Burn Rate Operations Revenue Seed Money 
Both Sides of the Table
JUNE 17, 2017
70–80% of the costs of most startups are employee costs so what you’re really talking about when a company is unprofitable is that they are growing their staff ahead of their revenue. They don’t want high burn rates but they will never fund slow growth. The Nature of Revenue Matters Of course revenue alone won’t tell you enough.
www.paulgraham.com
APRIL 28, 2010
It wasnt because they werent accredited investors that I didntask my parents for seed money, though. When we were starting Viaweb,I didnt know about the concept of an accredited investor, anddidnt stop to think about the value of investors connections.The reason I didnt take money from my parents was that I didntwant them to lose it.
Expert insights. Personalized for you.
227 
Let's personalize your content