Both Sides of the Table

JULY 22, 2010

Back in 1999 when I first raised venture capital I had zero knowledge of what a fair term sheet looked like or how to value my company. Due to competitive markets we ended up with a pretty good term sheet until we needed to raise money in April 2001 and then we got completely screwed.

Valuation 405

Valuation Liquidation Preference Pre-Money Valuation Term Sheet 405

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 23, 2017

When you run a startup you’re always on borrowed time. I’ve never met a founder who wasn’t acutely aware of his or her ticking time bomb and the sense that failure and humiliation is a real possibility. Very, very few founders have an easy time despite what you read in the press. Fund raising is hard for everybody.

Burn Rate 238

Burn Rate Term Sheet CTO Hire Fractional CTO 238

www.bothsidesofthetable.com

MAY 13, 2012

Entrepreneur DNA. Entrepreneur turned VC. Want to Know Difference Between a CTO and a VP of Engineering? The terms “CTO” and “VP Engineering” have such stigmas associated with what they are that I’m sure some people will feel uncomfortable with the definitions I’ve put forward.

Fractional VPE 89

Fractional VPE Part-Time VPE Fractional CTO CTO Hire 89

View from Seed

SEPTEMBER 4, 2018

Most of these rhyme with what we’ve said in the past, but some have also evolved to fit the changing landscape and our own convictions about what really matters for founders and their investors at the seed stage. Belief #1: The best time to invest is early. And by early, we mean pre-traction. Lead investors are few.

North America 120

North America Seed Stage Early Stage Lead Investor 120

Sophia Perl of Wisdom

NOVEMBER 9, 2010

Use the 10-5-3-1 formula for raising money: Have 10 great meetings with investors, 5 of those do detailed due diligience on your company, get 3 term sheets, and 1 transfer into your bank account! What key hires do you need? A lot of entrepreneurs attended the event as evident by business cards with “Founder&# listed.

CTO Hire 49

CTO Hire Cofounder Fractional CTO San Francisco 49

Sophia Perl of Wisdom

NOVEMBER 9, 2010

Use the 10-5-3-1 formula for raising money: Have 10 great meetings with investors, 5 of those do detailed due diligience on your company, get 3 term sheets, and 1 transfer into your bank account! What key hires do you need? A lot of entrepreneurs attended the event as evident by business cards with “Founder&# listed.

CTO Hire 40

CTO Hire Cofounder Fractional CTO San Francisco 40

Rob Go

SEPTEMBER 4, 2018

Most of these rhyme with what we’ve said in the past, but some have also evolved to fit the changing landscape and our own convictions about what really matters for founders and their investors at the seed stage. Belief #1: The best time to invest is early. And by early, we mean pre-traction. Lead investors are few.

North America 36

North America Seed Stage Early Stage Lead Investor 36