Endcrawl.com
End Credits SaaS for Film & TV
We have a nice logo tee that we hand out to customers and boosters. Googling around the other day, I discovered that someone is selling a (decidedly inferior) bootleg version of Endcrawl swag.
Imitation is a form of flattery, etc... 😬😬😬
We bootstrapped Endcrawl for seven years while holding down day jobs. We didn’t relocate to San Francisco (or L.A.). We wrote a Perl MVP. And when we finally raised a $450k seed round, we closed one check entirely over Twitter DMs.
But off-script raises are also becoming a new normal. Tech capital for bootstrappers and indie hackers is sneaking up on an inflection point oddly similar to independent cinema in the early 1990s.
If you're thinking of raising money, I hope our story is helpful.
https://medium.com/@pliny/endcrawl-seed-raise-earnest-capital-e78117f28fc4
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Great article! I was curious though. Why take VC money after 7 years of bootstrapping and what were the terms? How much equity did you have to give up for that $500K?
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Zero equity given away for now. If we decide to raise a Series A, investors would convert to 27%. If we pay back our multiple from profits, we can pull that number all the way back to 9%, which investors would retain as a piece of an eventual sale.
In other words, the SEAL involves both a near-term and long-term stake for the investor.
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So if you take an A round they would control 27% of the total company? This means that at the A you've given away around 50% of the company?
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This is great, John! Congrats!
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Thank you! 🙌
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Great story John, I like your candor, lets stay in touch. I am building a RMP to reverse chronic diseases. I would like to join your tribe as you and them have raw entrepreneurial experiences.
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I plan to go a similar route to you guys, so thanks for sharing your story.
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@pliny Awesome post on Medium. This is particularly useful to entrepreneurs in my position, who’ve worked many years without thinking twice about VC money. Looking forward to more updates.
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Great! Can you share a bit of your story here?
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We did an IH interview a little while back, you might find some of that interesting! https://www.indiehackers.com/interview/growing-a-saas-app-for-the-film-industry-with-rigorous-experimentation-8aa8348dae
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Fantastic! I've been following Tyler at Earnest since his Storemapper days so it's great to see more products like this doing well.
I am also getting 404 on the link-
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Thank you! We're excited to be working with Tyler as well. Link is fixed, too.
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Congrats!! That's huge!
Getting a 404 error for the medium post :(
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Thanks! Link fixed.
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Your journey with Endcrawl is truly inspiring! Seven years of bootstrapping while balancing day jobs showcases your dedication and resilience. It's impressive how you stayed true to your roots, not relocating to major tech hubs and crafting an MVP in Perl.
The fact that you closed a $450k seed round through a Twitter DM is a testament to the power of networking and innovation in the startup world.
Your experience highlights the changing landscape for bootstrappers and indie hackers, where tech capital is gradually converging with the spirit of independent cinema in the early 1990s. Your story serves as a beacon of hope and guidance for those considering raising money for their ventures.
Thank you for sharing your remarkable journey, and I'm sure it will inspire many others who aspire to carve their own path in the world of startups and technology.
I would say the quote that I also like in my life:
“Il futuro appartiene a coloro che credono nella bellezza dei propri sogni.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
by frasimag
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Leather vs synthetic boot material hiking boots are compared due to the comfort and stylizing approach. While leather boots are always suaver and look dainty it also provides natural feet functionality and comfort.
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I should also note that we first heard about Earnest Capital right here on Indiehackers. Cannot thank Channing, Courtland, and the entire IH team enough for what they've built here. 🙌🙌🙌
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