While it is not as sexy, it's worth noting that "funding" from customers is generally cheaper than funding from investors. Plus, once you have revenue, you generally become more interesting to investors and have more leverage in those conversations because you may not need the money to survive the way you do early in your company's life.
We're a "revenue-backed" startup so I'd say that if you can do it, it is a great way to control your destiny. The challenge with this method is that growth comes after revenue, i.e. you spend generally after you have sold the product which means growth is slower while fundraising allows you to spend ahead of revenue.
We're a "revenue-backed" startup so I'd say that if you can do it, it is a great way to control your destiny. The challenge with this method is that growth comes after revenue, i.e. you spend generally after you have sold the product which means growth is slower while fundraising allows you to spend ahead of revenue.
Nevertheless, good to see this advice on HN.