Here’s what’s covered on this week’s episode:Phuong Ireland joins us to talk about bootstrapping startups. Bootstrapping means building and growing your business without external funding, relying on personal savings, revenue, or loans. It offers benefits like maintaining full ownership, having control over the company's direction, and focusing on profitability. It also makes you more attractive for future funding. However, bootstrapping comes with risks like limited funds and lack of access to mentorship and connections.Mike Rogers shares his insights on the current state of Series C funding. Series C funding peaked in 2021, but 2022 showed a decline and 2023 is showing signs of following suit. This is due to a flight to quality, with investors being highly selective in their investments and demanding best in class metrics and profitability. On the flip side, many companies meeting these criteria choose not to raise funds in the current market. This confluence of factors has led to a smaller pool of eligible companies and a decrease in Series C funding.Links:Links: The Fundraising RulesFollow us on Twitter: @mpd, @Mikeyjrog, @interplayPodcast Links: Website, YouTube, Twitter, LinkedIn