We received a tweet today from someone who was inquiring as to why founders must be running funded companies. It’s a great question, a very valid one.

The very essence of the quandary, as it’s being used here at TFQ is the very dilemma of being a founder running a funded company – that’s sort of the essence behind this community.

I ran an organically grown company. Started it alone, in a spare bedroom, with nothing more than an IBM desktop and some very little spare dollars. I grew that business well enough to have its own office in downtown Boston, with about a dozen employees and dozens of contractors nationwide. This company had clients of very large stature in New York, Los Angeles, Boston, even the UK. This company never raised money and had a completely different set of challenges. These challenges were no greater nor lesser than the ones funded company founders face – they’re just different.

This is the most critical requirement of being a part of The Founder’s Quandary. But founders of non-funded companies need a place to go too so it’s probably worth reconsidering – perhaps we can find a way to reach both kinds of founders? Ideas are welcome, please!