Bootstrapping to $100k in Year One: Weighing Venture Capital vs. Staying Independent
I’ve been developing a side project for the past year and am on track to hit roughly $100k in gross revenue within the next couple of weeks. It’s a B2C SaaS tool for ed-tech, built entirely by me (I’m a software engineer) with some marketing support from another person.
I’ve started exploring capital raising and have put together a pitch deck with the help of a local VC firm. Now that I’m at the point where pitching begins, I’m experiencing hesitation. I maintain a steady day job and haven’t been working on this full-time, so any raise would involve bringing me on full-time and leaving my current role. I’m also expecting my first child, which raises concerns about stability during such a major transition.
I’d love to devote myself to this full-time, but I’m worried about answering to a VC if we pursue this raise. I fear it could dampen the excitement around the project, shifting from a fun, autonomous side project to a “real” job. I’m additionally concerned because it would move me away from hands-on coding and building software toward a CEO-focused role.
What should I consider? What would you do if you were in my position?
