The Un-Silicon Valley Startup

The Un-Silicon Valley Startup

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Surprising fact: it’s possible to create a huge tech company without taking venture capital. The standard Silicon Valley model - raise round after round of venture capital, rapidly grow user base, then figure out how to monetize later - in many cases is actually harmful to the business. When you have a bunch of money in the bank, you get good at spending money. But if you’re forced to generate revenue out of the gate, you get really good at making money. Don’t believe me? Just check out Mailchimp’s story at the New York Times (5 minutes).