Liz Elting, President of the Liz Elting Foundation | Skip The Funding, Focus On Product

Let's cut to the chase. The startup game is rigged in favor of investors, not founders.

Here's a hard truth: Pursuing funding is often a flashy distraction, a dangerous detour from what truly matters - building a solid business.

Peter Drucker said, "The best way to predict the future is to create it." But how can you create when you're constantly courting investors?

Think about it. Every minute spent crafting pitches and tweaking business plans is a minute not spent on your product, your customers.

The reality check: Securing funding? It's a long shot, especially without a track record. Hours poured into fundraising? Immeasurable. Result? A funding round that often just delays the inevitable crash.

Now consider the alternative. Focus on sales, not investors. Direct your energy towards customers, not pitches.

Let’s talk numbers: The odds of getting significant funding are low. But building a customer base? That's entirely in your hands.

Here’s what they don’t tell you: Investors don’t just bring money. They bring agendas. Their goals may not match your vision.

When you bootstrap, you call the shots. Your focus stays laser-locked on your product, your market.

Forget the old adage, "You have to spend money to make money." In the startup world, it should be, "You have to make money to spend money."

Chasing investors often leads to distorted priorities. You're building a presentation, not a product. You're crafting pitches, not customer experiences.

Think about it: What if your most potent investment is your time? Your innovation? Your understanding of your customer?

Let's be blunt. The path to sustainable success isn’t lined with investor meetings. It’s paved with relentless customer focus.

Wrap-up thought: Don’t get trapped in the fundraising circus. Your true win isn’t an investor’s check. It's a customer's repeat purchase.

Remember, in the end, startups are not about who can raise the most, but who can survive the longest by actually selling something valuable.

Your startup’s lifeline isn't a venture capitalist's handshake, but the steady pulse of your sales.