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Lessons from a Bootstrapped Startup Acquired for Millions (w/Dave Sinkinson)
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Canadian Entrepreneur Dave Sinkinson, co-founder of AppArmor, shares what it takes to build a successful business without outside funding.
Starting with a simple idea for improving campus safety, Dave and his brother Chris turned their vision into a trusted solution used by institutions across North America. Their journey ended with a multi-million-dollar acquisition.
You’ll hear about the pitfalls of chasing rapid growth and the realities of bootstrapping, tech debt, and the long sales cycles of enterprise clients. In the podcast, Dave explains why market validation matters more than raising capital. "Your first customer is a better validator than a million dollars in funding," he says.
He shares his thoughts on why persistence, iteration, and customer focus are the keys to success. Dave also discusses the realities of business ownership — from the challenges of bootstrapping to the importance of leadership.
This episode is packed with practical insights:
• Why rapid growth is overrated.
• How empathetic leadership creates stronger teams.
• Why consistent effort matters more than big wins.
Following the sale of AppArmor, Dave and his brother Chris are now focused on sharing their business story and offering advice for entrepreneurs in their fantastic book and podcast, both called Startup Different.
Resources:
Startup Different book on Amazon
Startup Different podcast
Startup Different website
28 episodes
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