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𝗜𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗶𝗴𝗴𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗵𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆… 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗿𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗱𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗩𝗖𝘀. That’s Microsoft’s story. They became profitable so early that outside money wasn’t even necessary. The only exception? In 1981, IBM gave them $50K for 50K shares—but that was more like a partnership than fundraising. So by the time Microsoft went public in 1986, Bill Gates and Paul Allen still owned 70% of the company. Try finding a startup today where the founders keep that much ownership. Almost impossible. The lesson? Profit is the best funding round.