How to start a brand without any funding
Here's how I did it.
I came up during the DTC boom, when every new brand seemed to follow the same playbook: raise millions, update a tired category (mattresses! razors! sneakers!), build a splashy templated website, invest in glossy Instagram content, and buy name recognition overnight—until Facebook ad fatigue and unsustainable CAC sets in.
As a young woman with no capital and no connections, launching my own brand felt totally out of reach—especially without access to the VC insider networks of Sand Hill Road and NYC.
But in 2022, I found myself in unfamiliar territory. Like most good founder stories, mine starts with being fired. My entire team was laid off from Amazon, and I walked away with a generous severance (can’t say more, NDA!). With that runway, I started freelancing—pulling from my 10+ years in brand and content marketing—and began laying the foundation for what would become lazy jamie.
We launched in Q4 2023 with a single SKU. By Q4 2024, we’d grown 200%—driven entirely by organic content and word of mouth. In our first full year of business, we crossed six figures in revenue without spending a dollar outside of product. We may not be the billion-dollar unicorn you read about in Forbes (yet!) but with an important caveat: we have no paid ads, bloat, or burn.
As the business grew, I was able to stop freelancing in May 2024 and focus on lazy jamie full-time (made easier by the fact that I live with my husband). In 2025, we’re pacing at 60% YoY growth. Still bootstrapped and still profitable. Here’s how I did it—starting with Phase 1.
Phase 1: Build the Audience
It’s always felt backwards to me to launch a brand first and build the audience second. Without an audience, who are you hoping to sell to?
lazy jamie started as content before we had any product. I began posting on TikTok and Instagram around the pillars that would eventually define the brand—interiors, staying in, and home decor. Think about the themes that sit adjacent to your product—what does your customer actually care about? Post about that. (Honestly, keep doing it after you launch, too. No one likes constantly being sold to.) If you’re not sure, use it as a test-and-learn opportunity when the stakes are lowest. You can eventually take these insights and create your brand values around them instead of guessing what will be resonant.
Lately, there’s been discourse around whether or not founders should build in public. With that, I’d like to remind you that organic content is the most effective (and least expensive) tool to get your brand in front of as many eyeballs as possible. Especially if you don’t have any funding, or you’re not going the wholesale route. (And even if you are, retailers care now about the community you’re bringing to them.) It’s your best way to get real attention without any budget.
This doesn’t mean you need to be front and center in your content. Most of my posts don’t even feature me (but do when it makes sense). My audience originally discovered lazy jamie from the red hidden bar, blue tile bathroom, and green kitchen in my house. That’s the point—everything is content if you get creative. Try different formats and see what sticks. That doesn’t necessarily mean trying to become a founder-influencer, or even having a founder account separate from a brand account. Pro tip: turn your contact syncing off if you’re worried about people you know seeing.
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Because my background is in brand and content marketing, starting here was the easiest and most natural first step. I’ve managed social for other brands, and it’s where I feel the most comfortable. It doesn’t have to be the same for you. Start where you feel confident based on your own experience, and use that momentum to build everything else. The most important thing you can do is just start.
This was only Phase 1. If this post resonates, I’ll share the rest of the series on how to start a brand without outside funding:
Phase 2: Convert the Audience (Soft Launch)
Phase 3: Develop a Product (Apply Learnings)
Phase 4: Raise the Stakes (Hard Launch)
Let me know if you want more!
Yes to more!
Love seeing you build your brand and live out your dreams. So inspiring 👏