Hey you 👋

"Should I bootstrap longer or start raising now?"

This question slides into my DM’s every. single. week like clock work.

Most of the time, that's not even the real question.

The real question hiding underneath is:

"Am I actually not ready yet… or am I just exhausted and hoping outside money will magically fix everything?"

Let's cut the drama and girl math this right! →

You're not looking for some generic "VC vs bootstrapping" TED Talk that ends with "follow your passion."

If you're wondering:

"Is it stupid to keep self-funding when I could raise?"

"Or am I using 'I'm raising' as a fancy procrastination technique to avoid doing the hard, boring stuff that actually moves the needle?"

Also let me clear. You're a woman. So the game is rigged from the start.

Female founders still get around 2–2.3% of VC funding. Even though we generate more revenue per dollar invested. Even though the data literally proves we're better / Safer bets.

Early-stage investors are measurably more hesitant with women, especially in male-dominated sectors.

So, you're not overreacting. The bias is real. And it's a load of B.S

Here's the part that makes me want to flip a table in the best way:

Recent data on female founders in Europe shows bootstrapped women-led startups hitting around a 60% success rate vs roughly 35% for VC-backed ones.

Girl read that again.

Bootstrapped women.

So when you ask "Should I raise now?" sometimes the most honest answer is:

You might actually have better odds staying in control a bit longer.

And then, when you do raise, you're not begging. You're choosing.

Big difference.

We act like there are only two doors:

But there's a Door C: crowdfunding.

And this is where women quietly cook:

Why? Because it removes the gatekeepers and goes straight to the people who actually use your product.

So the real menu is:

Different tools. Different trade-offs. None of them wrong—just depends on what you're building and what you're willing to trade.

Use this test this week. No spreadsheets. No pitch deck. Just RAW honest answers.

30 days – Revenue reality

Can you hit next month's revenue target with your current resources (time, team, cash) without new money?

If no → you don't have a "raising" question yet. You have a business model question.

60 days – Growth vs. cash

If you keep growing at your current pace for the next 60 days, will you actually need external capital to keep up?

Think: inventory, hires, product build, demand you can't fulfill.

If no → you might be early. Another quarter of clean bootstrapped data could massively increase your options.

90 days – Competitive pressure

In the next 90 days, will a better-funded competitor realistically:

If yes to all three (30, 60, 90) → It's time to start fundraising conversations. That could mean VC/angels or equity crowdfunding, depending on your goals.

If no to any of them → You probably need one more focused bootstrapped quarter. Not a raise. Use it to clean up your numbers, tighten your offer, and grow your audience.

Where Crowdfunding Fits In

Quick rule of thumb I use with founders:

And if you're a woman? Crowdfunding is often the path where the math and the bias is mathing.