In the San Francisco Bay area, most startup activity gets sucked out to the hyper-connected sprawl that is Silicon Valley. But, not all Bay Area start-uppers are compelled to immediately comply with this social norm.
Doug Heinz has lived in the city of San Francisco for nearly a decade and for the last two years, he has quietly worked from his Russian Hill apartment to build his web startup—PathWrangler.

Bootstrapping a Startup Outside Silicon Valley:

After meeting his cofounder at a base camp on Mt. Everest, Doug set out to build a platform that simplifies adventure travel planning. PathWrangler is still in private beta, which launched just last month, but it’s already helping adventurists put together unique travel experiences through highly targeted software. With PathWrangler, users can schedule trips and itineraries, build activity lists, and create templates to make it easier for travel-enthusiasts to embark on adventures.
This fresh web app has the potential to disrupt the growing adventure travel industry. As the CEO of PathWrangler, you’d think Doug would seep more of the overpowering swagger that seems to be characteristic of some SiliconValley founders.
But that’s not Doug.
Now, don’t get me wrong. Doug doesn’t let his humility get in his way. Instead, he lets his actions do the talking.
Since quitting his well-salaried job, Doug has brought new meaning to the word “hustle” with the launch of his PathWrangler software—a first of its kind. He has sold off personal assets and saved up like other entrepreneurs to fund releases, managed the raise of early capital, designed original product mockups, and has regularly engaged with customers to build feedback into the product.
Even more impressively, he has blown through these entrepreneurial checkpoints while enjoying an inspiring startup life—eating healthily, sleeping well, and experiencing the world.
In one of my recent trips to San Francisco, I was able to convince Doug to share the blood and guts of bootstrapping a startup. We took a break from our respective work to flip on the camera and capture some of his startup news and insight.
Do yourself a favor, and watch this refreshingly candid conversation:

What other tips do you think would be helpful for any entrepreneurs who are bootstrapping a startup?