The Bootstrap Journey – “Why we said NO to investors (and you should too)”
Hey [First Name],
Seven years ago, we were one of the first microgreens companies in our country.
Within months of getting some positive press coverage, something interesting happened: Suddenly, microgreens startups were popping up everywhere. Big investors were throwing money at anyone with a microgreens business plan, lured by visions of big profits because of “7-14 day harvest cycles” and “premium pricing.”
These new competitors opened in large facilities without knowing how to grow microgreens. They invested heavily in automation systems. A large company from a neighbouring country wanted to move in an dominate the market.
We felt like David watching an army of Goliaths march into our backyard.
Fast forward just one year: Every single one of those well-funded competitors had closed their doors.
Every. Single. One.
Meanwhile, our “boring” little operation kept growing steadily. What happened?
They fell for the get-rich-quick fantasy.
The Million-Dollar Lesson We Learned Watching Competitors Fail
Here’s what those investors and their startups didn’t understand: They didn’t the basics of growing high quality greens. The fancy automation systems didn’t live up to the sales promises. Premium customers didn’t materialize overnight. They did not make the profits they thought would be a cake walk and bankruptcy quickly followed.
While our competitors were wooing investors, we were doing something boring: growing only as fast as our confirmed sales could support.
Why We Survived When Million-Dollar Startups Failed
Every investor-backed competitor we watched fail made the same mistakes:
- They spent thousands – and some spent millions on facilities- before proving they could grow microgreens and assumed that if they grew them, people would flock (but they didn’t).
- They trusted automation systems that looked impressive in demos but failed in daily operations
- They counted on profits that never materialized to pay back investors
- They prioritized growth metrics over sustainable business fundamentals
The pressure from investors to show quick returns turned the 7-14 day harvest cycle from an advantage into a death spiral. When sales didn’t meet projections, they couldn’t pivot fast enough to survive.
We took a different approach.
The Equipment Reality Check
We probably tested thousands of dollars worth of equipment over the years (thankfully returning most of it). Here’s the brutal truth: 90% of the “revolutionary” growing equipment doesn’t live up to the hype.
The vendors selling this stuff have never run a microgreens business. They didn’t understand that human monitoring was more efficient than automated systems. They didn’t know how to find customers willing to buy premium microgreens like we did.
Why Staying Investor-Free Saved Our Business
Watching our funded competitors fail taught us that investor money often becomes investor pressure. They wanted hockey stick growth in an industry where sustainable growth is the only path to long-term success.
When you bootstrap:
- You maintain quality standards (no pressure to cut corners)
- You can test thoroughly before implementing
- You keep 100% ownership and control
- You build real relationships with your team and community
The One Skill That Actually Matters
Growing microgreens? You can master that in 3-6 months with some trial and error, especially with expert mentoring.
Sales? That’s where 90% of microgreens businesses fail.
We spent our first two years learning how to grow perfect microgreens in our living room and then in a small facility. We leveraged what we knew from running a Grow Shop before starting a microgreens business. We did solid market research.
By the time we moved to our first facility, we had a waiting list.
Tomorrow, I’m going to share the exact business and sales system we developed – the one that took us from bedroom a -micro-business to million-dollar venture. It’s not what you think, and it doesn’t require any fancy marketing or complicated computer systems, custom apps or automation.
The Bottom Line
Building a sustainable microgreens business isn’t sexy. It’s not about having the fanciest equipment or raising venture capital or moving fast and breaking things.
It’s about serving customers consistently, growing at a sustainable pace, and building something that lasts.
The equipment vendors won’t tell you this, and the “entrepreneurship gurus” definitely won’t, but slow and steady doesn’t just win the race – it builds generational wealth.
Talk tomorrow with more details about our ‘proven to work’ systems. And we know they work since we have now helped 6 vertical farms in 4 other countries start up and scale up successfully. You can read some of their compelling stories in an upcoming email.
[Founder Name]
P.S. If you’re thinking about starting a microgreens business, do it! You can be successful and build a sustainable business within months that you can rely on for years to come.