“You don’t learn, then start. You start, then learn.”
Many startups these days rely on VC. And why shouldn’t they?
They get money to grow their business, they get connections to people they wouldn’t get otherwise and they improve their chances of winning the race.
But, there are no free meals.
A VC-backed startup means growth at all costs, tons of stress for founders and employees, and someone else controlling the future of the company.
In “The Minimalist Entrepreneur”, Sahil Lavinia shares an alternative approach. Having the unique experience of being VC-backed (and failing), he’ll convince you why going for minimalism is better for YOU.
For those of you who are in a rush, here are the key takeaways:
Key Takeaways:
Community First - Engage deeply, contribute meaningfully.
Lean Product Development - Focus on MVPs and essential feedback.
Marketing Smartly - Utilize content and community, not costly ads.
The VC Caution - Venture capital is fast but risky—control and sustainable growth often pay the price.
Balancing Growth with Well-being - Prioritize sustainable growth and personal well-being for lasting success.
The Foundations of Minimalist Entrepreneurship
Starting a business in today’s world does not require any substantial financial backing or complicated infrastructure.
Heck, you can start a small business with close to $0.
By focusing on what is essential in your business and using the resources you already have, you can create a sustainable business that aligns with your values and lifestyle.
Depending on your business or company that you work in, you can also test new ideas without a large investment of money and time.
Rejecting Venture Capital
Venture capital can be a risky choice, particularly in the tech industry where such funding often pushes for rapid scaling at the expense of sustainable growth.
"Venture capital is like jet fuel. It can propel you at breakneck speeds but can also burn you out just as quickly"
Although venture capital allows you to build up your project 100x faster, it comes with heavy costs.
Slow and sustainable growth? Forget it.
You lose the control you had over the company
It sets you in a position where you have to spend money you wouldn’t otherwise.
Start with community
“It's the community that leads you to the problem which leads you to the product which leads you to your business. Once you find a community you fit start contributing with the intention of becoming a pillar in that community.”
It’s not about joining or building a community to exploit it.
Instead do it to contribute, create, and teach your community. You’re teaching as you’re learning along the way.
Then, once you know your community well and they know you, you can start solving their problems.
How? By finding a big enough niche. It has to be niche so that it’s viable to build by you or a small team in a reasonable time but also big enough to be financially sustainable.
Identifying a Niche in Your Community
“Fit is Two-Way. If it's not working out for you it's probably not working out for them.”
For tech entrepreneurs, finding a niche may involve identifying underserved or completely new areas within a sector.
That means understanding the needs and problems of people around you and your community and thinking of tech-driven, low-cost solutions.
Once you have an idea of a problem to solve, validate it by discussing it with potential users. This step is crucial to ensure that there's a genuine demand for your solution and that you’re not just solving a problem that’s interesting to you personally but insignificant to others.
Developing a Lean Product Development Strategy
“Feedback is the breakfast of champions, and for the minimalist entrepreneur, it’s also lunch and dinner”
In tech, product development is all about lean processes. This means building a minimum viable product (MVP) that meets customer needs with the least amount of features necessary and reducing the costs and time to market.
I have elaborated more on the lean processes on You should ship out more buggy products
Effective Marketing Strategies for Small Budgets
"Marketing is about connecting with people, not just selling to them"
Some of the best marketing ideas require a $0 budget!
For example:
Content marketing - writing tech blogs or newsletters
Social media engagement
Community building
All of those can spread the word about your product, and only require your time.
To get some inspiration, take a look at what
Increases the knowledge people have about PostHog
Makes people more connected to the product
Keeps PostHog in people’s conscious
If you’re really into the topic, check out
to get some additional inspiration!Balancing Growth with Personal Well-being
One of the unique aspects of minimalist entrepreneurship, especially for the fast-paced tech industry, is the focus on personal well-being and freedom of time.
And it’s not only about the sustainability of the business. It’s for the health and happiness of its founders and team members.
As a minimalist entrepreneur, the way to achieve it is through steady, manageable growth rather than explosive expansion. This approach lets entrepreneurs and team members maintain control over their work-life balance.
Making a Positive Impact on Society
Tech businesses have the power to make significant positive impacts, whether through developing green technologies, enhancing accessibility with software, or simply promoting digital education.
Minimalist entrepreneurship often means creating businesses that positively impact the community.
Comparisons with Other Entrepreneurial Models
Minimalist vs. Lean Startup Approach
While both models emphasize low initial investment and flexibility, the minimalist approach takes personal lifestyle and sustainability more seriously compared to the lean startup methodology, which focuses more on rapid scaling.
Minimalist vs. $100 Startup
Both models root for starting small.
The difference is that the minimalist entrepreneur focuses more on community integration and personal fulfillment.
Final words
"The Minimalist Entrepreneur" gives a fresh view in an environment that’s dominated by the fast-paced. It's a way of getting people to buy into community engagement, lean product development, and sustainable growth.
And it’s not just making money, but building businesses that align with your values.
It's about staying in control of your business trajectory and putting equal importance on well-being and financial success—an alternative to the traditional paths of rapid scaling and venture capital dependency.