Bootstrap Austin Community

Bootstrap Austin : A Self-Service Community for Bootstrap Entrepreneurs Bijoy Goswami November 7, 2009

Elements of the Bootstrap Community

about something

protocols for interaction

members are connected

takes action

systems to support its activities

Note web links (underlined and icons) throughout slides

Third Way of Entrepreneurship b Cookie Cutter Funding Driven What is Bootstrap? 1. about Bootstrap!

Bootstrap Community QUEST(ion): What is Bootstrap?

Challenge the Bootstrap Entrepreneur’s Personal Entrepreneurship Model

Sharing stories + model locks in bootstrappers’ learning

Consistent language of the key stages, principles, actions of bootstrap entrepreneurship

Help participants advance through each phase of the venture:

Gain the ‘right’ knowledge

And make the ‘right’ connections

Leverage their own unique skills and resources,

in order to ‘Take the right action at the right time’:

1. about Ideation VoD Bootstrap Community – Builds shared knowledge of venture building Participant – Builds awareness of next action in venture Growth Knowledge Connections Skills Resources Skills Resources Skills Resources Knowledge Connections Knowledge Connections

Bootstrap University

12 monthly learning sessions (optional)

Bootstrap Entrepreneur Speakers

Social Media

Twitter: daily tweet

facebook: discussion

BootRap Podcast

1. about

Levels of Community Participation Bootstrap Community 2. protocols

Appropriate Conduct and Rules of Engagement

1. Participants

Attend meetings

May become active

2. Active Participants

Speakers, bloggers, tweeters

May become contributors, Collaborators or inactive

3. Contributors

Lead subgroups

May become Active Participants Collaborator

4. Collaborators

Coordinate overall community

May become Active, participants or Contributors

Laws of Networks

Sarnoff's Law = the value of a broadcast network is proportionate to the number of viewers / readers.

Metcalfe's Law = value of a network is proportionate to the square of the number of nodes, i.e., n2. (And, connecting two networks creates far more value than the sum of their values as independent networks.)