Best of Bootstrapping: Bootstrapped with a Paycheck from Atlanta to Exit

If you haven’t already, please study our Bootstrapping Course and Investor Introductions page. 

Here is Ingenious Med Founder Steve Liu’s early story from 2014. Yet another instance of a very successful company being built in the bootstrapping using a paycheck mode. Harris Novum acquired Ingenious Med in 2021.

Sramana Mitra: Let’s start at the beginning of your story. Where are you from? Where were you born and raised, and in what kind of circumstances?

Steve Liu: I was born in the United States. I was born in DC and lived in Virginia my whole life. My parents were immigrants but not your typical immigrants. My father came to UVA for his undergraduate studies. I grew up pretty typical with Asian parents. I’m sure you know what I’m talking about.

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605th Roundtable for Entrepreneurs Starting NOW: Live Tweeting by @1Mby1M

Today’s 605th FREE online 1Mby1M Roundtable for Entrepreneurs is starting NOW, on Thursday, April 27, at 8 a.m. PDT/11 a.m. EDT/5 p.m. CEST/8:30 p.m. India IST. CLICK HERE to join. PASSWORD: startup  All are welcome!

605th Roundtable for Entrepreneurs Starting in 30 Minutes: Live Tweeting by @1Mby1M

Today’s 605th FREE online 1Mby1M Roundtable for Entrepreneurs is starting in 30 minutes, on Thursday, April 27, at 8 a.m. PDT/11 a.m. EDT/5 p.m. CEST/8:30 p.m. India IST. CLICK HERE to join. PASSWORD: startup  All are welcome!

Video FAQs

Blocking Ransomware at the Hard Drive Level: John Benkert, CEO of Cigent (Part 3)

Sramana Mitra: Let’s double-click down on what you said. I get the sense that you have a company where you were experimenting with some technology. You were experimenting with how to protect data. Explain more about the technology.

Best of Bootstrapping: Bootstrapped Using Services from London to Exit

If you haven’t already, please study our Bootstrapping Course and Investor Introductions page. 

Continuing with our Bootstrapping Using Services coverage, we bring you HighQ Founder CEO Ajay Patel’s story from London in 2014. Thomson Reuters acquired HighQ in 2019.

Sramana Mitra: Let’s start with some back story. Where are you from? Where were you born and raised? What kind of background?

Ajay Patel: I was born in London about 42 years ago. I’ve lived here all my life. My origins are actually Indian. My father is from India and my mother was born in Fiji, but she’s of Indian descent.

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Thursday, April 27 – 605th 1Mby1M Mentoring Roundtable for Entrepreneurs

Entrepreneurs are invited to the 605th FREE online 1Mby1M Mentoring Roundtable on Thursday, April 27, 2023, at 8 a.m. PDT/11 a.m. EDT/5 p.m. CEST/8:30 p.m. India IST.

If you are a serious entrepreneur, register to “pitch” and sell your business idea. You’ll receive straightforward feedback, advice on next steps, and answers to any of your questions. Others can register to “attend” to watch, learn, and interact through the online chat.

You can learn more here and REGISTER TO PITCH OR ATTEND HERE. Register and you will receive the recording by email, even if you are unable to attend. Please share with any entrepreneurs in your circle who may be interested. All are welcome!

Blocking Ransomware at the Hard Drive Level: John Benkert, CEO of Cigent (Part 2)

Sramana Mitra: You retired from the Air Force and decided to do your own company.

John Benkert: Yes.

Sramana Mitra: What were you going to offer and to whom?

Best of Bootstrapping: Bootstrapped Using Services While Navigating a Recession

If you haven’t already, please study our Bootstrapping Course and Investor Introductions page. 

Rik Chomko, now CEO at InRule, and his team had to navigate a long journey, including a recession that disrupted one of their key customer segments dramatically. Read our interview from 2014 to learn how they survived.

Sramana: Rik, let’s start with the beginning of your story. Where are you from? Where were you raised? What kind of circumstances? Give us some of the back story.

Rik Chomko: I was born in the Chicago land suburbs and grew up there. My dad introduced me to computers at a very early age, which was way back in the 70’s, mostly because that’s what he did for a living. He’s one of the first people, I think, that jumped on to the information technology bandwagon. He would bring home phone systems and couplers so that we were able to link into the VAC system or the mainframe system running at his company. I had a twin brother and we used to just get up there and play games. We thought it was the neatest thing in the world, and that kind of got me started. As I grew up, I did other things but computers have always been a core interest and one of those things that I would like to sit down and play with.

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