Pulling Back the Curtain: Bootstrapping a Business Without Investors

This feature pulls back the curtain on how Mari chose to fund her business, without venture capital, loans, or outside investors. Instead of treating fundraising as a requirement, she leaned into bootstrapping a business without investors and built With Mari around margin, intention, and stability.

She shares how focusing on high-margin services, keeping expenses lean, and trading expertise for key services allowed her to grow on her own terms. Early revenue wasn’t about a big salary; it was about building several months of operating expenses as a safety net so decisions could be made from confidence rather than fear.

“I decided early on that I didn’t want to rely on debt or outside investors to grow my business.”

The article also dives into the emotional side of money in entrepreneurship. Operating from a scarcity mindset can lead to rushed decisions, chronic underpricing, and overwork. By treating financial planning as part of strategy -not an afterthought- Mari shows how founders can create more grounded leadership, clearer choices, and a business that feels less fragile.

Bootstrapping a business without investors isn’t always the fastest path, but it can be a deeply empowering one. It asks you to know your numbers, be intentional with every expense, and design an offer suite that actually supports the business you want to build.

📖 Want the full breakdown of her funding story? Read the full article ›