StartUp Founders: Stop Waiting For The Investment, Start Building

I often come across founders who are self-funding their ventures and hoping to raise a seed round. If you’re in this situation, I have some advice that I think will serve you well: stop waiting for the money. It’s going to take longer than you expect, it’s going to be harder than you expect, and you might not get it.

Instead, I recommend taking advantage of the online tools available today that require no engineering experience. These tools can help you with everything from creating your logo and brand book to building your website or app. With these tools, you can create a professional-looking front-end presentation of your brand without any prior design or coding experience.

There are also tools available that allow you to build your mobile or web app without any coding knowledge. It might not be your perfect solution and it might not have every feature you want, but it’s enough to get rolling and to be able to show potential investors and customers what you’re working on.

Some founders might feel intimidated by the thought of learning to use these tools. But I can tell you from experience that the learning curve is not as steep as you might think. Most of these tools offer videos and courses to help you get started, and you’ll be surprised at how quickly you can upskill yourself.

I’m not suggesting that you shouldn’t invest any money in design or development. If you need to spend a few pennies to make something look better, there are plenty of resources available to you. But my point is that you don’t need to sit and wait for funding before you can start building your brand and your product.

One notable quote from entrepreneur and investor Paul Graham, co-founder of startup accelerator Y Combinator, comes to mind: “The best way to get investment is not to need it.” By demonstrating that you can build a successful product without relying on outside funding, you’re sending a strong signal to potential investors that you’re a founder who can make things happen.