Why Entrepreneurs Don’t Need Venture Capital to Scale

With all the hype in the startup world around unicorns and
hypergrowth, entrepreneurs feel enormous pressure to raise massive
amounts of cash from venture capitalists. But now, as interest
rates have risen, a lot of that funding has dried up. And a growing
number of founders are seeking ways to scale without burning
through cash to acquire users. Mike Salguero is the CEO and founder
of the meat subscription service ButcherBox. After a negative
experience with venture capital at his prior company, Salguero
pledged to grow his new startup without it. That meant a "Box One
Profitable" strategy built on the creative leverage of influencers,
laser focus on costs, and making tough decisions during the
pandemic. Salguero shares how he grew a $600 million company in
seven years without outside money.