Resilient

Introduction 1

1 Coming From Where I'm From 3

Triple Threat 6

2 The Difference 16

Focus 25

3 Bootstrapping versus Raising Capital 28

Professional Services to Startup 28

On the Bootstrapping Process 31

Repeatable and Predictable Revenue, Regardless 38

Money Can't Be the Only Motivation 39

4 Idea to Product: Building a Startup 42

Starting With Funding 42

Starting Without Funding 43

What Not to Do When Starting a Company 44

You'll Never Get Going Unless 45

5 Building a Team 49

Hiring and Finding Freelancers and Others 49

Out of the Gate 57

Contingency versus Retained Recruiters 59

Get Out of the Way 62

6 I Hear You, But I Need Capital 67

Financing Terminology 68

Preparing to Raise 70

What Legal Documents Should I Use? 71

7 Raising a Pre-Seed $400,000 79

Pre-Seed, Better Known as a Friends-and-Family Round 79

The Pitch 85

8 Accelerators and Pitch Competitions? Bang or Bust 89

9 Raising My Seed Round 98

10 Product Market Fit 103

Sales: Remember Predictable, Repeatable Revenue? 103

11 Raising a Series A 107

12 Holy Crap--A Pandemic! 113

Prioritizing Mental Well-Being 116

13 The Murder of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and BLM 119

The Talk I Had With My Team 123

The Role of Philanthropy in Creating Equity 125

Systemic Issues Facing Black-Led Technology Companies 126

14 My Hopes, and Losing an Icon 129

The Role Technology Plays 129

On Building Generational Wealth 132

Appendix 137

Glossary 139

Rate Sheet 145

Online Resources 149

About the Author 151

Index 153