Bootstrapping in business refers to the process of starting and growing a company using only existing resources, such as personal savings, personal computing equipment, and garage space, without external help or capital. This approach is in contrast to bringing on investors to provide capital or taking on debt to fund a business expansion. Bootstrapping allows entrepreneurs to maintain complete control of the company, without outside influences from investors, and to develop processes that produce immediate, lasting cash flow, bypassing the risk of a poor business model. However, bootstrapping can also increase financial strain and limit how much a company is able to reinvest back into the company as opposed to return to the owner. Bootstrapping can be done in different aspects of a company, such as keeping overhead low and avoiding paying too much for anything, or paying sooner than is necessary. Some proven methods that can help an entrepreneur in the early stages of a bootstrapped startup include knowing where to cut costs, focusing on developing a minimum viable product, and keeping things organized.