SVASE Main Event: Bootstrap Heroes - building a great company without Venture Capital March 5, 2009

SVASE Main Event: Bootstrap Heroes - building a great company without Venture Capital

Start: 03/05/2009 - 6:00pm
End: 03/05/2009 - 8:30pm

Contact Info: Laura Weigant Email: [email protected]

Location: Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati
950 Page Mill Road, Palo Alto, CA 94304

URL:www.svase.org/?q=node/2020

Some businesses are built on venture capital. Google and eBay come to mind, as does dearly departed Pets.com…. Other businesses are bootstrapped by entrepreneurs, with Dell Computers, Microsoft, Hot or Not and Plenty of Fish.com as good examples.

Despite the dream of many entrepreneurs to meet a VC with deep pockets that will enable them to live in style while they employ teams of experts to build and market their idea, the fact is that 99.9 percent of businesses are bootstrapped. And that's not necessarily a bad thing. With a lot of sweat and the occasional welcome dollop of luck, bootstrapping a business can be both financially and emotionally rewarding. When done well, it can really get a company going fast, and without the founders having to give up much (if any) equity - or bankrupting themselves.

So, what does it mean to bootstrap a company? This lively discussion with our panel of experts who have been there, done that – in some cases several times! – will explore the following questions, and more, to help you figure out if bootstrapping is for you.

·What have you seen as the biggest indicators of future success, or failure, for bootstrapped startups?
·What are the first 2 or 3 key things I should do to help me decide if I should bootstrap, or not?
·OK, I’ve decided to bootstrap, but I still need SOME money. Where does it come from?
·I need a team to develop my product. Should I round up people I know & pay them with equity, or outsource development somewhere cheap like Eastern Europe?
·I need equipment, even if it’s just a couple of servers. What are some cheap ways to get my hands on the stuff I need?
·It’s tough enough to get first customers if you’re venture funded. How does a scrappy bootstrapped startup get in the door to make its first sales?
·I need legal services to establish the legal entity, set up a stock option plan, create terms & conditions of sales, and so on. I can’t afford $450 an hour attorneys, so how do I get this done?

The Panel:
* James Hong, Founder, Hot or Not
* TBD
* TBD
* TBD

Moderator: TBD

WHEN: Thursday, March 5
6:00 - 7:00 pm: Networking and hors d’oeuvres
7:00 - 8:15 pm: Panel discussion and Q/A
8:15 - 8:30 pm: Additional networking

LOCATION: Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati (WSGR Campus), 950 Page Mill Road, Palo Alto, CA 94304

PRE-REGISTERED RATES (All Rates Include Hors D’oeuvres):
Members - $20; Affiliates who advertise this event - $29; General Public - $49

Pre-registration closes at 9 PM the night before the event.
WALK-IN RATES: Add $10.00 to the listed price

To reserve an Exhibit Table:
Contact [email protected], $350 Members, $850 Non-members (Includes exhibit table, 2 tickets to the event and 1 year corporate membership).

Seating is limited, so early registration is recommended to avoid disappointment on the day.

This event is co-sponsored by Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, www.wsgr.com.

If the event is sold out, we apologize that due to fire safety codes we cannot accept any walk-ins.

Official Website: http://www.svase.org/?q=node/2020