Hey bootstrappers,

You’ll have noticed something missing in last week’s newsletter. 

I omitted to mention Russia's invasion of Ukraine. 

Far from ignoring the tragic events, I was at a loss for words. I believed whatever I wrote would've come up short, so I didn’t write anything. 

I realize this was a mistake. At times like these, when information travels at lightning speed, it’s easy to forget better times, to be dragged down by uncertainty and fear. 

This week, I’ve curated a selection of bootstrapping stories to help break the bad news cycle you're probably suffering right now. 

From creative days out to volunteering and mindfulness, I hope these founders’ stories give some lighthearted relief from doomscrolling and a reminder of better times ahead. 

To peace, the safety of the Ukrainian people, and a swift end to the war. 🇺🇦

- Chris and the Bootstrappers team

Lasse Kjaer helps people gift each other incredible activities like hot-air ballooning and beer walks, turning experiential gifts into longlasting and happy memories.

How These Founders Turned Memorable and Authentic Experiences into a Multimillion-Dollar Business

“We look for unique, authentic experiences created by passionate hosts. There are a lot of ways to have a beer tasting, for example. But we sell tastings at the local brewery where it’s the brewmaster who gives the tasting.”

Max Friedman, Liran Cohen, and Ari Krasner help nonprofits create campaigns, raise funds, and manage donations from all over the world – completely free.

The Crowdfunding Revolution: How This Platform is Powering $150 Million Nonprofit Donations a Year

“We had to build their trust in us, as well as the platform’s ability to scale. With every new potential customer, we needed to convince them to trust us with their nonprofit and their cause. It felt like we were constantly fighting for credibility.”

Andrew Miller and Tarin Calmeyer bring mindfulness, yoga, and wellbeing to thousands of remote teams worldwide, helping people working from home improve their mental health.

One Man’s Stress Is Another Woman’s Startup

“In the first five minutes, I fell into what I thought was a very deep sleep, but I was still awake. It’s hard to explain, and if you haven’t done a live meditation with a teacher, you’ve never experienced it. I came out of that and it felt like I had eight hours of deep sleep.”

“We couldn’t convince investors to take a chance on a crowded space, regardless of how innovative our approach was. So we did the only thing we knew: We wrote code and listened to customers. No investors, no press, no bullshit. Just build a great product and be nice to people.”

 - Max Friedman, Givebutter

If you've got a great story about your bootstrapped company, we want to help tell it. Fill out this form and we'll be in touch soon. 

What did you think of this week's stories?