Why Silicon Valley VCs giving location advice to founders is complete BS. A technical founder's contrarian take on the "move to SF to maximize luck" myth that's costing bootstrap companies millions.

The cringe-worthy VC advice that sparked this rant:

• Well-known Silicon Valley VC telling founders to "move back to SF"
• Claims "being successful as a founder is about luck, so maximize your chances"
• Treats founders like chess pieces on his board: "You should move here, you should do this"
• Classic example of someone who's never built anything giving expensive advice

Three questions every VC should answer first:

• Have you ever stayed up at 3am debugging code?
• Have you ever chosen between paying yourself and paying your developer?
• Have you ever had customers screaming at you because something broke and you're the only one who can fix it?

Why the "move to SF" advice is outdated and expensive:

• Building SimpleDirect from Toronto, serving contractors across Ohio and Texas
• Customers don't care if you're in San Francisco or Bangkok - they care if the product works
• Single bedroom in SF easily tops $6-8K - impractical stress for bootstrap founders
• Better to start from parents' basement/garage and reinvest capital in business

The 2025 bootstrap reality:

• Cost of bootstrapping has gone essentially to zero thanks to AI
• Building two companies with just 5 people using simple SaaS tools
• AI enables same capabilities whether you're in SF or Wyoming
• Teams in South Asia and Africa use identical tools to SF teams

The venture capital math problem:

• VC funding up 60-70% year over year, but mostly going to AI startups
• If your company name doesn't end with "AI," you're likely not getting funded
• VCs optimize for their outcomes (1-2% annual management fees), not yours
• You're a chess piece in their portfolio, not the player

Personal experience with VC vs founder networks:

• Made mistake of following prominent VCs on Twitter early on
• Real network effects come from knowing actual founders, not attending SF parties
• Morning Slack conversation with founder friend more motivating than any VC meeting
• Technical founders are probably coding at home, not at networking events

The AI bubble reality check:

• Sam Altman himself admits we're in an AI bubble
• When it pops (like dot-com bubble), where will SF-dependent founders be?
• Companies like Amazon survived bubbles by building real value, not chasing hype
• Opportunity exists for builders who think contrarily while others chase trends

The sovereign business model:

• Complete abandonment of venture capital approach
• Building companies like sovereign wealth engine - compound equity forever
• Optimize for decades, not quarters (Berkshire Hathaway model for tech)
• Focus on profitable, sustainable growth without investor permission

Key mindset shifts:

• Stop taking advice from people who've never done what you're trying to do
• VCs have never built bootstrap businesses or chosen growth vs survival
• Your luck comes from solving real problems, not being in same zip code as investors
• Future belongs to founders building global businesses from anywhere

Red flags you're following the wrong advice: Taking location guidance from VCs, believing geographic proximity equals business success, prioritizing investor convenience over customer needs, choosing expensive markets for "network effects."

Bottom line: While everyone fights over expensive SF apartments and chases AI hype rounds, massive opportunity exists for independent builders. Stop seeking permission from Sand Hill Road. Build something real that customers want from wherever you're most comfortable and productive.

New episodes Monday/Wednesday/Friday at 9am EST. Real founder lessons, not startup theater.

Daily thoughts: @TheGeorgePu on Twitter/X

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Email: george@founderreality.com