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10 Self-Funded Entrepreneur Startups Success Stories

Many aspiring entrepreneurs believe that to build a successful company they first need to get funding from some venture capitalist or angel investor. This, “backing” they believe is critical if they want to make a sufficient amount of investment in product research and marketing. While there’s no doubt that most successful startups out there are being funded by venture capitalists, one also needs to understand that some of the biggest startups in business (some of them are turned into giants now) were self-funded when they started. Over time, VCs started pumping money into them when these self-funded companies achieved the ultimate success. Let’s take a look at some of the successful self-funded startups that had humble beginnings when they first started. Self-Funded Companies and Their Success Stories There are many startups that started with very little investment and eventually became giants. Here, we will be discussing some tech companies and then dive into their success stories. GitHub GitHub is a web-based Git repository hosting service founded by Tom Preston-Werner, Chris Wanstrath, and PJ Hyett. This startup basically began as a weekend project by founders to meet the necessity of sharing code. In 2008, Preston-Werner turned down $300,000 bonus and stock options offer from Microsoft in order to go full-time on GitHub. All 3 founders funded the setup themselves to cover the cost of a domain and hosting. Today GitHub has over 3.4 million users with 16.7 million repositories, making it the largest code host in the world. In January 2009, GitHub won a Crunchie (an award bestowed by TechCrunch to celebrate the most compelling startups) for the best-bootstrapped startup. Facebook The biggest social networking platform today Facebook was founded by former Harvard student Mark Zuckerberg while at Harvard. He ran it as one of his hobby projects with some financial help from Eduardo Saverin. Initially, the membership was limited for Harvard students, but later on, Mark expanded it to other colleges in the Boston area. It gradually spread to most of the universities in Canada and the United States. It received its first investment in June 2004 from PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel. Today, Facebook is the world’s largest social network with over 2.5 billion monthly active users. Dell Dell Inc., owned by Michael Dell, is a computer technology company that develops, sells, repairs and supports computers and related products and services. Michael Dell started Dell, initially named as PCs Limited, in 1984 while attending the University of Texas as a student. After receiving capital worth $1000 from his family, Dell dropped out of school to focus full-time on his fledging business. In the very first year, the company grossed more than $73 million. In 1986, Lee Walker, a venture capitalist joined Dell as president and chief operating officer. The company went public in 1988. Today, Dell is one of the largest technological corporations in the world. Apple Inc. Seriously, who doesn’t know Apple Inc.? Headquartered in Cupertino, California, Apple Inc., is one of the most famous multinational corporations that creates personal computers, computer software and consumer electronics. It was founded by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne on April 1, 1976, to develop and sell personal computers. Wayne sold his share of the company to Jobs and Wozniak for $800 in 1977. The company received initial funding of $250,000 from Mike Markkula, a multimillionaire investor. In the first 5 years, the company saw an average growth rate of 700% with revenues getting doubled every four months. Apple is the first U.S. company that is valued at over $700 billion. Cisco Cisco Systems, Inc., is a multinational corporation headquartered in San Jose, California that specializes in products for networking and the Internet. The name “Cisco” was derived from the city name, San Francisco. Cisco was formed by the married couple, Len Bosack and Sandy Lerner, who worked as computer operations staff at Stanford University. The early days were difficult for the duo. In 1988, Donald Valentine, a venture capitalist agreed to capitalize on Cisco. On February 16, 1990, Cisco Systems went public with a market capitalization of $224 million. In 2019, the company reported revenues of $51.9 billion. Microsoft Microsoft was founded on April 4, 1975, by Bill Gates and Paul Allen in Albuquerque. Allen suggested the name ‘Micro-Soft’, a portmanteau of words microcomputer and software. Bill Gates, a then Harvard student took a leave of absence to fully focus on the project. He never went back to Harvard. In 1980, Microsoft formed a partnership with IBM to include Microsoft operating system with IBM computers. For every sale made, IBM paid a royalty to Microsoft. The company’s best-selling products are Microsoft Windows operating system, Microsoft Office suite, Xbox and Bing. According to reports, as of 2019, Microsoft reported global annual revenue of around $34 billion. TechCrunch TechCrunch is a leading technology website that offers news, videos, and events about the latest happenings in the IT world, technology, startups, and entrepreneurship. It was founded in 2005 by a successful serial entrepreneur, Mike Arrington along with Keith Teare. In 2010, TechCrunch was sold to AOL. The transaction was rumored to be between $25m and $40m. At that time, Arrington personally owned 85% of the company. TechCrunch and its network of websites have around 12 million unique visitors and draw more than 37 million page views per month. eBay eBay, originally called AuctionWeb was founded by a French-born Iranian American computer programmer Pierre Omidyar in his living room in September 1995. It was meant to be a marketplace for the sale of goods and services for individuals. One of the very first items sold on it was a broken laser printer for $14.83. eBay was simply a side hobby for Omidyar until he was asked to upgrade his account by his ISP due to the high volume of traffic it received. In 1997, the company received $6.7 million in funding from the venture capital firm Benchmark Capital. The company went public in 1998. Currently, the company is projecting revenues of around $16.05 >>Read more
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The Power of Radio Propaganda in Rwanda: Examining its Impact

Radio propaganda played a crucial role in the tragic events that took place in Rwanda in the 1990s. During this time, extremist radio stations broadcasted hateful messages that fueled ethnic tensions and ultimately led to the Rwandan Genocide. This article will examine the effect of radio propaganda in Rwanda and its impact on the country’s history. Radio was the primary source of information for the majority of Rwandans, especially in rural areas where access to other forms of media was limited. Radio-Télévision Libre des Mille Collines (RTLM) was a radio station in Rwanda that played a significant role in the Rwandan Genocide of 1994. The government-controlled radio station, Radio Rwanda, and extremist extremist radio stations like RTLM, used this medium to spread their messages to a large audience. RTLM, in particular, played a key role in the genocide by promoting hate speech against the Tutsi ethnic group and encouraging violence against them. This radio station was a key tool used by extremist Hutu factions to spread hate speech against the Tutsi ethnic group, inciting violence and perpetrating genocide. The messages broadcasted on RTLM had a profound impact on the population and contributed to the mobilization of large numbers of people to participate in the violence. The Tutsi and Hutu are two ethnic groups in Rwanda and neighboring countries in East Africa. Historically, the Tutsi and Hutu were differentiated by economic and political power rather than by any distinct cultural or physical differences. The Tutsi were traditionally seen as the elite class and held political and economic power, while the Hutu were seen as the lower class. The messages broadcasted on RTLM and other extremist radio stations had a profound impact on the population. They incited fear and hatred among the masses, leading to the perpetration of horrific crimes against the Tutsi people. The radio propaganda was so effective that it was able to mobilize large numbers of people to participate in the genocide. This is a stark reminder of the power of media in shaping public opinion and driving societal change. In conclusion, the effect of radio propaganda in Rwanda cannot be overstated. The use of this medium to spread hateful messages fueled ethnic tensions and ultimately led to the Rwandan Genocide. This tragedy serves as a cautionary tale about the potential dangers of media manipulation and the importance of responsible journalism. It is crucial that media outlets use their power to promote peace, unity, and understanding, rather than spreading hate and division. *** The Rwandan Genocide ended in July 1994 with the military victory of the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), a Tutsi-led rebel group, over the Hutu-dominated government forces. The RPF established a new government, which has since worked to promote reconciliation between the Tutsi and Hutu communities. However, the aftermath of the genocide was marked by large-scale violence and displacement, as hundreds of thousands of Hutu fled to neighboring countries, fearing retaliation from the Tutsi-led government. Many of these refugees lived in camps for years, and some were involved in cross-border attacks against Rwanda. In the years since the genocide, Rwanda has made significant progress in its recovery and development. The government has implemented a number of programs aimed at promoting reconciliation and healing, including traditional justice mechanisms such as Gacaca courts and community-based reconciliation initiatives. Today, Rwanda is widely recognized as a success story of post-conflict recovery and reconciliation. Despite the ongoing challenges it faces, the country has made significant progress in areas such as economic growth, improved health and education outcomes, and reduced poverty levels.
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Luke Shaw admits Manchester United were ‘awful’ in the first half of their victory at AC Milan

We were AWFUL! Luke Shaw slates Man United’s display despite beating AC Milan at the San Siro and hails ‘world class’ Paul Pogba for getting them into the Europa League quarter-finals Paul Pogba scored the only goal as Manchester United beat AC Milan at San Siro The Frenchman scored the goal just three minutes after coming off the bench Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men are through to the last eight of the Europa League Luke Shaw admitted his side got lucky in Milan but praised ‘world class’ Pogba By Kishan Vaghela For Mailonline | Updated: 07:12 GMT, 19 March 2021 Luke Shaw conceded Manchester United were ‘awful’ in the first half against AC Milan but praised ‘world class’ team-mate Paul Pogba for seeing them through to the Europa League last eight. The France midfielder scored the only goal of the game at San Siro just three minutes after coming off the bench to take Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men through with a 2-1 aggregate score. United therefore remain on course to end their four-year wait for a trophy, with the FA Cup another possibility ahead of their quarter-final against Leicester on Sunday. But speaking to BT Sport after the game, left-back Shaw admitted United were ‘lucky’ in the opening exchanges against Stefano Pioli’s men, but praised Pogba for ‘making the difference’. ‘Obviously, we’re very happy we’re through,’ Shaw said. ‘I’ll be honest, and the lads and staff would agree, we weren’t good at all especially first half we were awful. ‘The first 10-15 minutes, we started well, kept control of the ball but it was like a switch – we turned off, kept giving away balls, bringing pressure on ourselves and we were lucky. ‘Second half it always helps to have a world class player like Paul (Pogba) to make a difference and he did that. ‘But we know we need to be better than tonight. Obviously AC Milan are a top side, we knew it would be hard especially coming here. ‘The result was in our favour. It’s a very good win and the positive is that we are through, we have players coming back and the squad looks better. ‘It’s good times now and hopefully we can push on it’s a very important one on the weekend.’ England international Shaw, 25, himself came in for praise before the game, with Owen Hargreaves now believing he has overtaken Liverpool counterpart Andy Robertson as the best left-back in England. Hargreaves told BT Sport: ‘He’s earned the shirt, right now. He’s the best left-back in the country. ‘Last year it was Andy Robertson, now it’s Luke Shaw. If he’s fit and healthy, he’s one of the best he’s proved that. ‘It’s been Luke Shaw and Bruno Fernandes, rotating the player of the months roles. ‘He’s been magnificent. When Bruno Fernandes has had a quiet day, he (Shaw) has stepped up. ‘In the last six weeks he’s been fantastic. Luke on that left hand side has been fantastic in terms of creating more than anyone apart from Bruno Fernandes.’
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Maximizing Revenue from Your YouTube Traffic

YouTube is the world’s largest video-sharing platform with over 2 billion monthly active users. As a content creator, you can monetize your YouTube traffic and turn your passion into a profitable venture. Here are some tips and strategies to help you maximize revenue from your YouTube channel: AdSense monetization: One of the most straightforward ways to monetize your YouTube traffic is through AdSense. AdSense displays ads on your videos, and you earn a percentage of the revenue generated from those ads. To start earning money through AdSense, you need to have at least 1000 subscribers and 4000 hours of watch time on your channel. Sponsored content: Another way to monetize your YouTube traffic is through sponsored content. Brands pay YouTubers to create content that promotes their products or services. This can be an effective way to earn money if you have a large and engaged audience. Affiliate marketing: You can also monetize your YouTube traffic by promoting affiliate products. As an affiliate, you earn a commission for each sale that results from a unique link to the product that you share in your video description. Selling products: If you have a strong brand and a loyal following, you can sell products directly to your audience. This could be physical products, digital products, or courses. YouTube Premium revenue: You can also earn money from YouTube Premium members who watch your videos. YouTube pays content creators a portion of the revenue generated from YouTube Premium subscribers. In conclusion, there are several ways to monetize your YouTube traffic, and the best approach will depend on your audience, niche, and content. By combining these strategies, you can maximize your revenue and turn your YouTube channel into a profitable venture. Remember to always abide by YouTube’s policies and guidelines, and keep creating high-quality content that engages and informs your audience. Is AdSense the Best Option for Monetizing Your YouTube Channel? AdSense is a popular monetization option for YouTube content creators, but is it the best option for everyone? Here’s a comprehensive look at the pros and cons of using AdSense for monetizing your YouTube channel: Pros of AdSense Monetizing Easy to set up: AdSense is easy to set up, and you can start earning money from your videos almost immediately. No upfront costs: With AdSense, there are no upfront costs, and you only pay a commission on the revenue you generate. Wide reach: AdSense has a wide reach, so you can potentially earn money from viewers all over the world. Cons of AdSense Monetizing Low payout: AdSense pays a low percentage of the ad revenue, so you may not earn a significant amount of money from each video. Competition: Competition for ad views can be fierce, which means you may not earn much revenue even if your videos are popular. Policy restrictions: AdSense has strict policies. If you violate them, your account can be terminated, and you’ll lose your earnings. Overall, AdSense is a good option for monetizing your YouTube channel, but it may not be the best option for everyone. It’s important to consider your audience, niche, and content when choosing the best monetization option for your channel. Other alternatives, such as sponsored content, affiliate marketing, and selling products, may provide higher payouts and greater flexibility. Ultimately, the best option for monetizing your YouTube channel will depend on your specific circumstances and goals. How Much Can You Earn as a YouTube Vlogger? Vlogging, or video blogging, is one of the most popular genres on YouTube, and it can also be a lucrative career for content creators. But, how much can you actually earn as a YouTube vlogger? The answer is not straightforward, as it depends on a variety of factors, including your audience size, engagement rate, and monetization strategies. AdSense revenue: If you monetize your YouTube channel through AdSense, the amount you earn will depend on the number of views your videos receive and the cost per click (CPC) of the ads displayed on your videos. The average CPC for YouTube ads is around $0.10, and vloggers can earn anywhere from $0.5 to $5 per 1000 views. So, if you have a large and engaged audience, you could potentially earn a significant amount of money from AdSense revenue. Sponsored content: If you have a large and engaged audience, you can also earn money from sponsored content. Brands pay vloggers to create content that promotes their products or services. The amount you earn from sponsored content will depend on the brand, your audience size, and the specific terms of the sponsorship. Affiliate marketing: Another way to monetize your YouTube vlogs is through affiliate marketing. You can earn a commission for each sale that results from a unique link to the product that you share in your video description. The amount you earn from affiliate marketing will depend on the product, the commission rate, and the number of sales you generate. Selling products: If you have a strong brand and a loyal following, you can sell products directly to your YouTube audience. This could be physical products, digital products, courses, etc. The amount you earn from selling products will depend on the product, your audience size, and your marketing strategies. In conclusion, the amount you can earn as a YouTube vlogger will depend on several factors, including your audience size, engagement rate, and monetization strategies. Some vloggers earn just a few dollars per month, while others earn tens of thousands or even millions of dollars. By combining different monetization strategies and continually growing your audience, you can maximize your earning potential as a YouTube vlogger.
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SpaceX on pace to shatter US launch records. Again

SpaceX has been on a tear in 2022, notching 18 rocket launches and two astronaut splashdowns in just the first 130 days of the year — an unprecedented pace for the company and the commercial launch industry. The latest is scheduled for Friday evening with the launch of 53 of SpaceX’s Starlink internet satellites out of California’s Vandenberg Space Force Base. It will be the twelfth Starlink launch so far this year, and it could be followed over the weekend with another mission set to take off out of Florida. It’s been a dizzying year of activity so far, further cementing SpaceX’s dominance over the commercial launch industry. Led by SpaceX, the industry is on pace to blow past the annual launch highs of the mid-20th century space race, when most launches were carried out by governments rather than the private sector. 2021 already set a new record with 145 total launches, compared to 129 carried out in 1984, the previous record-setting year, according to data from research firm Quilty Analytics. If SpaceX keeps up its current pace, it could launch more than 52 rockets this year alone, far outpacing its record, set last year, of 31. “Even 10 years ago, launches were rare,” Chris Quilty, the founder of Quilty Analytics, told CNN Business. In 2001, the total number of launches across the globe was only 51, he noted. “So, put that in context of SpaceX alone launching 52 times,” he said. “It’s pretty incredible.” Most of SpaceX’s launches in 2022 have focused on Starlink, its consumer internet business that relies on troves of orbiting satellites, which the company has been growing since it began launching batches of the internet-beaming satellites in mid-2019. The constellation now has more than 2,200 satellites in orbit and, as of March, 250,000 subscribers using the service around the world, a company executive said at a recent conference. While SpaceX stands out from its rocketry competitors, that doesn’t mean the company is or will be uncontested. Two new rockets capable of competing with SpaceX’s Falcons — the workhorse rockets that the company uses to haul satellites and, more recently, astronauts to orbit — are slated to debut in the next year or so. They are New Glenn, which is under development by the Jeff Bezos-backed company Blue Origin, and Vulcan Centaur, a line of rockets from legacy launch company United Launch Alliance, a joint venture between Boeing and Lockheed Martin. The sheer number of satellites that all those vehicles can launch, including the thousands of satellites expected to add to SpaceX’s Starlink constellation and competing satellite internet businesses, have spurred a pressing discussion about congestion in outer space. If satellites collide, they can create dangerous plumes of debris. That’s happened in the past, and close calls are a frequent occurrence. Academics have long been attempting to raise awareness, and caution, around the issue. Others are more optimistic that SpaceX and others are taking those risks seriously enough to avoid catastrophe. “The companies that might create space junk would be immediately and directly affected by that space junk,” CEO of space research group BryceTech Carissa Christensen said, noting that the collision debris would threaten their own satellites — their own investments. With all those rockets active — and a few smaller launch vehicles also scheduled to begin launching from Florida’s Space Coast, which is SpaceX’s primary launch site — SpaceX could also run into bottlenecks at the launch pad. Every launch requires a team of ground support, including military weather personnel, to ensure a safe liftoff. And there are only so many launches they can handle at any given time. “There’s not an endless number of days or launch pads or launch sites where you can get things into orbit,” Quilty noted. Christensen added, however, that the ground support at the Space Coast has proven to be flexible, as evidenced by SpaceX’s ability to return a group of astronauts from the International Space Station off the coast of Florida last Friday and then launch a Starlink mission from a launch pad a few miles away mere hours later. Captain Jonathan Eno, an assistant director of operations with the US Space Force, which is charged with monitoring the weather and other possible interferences ahead of a launch, said that ground support crews in Florida have worked for years to prepare for the dramatic increase in the number of launches from the spaceport. The year he was assigned his role, 2019, the Space Coast — which includes NASA’s Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral — only supported 18 launches. This year, it’s on track to support more than 60, notably including the first launch of NASA’s new moon rocket, called the Space Launch System. His team is now prepared to support multiple launches within the same day, even within minutes of each other. “SpaceX makes the news a lot. They are the ones launching the preponderance of launch vehicles right now,” he told CNN Business. “Obviously, we are gearing up for just a different reality.” Read more
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