Bootstrap Like You Mean It

Most founders wait for funding to start. The smartest ones? They bootstrap with $100 and prove the market wants what they're building. This week: tactics to launch lean and grow profitable from day one.

Tool of the Week

Gumroad — Sell digital products (ebooks, templates, courses) in under 10 minutes. No website needed. Keep 90% of revenue after fees, and it's free to start.

Book Suggestion

"The $100 Startup" by Chris Guillebeau — Shows how 1,500 people built businesses with minimal investment. Key takeaway: You don't need a perfect product or big capital—just a skill people will pay for and the guts to ask for the sale.

Marketing Strategy / Tactic

Pre-sell before you build — Validate demand and get cash flow on day one.

• Create a landing page explaining your product (use Carrd or Webflow)

• Offer early-bird pricing (30-50% off) for the first 10-20 customers

• If nobody buys, pivot before wasting months building

Business Opportunity of the Week

Notion templates for niche communities — Creators are paying $20-$100 for pre-built Notion systems (CRM, content calendars, finance trackers). Pick a niche (freelance writers, Airbnb hosts, gym owners), build one killer template, sell it on Gumroad. Low overhead, high margins.

Bootstrap smart, not hard. Hit reply and tell me what you're building—I read every response.

— Basat

P.S. Next week: The cold email framework that booked me 47 meetings in 30 days.