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What is the Right Burn Rate at a Startup Company?

Both Sides of the Table

I was reading Danielle Morrill’s blog post today on whether one’s “ Startup Burn Rate is Normal. Danielle goes through some commentary from Bill Gurley, Fred Wilson and Marc Andreessen about burn rate and then goes on to discuss her own burn rate and others publicly weigh in.

Burn Rate 383
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Is the Lean Startup Dead?

Steve Blank

Tech IPO prices exploded and subsequent trading prices rose to dizzying heights as the stock prices became disconnected from the traditional metrics of revenue and profits. Massive liquidity awaited the first movers to the IPO’s, and that’s how they managed their portfolios. Then one day it was over. IPOs dried up.

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It Must Be A Marketing Problem

Steve Blank

After I retired I would get calls from VC’s to help with “marketing problems” in their portfolio companies. Six is a Proxy for Burn Rate. Later I realized six salespeople without revenue to match was a proxy for an out of control burn rate that now had the boards serious attention. It’s A Marketing Problem.

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Are Business Plans Still Necessary?

Both Sides of the Table

portfolios. Let’s take your revenue line. If you’re a consumer destination the revenue and COGS lines should tell me about how big your funnel is, how you fill the top end of the pipe and what your conversion rates will be. Don’t know the running rate for engineers? Or lower revenue assumptions.

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Cram Down – A Test of Character for VCs and Founders

Steve Blank

At the turn of the century after the dotcom crash, startup valuations plummeted, burn rates were unsustainable, and startups were quickly running out of cash. Your cram down investors will likely sell your technology for piece parts and/or use your company to benefit their other portfolio companies. Why do VCs Do This?

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Use agile budgeting to manage your cash

David Teten

So here’s the solution I have recommended to some of my portfolio companies: “ agile budgeting ”, i.e., monitoring a few key variables while giving managers significant flexibility. Sean Colrock, Director of Client Partnerships at Wiss & Company , suggests at a minimum you track: cash on hand; fume date; and burn rate.

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Twitter Link Roundup #238 – Small Business, Startups, Innovation, Social Media, Design, Marketing and More

crowdSPRING Blog

Refocusing the Startup Burn Rate Debate | OpenView Blog – crowdspring.co/1n8paLq. 5 Things I Learned Analyzing Buffer’s Revenue Dashboard | Ivan Kreimer – crowdspring.co/1xfTwMG. 7 Rules of Perfect Portfolio Websites – crowdspring.co/YTR0jA. React – crowdspring.co/1yHa1WB. 1pttocg.