Let me put it this way: if you are not a startup (i.e., you don't have venture capital and you’re not looking to scale exponentially and have a billion-dollar exit) and yet you call yourself a startup, you are actively helping the startup that will offer your services for free until it kills your sustainable small tech business.
So maybe don’t call yourself a startup.
Startup is a Silicon Valley brand. It does not mean a new, small tech business.
If your capital is calculated in friendship rather than in dollars you'll never be bankrupt.
@aral A guy I knew said of his company "I don't have an exit strategy. I have an exist strategy."
PS. If you’re not a startup what are you? Maybe you’re a stayup.
Small Tech > Big Tech
Stay up > Start up