In the clip below from an interview with Simon Sinek and Jeni Britton, “Entrepreneurship Is Creative Rebellion | A Bit of Optimism,” Sinek wondered if not understanding different funding options and strategies for growth stops would-be entrepreneurs from starting businesses now. 

The entrepreneur ecosystem is full of people with ideas considering whether their idea could scale or if they would be eligible for venture capital (VC) funding. Sinek said people with smaller ideas might not be launching businesses because they would not qualify for outside investment.  

He mentioned that professionals considering entrepreneurship might not know about other traditional funding options, including bank loans, bootstrapping, credit card debt (be careful with this!), or investment from friends and family. (You also want to be careful about taking money from friends and family, which can lead to awkward social situations and holiday meals if things don’t work out.) 

Britton said that if you bring in outside investors, you work for them, and she doesn’t consider that entrepreneurship. I thought that was interesting. 

Yes, if you take outside investment, your investors will want to know how their money is being spent. They may insist on having one or more people on your executive team. They will expect you to achieve certain revenue targets on their timeline and will expect a good return on their investment. 

You gave up control when you took the money. 

Bootstrapping and using organic growth to fund your business keeps you firmly in the driver’s seat, but you may not have access to the capital you need to grow your business on the timeline you would like.

And then there are those pesky cash flow issues that most entrepreneurs experience when they bootstrap.

Only you will know what the best funding option is for your business. And yes, it may change over time. 

From the YouTube Short description:

The “start with a loan and build from scratch” founder is rare today—but far from extinct.

Jeni Britton, founder of Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, stands for an entrepreneurial path rooted in courage, creativity, and steady momentum. Her journey shows the power of starting with what you have—small loans, personal savings, or the support of your community—and building from the ground up.

She frames entrepreneurship as a creative rebellion: the bold act of bringing something new into the world, one step and one dollar at a time.

Photo by micheile henderson on Unsplash