Entrepreneur Plus - Short White
For Subscribers

Two Founders Share Real-World Bootstrapping Secrets Learn from people who've been there and made it work.

Chris DeLorenzo
Erin Rothman (left) and Anya Stettler, based in Seattle.

Storm-water runoff is the leading cause of water contamination in urban areas, but tracking it has been a clunky, pen-and-paper process. Erin Rothman and Anya Stettler built a better way: Their platform tracks water quality in real time with waterproof hardware and cloud-based software. "We want to help cities spot and fix problems before they get out of hand," Rothman says. Prior to getting funding from the 9Mile Labs accelerator in Seattle, the duo designed and built the Stormsensor prototype for $2,000. Here, their secrets to seriously bootstrapping a business.

Embrace the cold call. Rothman has an environmental background; Stettler's is software. They knew they needed electrical expertise, so "I googled "electrical engineer University of Washington water,'" Rothman says with a laugh. "I asked one of the professors for 30 minutes, and we wound up talking for three hours."

Continue reading this article — and all of our other premium content with Entrepreneur+

Join the internet’s leading entrepreneur community! With your subscription you’ll get:

  • Access to all of our premium content and an ad-free experience
  • A complimentary subscription to Entrepreneur Magazine
  • Four free e-books a year and 20% off everything from our bookstore
  • Exclusive events with business celebrities and successful entrepreneurs

Editor's Pick

A Father Decided to Change When He Was in Prison on His Son's Birthday. Now His Nonprofit Helps Formerly Incarcerated Applicants Land 6-Figure Jobs.
Lock
A Teen Turned His Roblox Side Hustle Into a Multimillion-Dollar Company — Now He's Working With Karlie Kloss and Elton John
Lock
3 Mundane Tasks You Should Automate to Save Your Brain for the Big Stuff
Lock
The Next Time Someone Intimidates You, Here's What You Should Do
5 Ways to Manage Your Mental Health and Regulate Your Nervous System for Sustainable Success

Related Topics

Business News

'I Am Just Floored': Woman Discovers She Won $1 Million Lottery Prize While Checking Her Email at Work

Initially, she thought the email was a scam, but went to lottery headquarters and walked away with a six-figure check after taxes.

Business News

South Park Creators Spent 'Infinity Dollars' Renovating Iconic Colorado Restaurant, Set to Reopen Soon

Casa Bonita, a long-time favorite of South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, went bankrupt during the pandemic. The duo purchased and painstakingly renovated the Mexican spot "like a piece of art," Stone said.

Leadership

How Leveraging External Trainers Can Advance Your Companies Growth and Talent Optimization

Discover how your organization can use external trainers to build capabilities, lower training cost and create a sustainable workforce for the future, while still delivering high-quality training and lasting results.

Marketing

5 Simple Tweaks for Better Email Deliverability

Email success starts in the inbox. Learn five easy ways to tweak your strategy so you can achieve better email deliverability.

Business News

'I've Got the Bug for Business': See All of Mark Wahlberg's Entrepreneurial Endeavors, From Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch to Wahlburgers

Mark Wahlberg owns businesses in several categories, including entertainment production, apparel, fitness, and nutrition.