BOOTSTRAPPED SUCCESS: A new podcast, Unfunded, showcases startups winning without VC

While venture capital funding is a benchmark of success that receives a greater share of attention than the daily business of startup life, building with bootstrapping is front-of-mind for many founders, often out of necessity.

So Unfunded, a new podcast by tech writer Joan Westenberg is bound to be essential listening for many keen to keep a clean cap table.

Westenberg has collaborated with The Day One Network, the team behind the podcast series on the history of the Australian startup ecosystem.

She set out to share and celebrate the stories of founders who built their startups without relying on venture capital or external funding.

“Unfunded celebrates the DIY ethos and the determination of founders who launch and grow their businesses on their own terms,” Westenberg said.

“Each episode features interviews with successful founders who share their journeys of navigating startup growth, creating innovative products, finding target customers, and achieving profitability without external funding.”

In the first episode, Westenberg sits down with Sheree Rubinstein, the founder of One Roof, a co-working space dedicated to women-led businesses.

Rubinstein shares her experience of pivoting from a physical space to a digital membership platform post-Covid, offering valuable insights on adaptability, community building, and resilience in entrepreneurship.

The second episode features Lucy Lloyd, c-founder of Mentorloop, who explains her decision to opt for a self-funded path and the challenges and pressures that come with it. Lloyd emphasises the importance of authenticity, seeking external validation, and maintaining a balance between growth and profitability.

“Working with Day One to launch Unfunded has been an incredible journey. I’m proud to be able to shine a light on the incredible entrepreneurs who have created their own paths in a tech industry that has become too dependent on institutionalised venture capital,” Westenberg said.

“Sheree and Lucy’s stories are a prime example of the grit and ingenuity it takes to build and scale a startup without the conventional funding pathways. Their experiences offer a model for anyone looking to create a successful business on their own terms.”

For more on Unfunded, to listen and find out when new episodes drop, is available here.