The Broke VC
@brokevc.bsky.social
Bootstrapped. Profitable. Proud.
Most people want to feel entrepreneurial without actually risking social capital. So they build personal brands instead of businesses, optimize for follower counts, and call it freedom. It’s performance, not skin in the game.
July 2, 2025 at 12:37 PM
Most people want to feel entrepreneurial without actually risking social capital. So they build personal brands instead of businesses, optimize for follower counts, and call it freedom. It’s performance, not skin in the game.
This is what it looks like when the priests of a dying temple try to sell you incense.
“Learn to use AI before AI replaces you” is the final prayer of coding bootcamps that realize they trained a generation to write code right before code started writing itself.
“Learn to use AI before AI replaces you” is the final prayer of coding bootcamps that realize they trained a generation to write code right before code started writing itself.
July 2, 2025 at 10:37 AM
This is what it looks like when the priests of a dying temple try to sell you incense.
“Learn to use AI before AI replaces you” is the final prayer of coding bootcamps that realize they trained a generation to write code right before code started writing itself.
“Learn to use AI before AI replaces you” is the final prayer of coding bootcamps that realize they trained a generation to write code right before code started writing itself.
Everyone will call your best decisions "lucky" because they're too afraid to make the same "stupid" choices you made 3 years ago.
July 2, 2025 at 3:49 AM
Everyone will call your best decisions "lucky" because they're too afraid to make the same "stupid" choices you made 3 years ago.
I've seen nearly identical products with wildly different outcomes:
Founder A: Raised $2M, died in 18 months
Founder B: Scraped by on angels, hit $30M ARR
Was that product-market fit or just probability playing out?
www.thebrokevc.com/p/product-ma...
Founder A: Raised $2M, died in 18 months
Founder B: Scraped by on angels, hit $30M ARR
Was that product-market fit or just probability playing out?
www.thebrokevc.com/p/product-ma...
Product-Market Fit Is Retrospective Fiction
The Myth of the Perfect Match
www.thebrokevc.com
July 1, 2025 at 12:39 PM
I've seen nearly identical products with wildly different outcomes:
Founder A: Raised $2M, died in 18 months
Founder B: Scraped by on angels, hit $30M ARR
Was that product-market fit or just probability playing out?
www.thebrokevc.com/p/product-ma...
Founder A: Raised $2M, died in 18 months
Founder B: Scraped by on angels, hit $30M ARR
Was that product-market fit or just probability playing out?
www.thebrokevc.com/p/product-ma...
pick one skill.
practice it daily.
document the process.
turn it into proof-of-work.
monetize the result.
it’s boring.
it works.
practice it daily.
document the process.
turn it into proof-of-work.
monetize the result.
it’s boring.
it works.
July 1, 2025 at 7:15 AM
pick one skill.
practice it daily.
document the process.
turn it into proof-of-work.
monetize the result.
it’s boring.
it works.
practice it daily.
document the process.
turn it into proof-of-work.
monetize the result.
it’s boring.
it works.
the next big consumer product won’t be found on product hunt. it’ll start as a shitpost. and it’ll be better for it.
July 1, 2025 at 2:09 AM
the next big consumer product won’t be found on product hunt. it’ll start as a shitpost. and it’ll be better for it.
you can clone code. you can copy features. you can’t duplicate real community.
the best builders today are community architects:
• they turn customers into creators
• they turn fans into evangelists
• they turn brands into tribes
the best builders today are community architects:
• they turn customers into creators
• they turn fans into evangelists
• they turn brands into tribes
June 30, 2025 at 5:36 AM
you can clone code. you can copy features. you can’t duplicate real community.
the best builders today are community architects:
• they turn customers into creators
• they turn fans into evangelists
• they turn brands into tribes
the best builders today are community architects:
• they turn customers into creators
• they turn fans into evangelists
• they turn brands into tribes
Everyone agrees you shouldn’t trust an LLM without fact checking it.
Now do the same for:
– viral threads
– press releases
– influencers
– Google answers
Confidence ≠ credibility.
Now do the same for:
– viral threads
– press releases
– influencers
– Google answers
Confidence ≠ credibility.
June 29, 2025 at 11:00 AM
Everyone agrees you shouldn’t trust an LLM without fact checking it.
Now do the same for:
– viral threads
– press releases
– influencers
– Google answers
Confidence ≠ credibility.
Now do the same for:
– viral threads
– press releases
– influencers
– Google answers
Confidence ≠ credibility.
Once you understand coffee is holding you back you’ll wonder why you were drinking so much of it.
– No more jaw tension
– My hunger cues returned
– Afternoon brain fog = gone
– Way less irritability
– Saved time every morning
Coffee costs more than money.
– No more jaw tension
– My hunger cues returned
– Afternoon brain fog = gone
– Way less irritability
– Saved time every morning
Coffee costs more than money.
June 28, 2025 at 9:44 PM
Once you understand coffee is holding you back you’ll wonder why you were drinking so much of it.
– No more jaw tension
– My hunger cues returned
– Afternoon brain fog = gone
– Way less irritability
– Saved time every morning
Coffee costs more than money.
– No more jaw tension
– My hunger cues returned
– Afternoon brain fog = gone
– Way less irritability
– Saved time every morning
Coffee costs more than money.
your ancestors fought wolves with sticks.
you’re doing 17 hours of Notion planning to launch a newsletter.
you’re doing 17 hours of Notion planning to launch a newsletter.
June 28, 2025 at 1:52 AM
your ancestors fought wolves with sticks.
you’re doing 17 hours of Notion planning to launch a newsletter.
you’re doing 17 hours of Notion planning to launch a newsletter.
99% of AI startups feel like WordArt for the modern era. Flashy. Slightly impressive. Useless by next year.
June 27, 2025 at 10:14 PM
99% of AI startups feel like WordArt for the modern era. Flashy. Slightly impressive. Useless by next year.
If you want clarity, stop consuming.
Spend one day without:
• Podcasts
• YouTube
• Social feeds
Just you, your thoughts, and a blank page.
It’ll feel weird. Then it’ll feel necessary.
Spend one day without:
• Podcasts
• YouTube
• Social feeds
Just you, your thoughts, and a blank page.
It’ll feel weird. Then it’ll feel necessary.
June 27, 2025 at 9:30 PM
If you want clarity, stop consuming.
Spend one day without:
• Podcasts
• YouTube
• Social feeds
Just you, your thoughts, and a blank page.
It’ll feel weird. Then it’ll feel necessary.
Spend one day without:
• Podcasts
• YouTube
• Social feeds
Just you, your thoughts, and a blank page.
It’ll feel weird. Then it’ll feel necessary.
We talk about “markets” as if they’re legible. They’re not.
What looks like demand is often just distribution.
What looks like traction is sometimes just paid acquisition.
And what looks like disruption is usually marketing.
What looks like demand is often just distribution.
What looks like traction is sometimes just paid acquisition.
And what looks like disruption is usually marketing.
June 27, 2025 at 9:21 AM
We talk about “markets” as if they’re legible. They’re not.
What looks like demand is often just distribution.
What looks like traction is sometimes just paid acquisition.
And what looks like disruption is usually marketing.
What looks like demand is often just distribution.
What looks like traction is sometimes just paid acquisition.
And what looks like disruption is usually marketing.
Charisma is cheap.
Conviction is expensive.
You can fake energy.
You can’t fake obsession.
brokevc.beehiiv.com/p/founders-a...
Conviction is expensive.
You can fake energy.
You can’t fake obsession.
brokevc.beehiiv.com/p/founders-a...
Founders Are Option Contracts on Conviction
The Early-Stage Founder Is a Volatile Asset. Conviction Is the Constraint.
brokevc.beehiiv.com
June 27, 2025 at 3:25 AM
Charisma is cheap.
Conviction is expensive.
You can fake energy.
You can’t fake obsession.
brokevc.beehiiv.com/p/founders-a...
Conviction is expensive.
You can fake energy.
You can’t fake obsession.
brokevc.beehiiv.com/p/founders-a...
Retail investors want alpha.
VCs want edge.
Hedge funds want asymmetry.
Everyone is just trying to peek one move into the fog of war.
VCs want edge.
Hedge funds want asymmetry.
Everyone is just trying to peek one move into the fog of war.
June 27, 2025 at 1:17 AM
Retail investors want alpha.
VCs want edge.
Hedge funds want asymmetry.
Everyone is just trying to peek one move into the fog of war.
VCs want edge.
Hedge funds want asymmetry.
Everyone is just trying to peek one move into the fog of war.
Everyone says they want freedom. And then they raise money to build a prison.
Let me show you something...🧵
Let me show you something...🧵
June 25, 2025 at 12:40 AM
Everyone says they want freedom. And then they raise money to build a prison.
Let me show you something...🧵
Let me show you something...🧵
7 Reasons to Bootstrap (Instead of Raising Capital)
1 - You keep full ownership
2 - No investor pressure
3 - You build real skills
4 - You focus on customers, not pitch decks
5 - You grow profitably
6 - You move faster (no board approval BS)
7 - You own the outcome. Win or lose...
1 - You keep full ownership
2 - No investor pressure
3 - You build real skills
4 - You focus on customers, not pitch decks
5 - You grow profitably
6 - You move faster (no board approval BS)
7 - You own the outcome. Win or lose...
June 24, 2025 at 2:44 AM
7 Reasons to Bootstrap (Instead of Raising Capital)
1 - You keep full ownership
2 - No investor pressure
3 - You build real skills
4 - You focus on customers, not pitch decks
5 - You grow profitably
6 - You move faster (no board approval BS)
7 - You own the outcome. Win or lose...
1 - You keep full ownership
2 - No investor pressure
3 - You build real skills
4 - You focus on customers, not pitch decks
5 - You grow profitably
6 - You move faster (no board approval BS)
7 - You own the outcome. Win or lose...
The startup ecosystem treats scale like a religion.
But if you’re broke, scaling prematurely is not faith.
It’s financial suicide.
brokevc.beehiiv.com/p/the-lie-of...
But if you’re broke, scaling prematurely is not faith.
It’s financial suicide.
brokevc.beehiiv.com/p/the-lie-of...
The Lie of Scale: Why Bigger Isn’t Better If You’re Broke
brokevc.beehiiv.com
June 22, 2025 at 11:06 PM
The startup ecosystem treats scale like a religion.
But if you’re broke, scaling prematurely is not faith.
It’s financial suicide.
brokevc.beehiiv.com/p/the-lie-of...
But if you’re broke, scaling prematurely is not faith.
It’s financial suicide.
brokevc.beehiiv.com/p/the-lie-of...
The case for bootstrapping is the case for bounded rationality:
You will never have perfect knowledge, infinite runway, or ideal timing.
But you can have skin in the game, short feedback loops, and the ability to pivot without a board vote.
You will never have perfect knowledge, infinite runway, or ideal timing.
But you can have skin in the game, short feedback loops, and the ability to pivot without a board vote.
June 22, 2025 at 1:06 AM
The case for bootstrapping is the case for bounded rationality:
You will never have perfect knowledge, infinite runway, or ideal timing.
But you can have skin in the game, short feedback loops, and the ability to pivot without a board vote.
You will never have perfect knowledge, infinite runway, or ideal timing.
But you can have skin in the game, short feedback loops, and the ability to pivot without a board vote.
The case for bootstrapping is the case for bounded rationality:
You will never have perfect knowledge, infinite runway, or ideal timing.
But you can have skin in the game, short feedback loops, and the ability to pivot without a board vote.
You will never have perfect knowledge, infinite runway, or ideal timing.
But you can have skin in the game, short feedback loops, and the ability to pivot without a board vote.
June 22, 2025 at 1:06 AM
The case for bootstrapping is the case for bounded rationality:
You will never have perfect knowledge, infinite runway, or ideal timing.
But you can have skin in the game, short feedback loops, and the ability to pivot without a board vote.
You will never have perfect knowledge, infinite runway, or ideal timing.
But you can have skin in the game, short feedback loops, and the ability to pivot without a board vote.
Every crisis is a leverage point for new builders. When trust collapses, distribution changes hands.
June 22, 2025 at 12:23 AM
Every crisis is a leverage point for new builders. When trust collapses, distribution changes hands.
Tech people keep asking “what can we automate?”
But the better question is:
“What do humans do better after this is automated?”
But the better question is:
“What do humans do better after this is automated?”
June 21, 2025 at 8:08 AM
Tech people keep asking “what can we automate?”
But the better question is:
“What do humans do better after this is automated?”
But the better question is:
“What do humans do better after this is automated?”
The hardest part of being a solopreneur isn’t building the product.
It’s managing the mental health of the CEO, the intern, the janitor, and the existentialist philosopher.
Who are all the same person.
It’s managing the mental health of the CEO, the intern, the janitor, and the existentialist philosopher.
Who are all the same person.
June 21, 2025 at 2:16 AM
The hardest part of being a solopreneur isn’t building the product.
It’s managing the mental health of the CEO, the intern, the janitor, and the existentialist philosopher.
Who are all the same person.
It’s managing the mental health of the CEO, the intern, the janitor, and the existentialist philosopher.
Who are all the same person.
Solo empire checklist (repeat monthly):
☑ Launch one product
☑ Automate one process
☑ Delegate one task
☑ Grow one audience channel
☑ Refine one offer
☑ Learn one new tool
☑ Say “no” to 10 things
☑ Launch one product
☑ Automate one process
☑ Delegate one task
☑ Grow one audience channel
☑ Refine one offer
☑ Learn one new tool
☑ Say “no” to 10 things
June 21, 2025 at 1:29 AM
Solo empire checklist (repeat monthly):
☑ Launch one product
☑ Automate one process
☑ Delegate one task
☑ Grow one audience channel
☑ Refine one offer
☑ Learn one new tool
☑ Say “no” to 10 things
☑ Launch one product
☑ Automate one process
☑ Delegate one task
☑ Grow one audience channel
☑ Refine one offer
☑ Learn one new tool
☑ Say “no” to 10 things
7 lies VCs tell themselves:
– “We back outliers”
– “We’re founder-first”
– “We don’t chase hype”
– “Our value is operational”
– “Warm intros only filter for quality”
– “The TAM is huge”
– “We add value post-check”
– “We back outliers”
– “We’re founder-first”
– “We don’t chase hype”
– “Our value is operational”
– “Warm intros only filter for quality”
– “The TAM is huge”
– “We add value post-check”
June 21, 2025 at 12:08 AM
7 lies VCs tell themselves:
– “We back outliers”
– “We’re founder-first”
– “We don’t chase hype”
– “Our value is operational”
– “Warm intros only filter for quality”
– “The TAM is huge”
– “We add value post-check”
– “We back outliers”
– “We’re founder-first”
– “We don’t chase hype”
– “Our value is operational”
– “Warm intros only filter for quality”
– “The TAM is huge”
– “We add value post-check”