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Minimal Resources for Marketing? How to Bootstrap Your Business to Get Customers

Marketing without an advertising budget is true bootstrapping

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A commonly accepted meaning for “bootstrapping your business” involves building a business from scratch without investors or with minimal external capital. But opening your business without external investment only scratches the surface. 

For example, bootstrapping also encompasses all that it takes to get the word out about your business. Marketing without an advertising budget is true bootstrapping. 

Early Marketing Challenges and Opportunities

Today we have the luxury of social media, and it certainly can have a huge impact when marketing a new business venture. However, if you’re in a service industry such as mine, it often won’t reach your target market. And honestly, in 2003 when I started my company, there were no platforms on which to advertise. MySpace was just starting up and it definitely wasn’t used to gain customers. 

When I started my interpreting business, I was approach by a local Lions Club to speak at a meeting. They had a proposal to fund a tty (teletype machine for deaf and hard-of-hearing people to communicate between themselves and hearing people). 

Bootstrapping Through Community Connections

This tty would be placed in the hands of a local family whose deaf child was going to a school for deaf quite a distance away. It would allow the child to communicate with the family during the week. Again, think 2003 — before smart phones and iChat. 

So off I went into a dark, backroom of a local Holiday Inn in our small town and spoke to a group of men over a meatloaf and potatoes dinner. My topics were interpreting, the Deaf community and the ADA (Americans with Disability Act). 

I loved talking about my business and was a very enthusiastic and excited entrepreneur. I would have talked to a Kindergarten class to be honest. I loved (love) talking business, and particularly my industry. 

What I didn’t expect was that the first speaking engagement as the owner of my newly birthed business would lead to exposure you just can’t buy. 

One businessman there told another organization who needed a guest speaker and then the word got out that I was on the speaking circuit. I spoke at social clubs, fire departments, police departments, and churches. 

Eventually I was speaking at schools and medical facilities — my target markets. And all those luncheons and dinners started to pay off. This method of bootstrapping the business was helping it to grow. 

Expanding Your Horizons Beyond the Target Market

To truly bootstrap your business when it comes to marketing, go back to your target market and then expand your horizons. Who are the people on the peripheral of your market? Find them and work your way into the circle. 

Always be willing to talk about your business, especially in the beginning. Publicity begets publicity.

Another opportunity can be writing about your business. There came a time early on when I was approached by another entrepreneur and asked if I’d co-write a column for the local paper called “Ask the Entrepreneur.” 

Each week people would submit questions and we would answer them from our differing viewpoints. You can be assured that the name of my business was in each and every answer! 

The column lent me credibility and was another key piece of promoting my business through bootstrapping. Sure, it took time out of my week, precious time. 

But again, I was bootstrapping with a big fat zero in my marketing budget. (Today, I’d translate this tip to writing on your social media platforms, for blogs, and in articles for your online industry publications.) 

Translating Traditional Marketing Into Modern-Day Tactics

Essentially, be creative. Think about who is your true market then zero in on who is the actual person calling for your service or product? 

For us, a big market we went after was the medical field. We knew there was a huge need for interpreters and that we just needed to get our name into the hands of right person. I came up with an unconventional idea that directly targeted the person in the hospital that would need the interpreters — the receptionists at the front desk of the hospital and in the emergency room. 

That was where someone might present that didn’t speak English or was Deaf and needed an interpreter. 

Every night for a week I sat cross legged on my living room floor putting together manilla envelopes with our brochure, business cards, and a laminated card that read: “If you are in need of an interpreter, please call Empire Interpreting Service 24/7,” and included our phone number. 

I also put double-sided tape on the laminated card, so that the front-line person could peel it off and stick it close to them for reference. 

Then I paid my son to put on his one and only suit and drive in his beater car to every hospital within a two-hour radius. He was told to walk in to the front desk, leave the envelope, and say only “I was asked to specifically leave this with you,” then walk out. 

Soon the phones started ringing. The word was out and was spreading, and so was our customer base. And the marketing budget was still zero. 

Find ways to get your name out there — even unconventional ways. Ways your competition hasn’t thought of or isn’t doing. Bootstrap your business.

Theresa Slater is the President of Empire Interpreting Service, which she founded in 2003. She built her company into a respected, award-winning organization with more than 300 interpreters and an array of customer-centric services. A speaker, author and advisor to new entrepreneurs, Slater’s love for business drives her on her path. Slater’s new book, The Language of Success: An Interpreter’s Entrepreneurial Journey (Business Expert Press, Aug. 30, 2024), is both autobiography and a how-to (or how not-to) guide for entrepreneurs. Learn more at www.empireinterpreting.com.

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Did You Know

How to Turn a Simple Link-in-Bio Into a Powerful Brand Hub

Transform your forgotten bio link into a high-impact gateway that fuels engagement, clicks, and conversions across every social platform.

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Social media is one of the greatest marketing tools in 2025. According to a recent study, some 86% of marketers globally use platforms like Facebook and Instagram for advertisements, while 94% use it for content distribution.  (more…)

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Personal Development

These 11 Habits Will Make You More Productive, Successful, and Confident

Boost your focus, confidence, and results with 11 powerful habits successful people use every day.

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Successful people love to help beginners. They have an incredible work ethic and rarely complain. As a result, others naturally look up to them and want to follow in their footsteps.

But here’s the truth: there’s no success without sacrifice. You’ll need to give up comfort, excuses, and sometimes even social approval to accomplish your goals.

Value comes from solving problems, and these 11 powerful tips will help you become more productive, successful, and confident, starting today.

1. Take Short Breaks After Finishing a Task

Psychology shows it’s important to reward positive behaviour.

After completing a big task or finishing a book, take five minutes to walk, stretch, or simply breathe. This quick reset helps your brain recharge and strengthens focus.

Many great writers swear by morning walks, solitude, and reflection can unlock creativity.

But if you refuse to take breaks, don’t be surprised when burnout hits. Your brain needs recovery time just as much as your body does.

2. Schedule Your Most Important Tasks First

Multitasking kills productivity. If you want to get more done, try time blocking, a method where you dedicate set periods for specific tasks.

Productivity expert Caitlin Hughes explains, “Time blocking involves scheduling blocks of time for your tasks throughout the day.”

For example, if you’re a writer:

  • Research your topic at night.

  • Write your first draft in the morning (don’t worry if it’s rough).

  • Edit in the afternoon, great writing comes from rewriting.

You can’t buy more time. Use it intentionally and without regret.

3. Eliminate Distractions from Your Workspace

Focus is the foundation of success.

According to Inc. Magazine, it takes an average of 23 minutes to recover from a distraction. That’s nearly half an hour of lost productivity every time you check your phone.

Put your phone away. Close unnecessary tabs. And yes, limit your Netflix binges.

Meeting deadlines consistently is one of the fastest ways to stand out and earn respect.

4. Take Full Responsibility for Your Life

Entrepreneur Derek Sivers once said, “Everything is my fault.”

This mindset doesn’t mean self-blame; it means self-ownership. Stop pointing fingers, making excuses, or waiting for others to change.

If your habits (like smoking or drinking too much) hold you back, it’s time to make better choices. Your friends can’t live your dreams for you; only you can.

5. Invest an Hour a Day in Learning New Skills

Knowledge compounds over time.

Whether you read books, take online courses, or practise a craft, consistent learning gives you a competitive edge.

I used to struggle with academic writing, but I improved by studying the work of great authors and applying what I learned.

Your past doesn’t define you; your actions do. Every new skill adds another tool to your arsenal and makes you more unstoppable.

6. Develop a Growth Mindset

Psychologist Dr. Carol Dweck introduced the concept of fixed vs. growth mindset.

  • A fixed mindset believes success is based on natural talent.

  • A growth mindset believes success comes from effort and learning.

Choose the growth mindset. Embrace challenges. See failures as feedback. In today’s fast-moving digital world, adaptability is your biggest advantage.

7. Learn Marketing to Reach People Who Need You

I once believed marketing was manipulative, until I realised it’s about helping people solve problems.

If your work provides genuine value, marketing is how you let others know it exists. Even Apple spends billions on it.

Don’t be ashamed to promote your skills or business. Without visibility, your ideas will never reach the people who need them most.

Creative professionals who understand marketing and sales have an unfair advantage.

8. Ask Your Mentor the Right Questions

Good mentors can fast-track your growth.

While mentorship often costs money, it’s one of the best investments you can make. Great mentors don’t care about titles; they care about your progress.

If you don’t have access to a mentor yet, books are your silent mentors. Read the best in your field, take notes, and apply what resonates.

9. Build Confidence Through Action, Not Affirmations

Author Ryan Holiday once said, “I don’t believe in myself. I have evidence.”

Confidence doesn’t come from shouting affirmations into the mirror; it comes from proof. Doing hard things, keeping promises to yourself, and following through.

When you consistently take action, your brain gathers evidence that you can handle whatever comes next. That’s real confidence, grounded, earned, and unshakable.

10. Focus on Your Strengths

Your strengths reveal where your greatest impact lies.

If people compliment you on something often, it’s a clue. Lean into it.

A former professor once told me I was creative, and that simple comment gave me the confidence to go all in. I studied creativity, applied it daily, and turned it into my career advantage.

Double down on your strengths. That’s how you build momentum and mastery.

11. Identify and Challenge Your Limiting Beliefs

Your beliefs shape your reality.

For years, I believed I couldn’t be a great writer because of my chronic tinnitus and astigmatism, sensory challenges that made concentration difficult. But over time, I realised those struggles made me more disciplined, observant, and empathetic.

Your limitations can become your greatest motivators if you let them.

Avoid shortcuts. Growth takes time, but it’s always worth it.

Final Thoughts

Becoming productive, successful, and confident isn’t about working harder than everyone else. It’s about working smarter, consistently, and intentionally.

You don’t need to overhaul your life overnight. Start small: take a break after your next task, schedule your priorities, or spend one hour learning something new.

Every habit you change compounds into long-term success. Remember, true change comes from practising new behaviours.

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Success Advice

Why One-Size-Fits-All Leadership Will Always Fail (and What Works Instead)

The surprising truth about leadership styles that can make or break your team’s success.

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Why one-size-fits-all leadership doesn’t work
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Leadership has always been as much about people as it is about performance. Ken Blanchard, in his influential book, “The One Minute Manager”, put it simply: different strokes for different folks. (more…)

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Success Advice

What Every New CEO Must Do in Their First 100 Days (or Risk Failure)

Your first 100 days as CEO could define your entire legacy, here’s how to make every move count

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When Tim Cook took over from Steve Jobs at Apple, the world watched with bated breath. Jobs wasn’t just a CEO; he was a visionary, an icon, and a legend of innovative leadership. (more…)

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