand devotion. Luckily, you have it in excess. Your story, your character, your VIBE. Everyone roots for the underdog. Take your customers behind the scenes.
Don’t be afraid of the messy.
3️⃣ Embrace profitability
If you can’t pay the bills, either the business or your lifestyle will self-destruct. Focus on the fundamentals, and run a cash flow positive business—it will be scalable, durable, and result in higher valuations later.
Have a budget, have a plan.
If you can’t pay the bills, either the business or your lifestyle will self-destruct. Focus on the fundamentals, and run a cash flow positive business—it will be scalable, durable, and result in higher valuations later.
Have a budget, have a plan.
4️⃣ Follow your intuition
Bootstrappers watch risk-laden competitors raise big $$$ and follow “playbooks” to scale. Block out the noise, and channel your intuition. The more your brand thinks different, the more you act different—and the more you stand out.
Manifest originality.
Bootstrappers watch risk-laden competitors raise big $$$ and follow “playbooks” to scale. Block out the noise, and channel your intuition. The more your brand thinks different, the more you act different—and the more you stand out.
Manifest originality.
5️⃣ Build a community
Early adopters want to root for you—so give them a place to do it. And provide them incentive to do so. Reward them with education, access, and support. Involve them in decisions. Celebrate them. Above all, unify them.
Create a clarion call.
Early adopters want to root for you—so give them a place to do it. And provide them incentive to do so. Reward them with education, access, and support. Involve them in decisions. Celebrate them. Above all, unify them.
Create a clarion call.
6️⃣ Rapidly iterate on customer feedback
While corporates slog, you can launch updates overnight, and engage customers for direct feedback. The more you do, the more loyal they’ll be. And the better your product gets.
It’s more than a flywheel—it’s a roadmap.
While corporates slog, you can launch updates overnight, and engage customers for direct feedback. The more you do, the more loyal they’ll be. And the better your product gets.
It’s more than a flywheel—it’s a roadmap.
7️⃣ Ask for help, and build a network
You’re under-networked, but supporters WILL go out of their way to elevate you. Even the ones that can’t help immediately will remember you—and years down the line, those relationships will pay off in spades.
Be relentless, and patient.
You’re under-networked, but supporters WILL go out of their way to elevate you. Even the ones that can’t help immediately will remember you—and years down the line, those relationships will pay off in spades.
Be relentless, and patient.
8️⃣ Don’t stress the competition
Copying others is the fast path to irrelevancy. No one bets on a knock-off. If you want to pay attention to competitors, pay attention to what they DON’T do—and fill the void they leave.
When you pattern match, you fail.
Copying others is the fast path to irrelevancy. No one bets on a knock-off. If you want to pay attention to competitors, pay attention to what they DON’T do—and fill the void they leave.
When you pattern match, you fail.
9️⃣ Ladder up to opportunities
Every success is proof that you’re ready for the next big opportunity. No one jumps from rung one to rung ten on the ladder. Collect proof at every step—this gives you license to scale.
Maintain a growth mentality.
Every success is proof that you’re ready for the next big opportunity. No one jumps from rung one to rung ten on the ladder. Collect proof at every step—this gives you license to scale.
Maintain a growth mentality.
🔟 Be relentless, get up every day
Bootstrapping is a mindset. It starts out every morning with ask yourself: “How can I get one win today?” Your progress will compound by the day, and after countless pivots, you WILL overcome.
Play the long game, and play to win.
Bootstrapping is a mindset. It starts out every morning with ask yourself: “How can I get one win today?” Your progress will compound by the day, and after countless pivots, you WILL overcome.
Play the long game, and play to win.
If you liked this thread, follow along @chriscantino, check out our fund @ColorInvests, and read all the details on how @jaimeschmidt and I grew the biz in the book Supermaker! supermaker.com/book
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