Starting a business with minimal investment is highly emphasized in "The Minimalist Entrepreneur". Here are key strategies outlined in the book for doing so:

1. Profitability as Leverage: Aim for profitability early on to have leverage if you decide to raise money later. Being profitable allows you to keep your vision aligned, maintain control, and keep dilution low.

2. Regulation Crowdfunding: Utilize Regulation Crowdfunding to raise money from your customers and community. This not only preserves ownership but empowers your customers who understand the value of your offering.

3. Build Profitable Confidence: Focus on achieving profitability, which is described as a superpower. Profitability allows you to grow mindfully, make decisions at your own pace, and pursue long-term sustainability over rapid scale.

4. Strategic Hiring and Slow Growth: Hire slowly and only when it's necessary. Avoid making irreversible decisions that can lead to financial strain. This also encourages thoughtful product development and customer relationship building.

5. Maintain Energy and Sanity: Balance your ambition with your personal energy and sanity. Overworking doesn't necessarily correlate with faster growth. Build a business that allows you to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

6. Transparency and Openness: Share your company's processes, financials, and struggles openly. This attracts people who align with your values and vision and can contribute positively to your growth.

7. Focus on Culture: Create a strong company culture based on clear values. This helps attract the right people who will contribute to your company's growth and share in its vision.

8. Avoid Unnecessary Complexity: Streamline your business operations to avoid unnecessary complexity, which often leads to increased costs and reduced efficiency.

By integrating these principles into the foundation of your business, you can minimize initial investment and grow organically, reducing the need for significant external funding.