Curious how a startup can hit the $1 million mark? Gabriel Jarrosson, a seasoned founder who bootstrapped one company to $1M ARR completely solo, now shares his hard-won wisdom from his time as a YC-focused investor. He contrasts the journey of spending an entire season talking to investors just hoping for $1 million, versus spending that same time selling and *earning* $1 million from customers. The result for the bank account is the same, yet the company trajectory is drastically different. One path trades equity for cash and leaves the core business problem unsolved. The other results in a thriving, 100% founder-owned business with proven market validation. This is a crucial perspective on what truly sustains a breakout startup.
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