> Also consider, for example, how Elon is bootstrapping electric cars and private rockets.
That's a great example. And I agree with you in part. Look how far Elon and Co have come in under 15 years with both Tesla and SpaceX. Bootstrapped? Indeed. But they also had to prime the pump with demand (SpaceX with gov contracts, Tesla with wealthy purchasers)
Yes, they had to find customers. That's how business works. You sound as if they cheated.
You find someone willing to pay for your product. The "build it and they will come" doesn't usually work out so well. Finding governments or wealthy people to pay for your products counts when building a business. Elon didn't invent this tactic.
That's a great example. And I agree with you in part. Look how far Elon and Co have come in under 15 years with both Tesla and SpaceX. Bootstrapped? Indeed. But they also had to prime the pump with demand (SpaceX with gov contracts, Tesla with wealthy purchasers)