Welcome to Chapter 12 of the Start. Scale. Exit. Repeat. Reflections Series
Great ideas don’t fund themselves — and neither will investors. In this chapter, Colin C. Campbell shares hard truths and helpful hacks for founders who need to raise early capital the smart way. From scraping savings to securing local grants, *Paying for Your Idea* is a practical guide to financial creativity in the startup trenches.

💰 Funding Starts With You

Campbell opens with his own story — bootstrapping a business from vegetables and a $12,800 startup fund. The message? Don’t wait for a windfall. Start with sweat equity, savings, or personal sacrifice if needed. Investors want to see that you’ve got skin in the game (Campbell, 2023).

🏦 Banks Aren’t the Only Organizations With Money

Banks can be rigid and intimidating, but they’re not the only players. Campbell encourages founders to tap local business competitions, veteran programs, nonprofits, and even universities to access microgrants and startup resources without investor dilution.

🤝 Look Beyond Friends and Family

Just because you *can* borrow from friends or family doesn’t mean you *should*. Campbell warns that emotional connections can’t always weather business risk — and they shouldn’t be your default funding model.

🚀 You’ll Be Funding Your Concept Forever

This isn’t a one-time problem — it’s a pattern. If you plan to build a business that scales, you’ll always be reinvesting. Campbell advises founders to get comfortable with the fact that raising money is part of the role, for as long as you run the company.

💡 Final Takeaway

Raising capital starts before you ever meet an investor. Chapter 12 reminds us that financial creativity, resourcefulness, and courage are often better indicators of success than a fat pitch deck.

🔁 Coming Next: Chapter 13 – Know Your Numbers

Next up: we go deeper into financial literacy. Because if you don’t know your burn rate, breakeven, and runway — you’re flying blind.

💬 Share This With a Future Founder

Know someone struggling to find funding? Forward this chapter or tag them below — they may just find their next dollar in an unexpected place.

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