Should I bootstrap or raise funding?

Bootstrap if: you can build the product yourself or cheaply, the market doesn't require fast capture, and you value control and optionality. Raise if: the opportunity is time-sensitive, the market is winner-take-all, you need significant capital before revenue (hardware, marketplaces), or you want to pursue massive scale. Most businesses can and should bootstrap. Funding isn't validation—it's a tool with tradeoffs.