YoungUpstarts

SEPTEMBER 14, 2020

I suggest, however, that the attention might be warranted on its merits. That’s an accurate criticism and the public conversation about GPT-3 is not short of humorous examples. Musk has made the world stop laughing in so many ambitious areas that the world is inclined to give a project in which he’s had a hand a second look.

Technical Review 246

Technical Review Connecticut Algorithm Warrant 246

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 19, 2015

An example might be a business development conversation, a first customer meeting, the first candidate in a recruiting process, the first time you talk with a journalist at TechCrunch or the first meeting to consider your business strategy. And I bring this up because it comes up with many, many portfolio conversations.

LP 150

LP Warrant Portfolio Framework 150

ConversionXL

DECEMBER 4, 2019

This is the fourth edition of our State of Conversion Optimization report. Skepticism or ignorance about conversion optimization affects more than the ability to prove ROI or retain clients. For the third consecutive year, digital analytics was the most effective component of conversion optimization.

Conversion 87

Conversion Analytics North America Programming 87

ConversionXL

DECEMBER 4, 2019

This is the fourth edition of our State of Conversion Optimization report. Skepticism or ignorance about conversion optimization affects more than the ability to prove ROI or retain clients. For the third consecutive year, digital analytics was the most effective component of conversion optimization.

Conversion 74

Conversion Analytics North America Programming 74

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 28, 2014

Conversely if you’re burning $600,000 per month (yes, some companies do) then you only have 5 months of cash left. If you have raised venture capital and you feel your runway (number of months cash left) is looking low have a conversation with your VC. If you’re raised at $250 million+ valuation even more cautious.

Burn Rate 383

Burn Rate Balance Sheet .Net Valuation 383

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 2, 2009

I think we all know by now that a conversation is happening on Twitter and that this extends to talking about brands. Businesses online are able to monitor the conversations that happen about their company, their competitors and their industry like they have never before been able to. So why is this important for businesses?

Conversion 235

Conversion Management Social Network Philadelphia 235

ithacaVC

NOVEMBER 12, 2011

And, typically, the note holder is given a discount on the conversion price. Conversion Discount vs Warrant Coverage. Typically, with convertible debt, the note holder expects the debt to convert into the next equity financing (often a Series A round). 85 a share (just divide the debt amount plus interest by $.85).

Warrant 49

Warrant Liquidation Preference Equity Stock 49

Up and Running

AUGUST 7, 2018

If the money isn’t there or the workload doesn’t warrant bringing in new employees, you should reconsider scaling. . If conversion rates are high, you’re meeting your sales targets, and your sales to date all look like they’re increasing at a sustainable, but significant pace, it’s time to scale upward.

Software Review 94

Software Review Warrant Demand Employee 94

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 14, 2016

What the journalist from the NY Times failed to mention was that Upfront led the Seed and the A-Rounds and is the largest shareholder in the company, which apparently didn’t warrant a mention. And if you’re not already following him on Twitter you would benefit from being connected.

Partner 150

Partner South Korea Venture Capital Europe 150

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 21, 2010

You never got around to agreeing exact equity splits but you had many conversations about it. They usually ask for warrants (basically like a stock option) in exchange for taking a deferred fee. So eventually you have your company funded but only 2 of the 5 people who started the company are still around.

Southern California 318

Southern California Silicon Valley IP Stock Options 318

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 5, 2010

Through comment conversations with many of you I tried to emphasize that it isn’t enough to just have one attribute. If your idea is so amazing that it warrants my hard-earned angel money or the money of my LP investors from our fund then why should I take a risk on you if you won’t take a risk on yourself? You need the whole package.

Entrepreneur 293

Entrepreneur CTO Hire South America Salary 293

ConversionXL

OCTOBER 27, 2016

It will come as no surprise, but like most things in life, conversion optimization will benefit from a strong strategic approach. Most have some sort of discovery process, where they either conduct conversion research or at least calibrate the impact of an element with something like existence testing. How do you decide what to test?

Framework 48

Framework Warrant Conversion Agile 48

Austin Startup

FEBRUARY 24, 2018

Perhaps a specialist is warranted in one area, and a smart generalist in another. In these startups one of the traps is paying too much for a specialist, because the company may not grow fast enough to warrant the expense, and the specialists talents may go (somewhat) to waste without the rapid growth environment.

Warrant 48

Warrant Bootstrapping Framework Hiring 48

David Teten

JANUARY 19, 2021

Yes, via conversion rights at a valuation cap. Yes, via conversion rights at a valuation cap. As a result, unfounded hockey-stick graphs and unicorn promises give way to financial fluency, realistic expectations, frank conversations about what a business can credibly achieve, and transparency. . Lenders sometimes take warrants.

Cofounder 78

Cofounder Technical Review Equity Dividend 78

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 18, 2014

These are all real conversations. What if when you have that conversation you don’t agree? If you want to give them a 50% discount offer them $1 of common-stock warrants (no liquidation preference) for every $1 of stock they buy. I have them all the time. I’m bored of it. ” Simple. And so forth.

Venture Capital 417

Venture Capital Liquidation Preference Valuation Term Sheet 417

Up and Running

MARCH 6, 2013

Sure, this was an awkward conversation for the candidate, but I wasn’t about to continue wasting my time or his time. Whether your marketing tactic is a billboard or you’re running ads online, you need to track whether or not the marketing spend is producing results; hence, warranting continued spend.

Warrant 91

Warrant Portfolio Metrics Software 91

The Startup Magazine

JUNE 1, 2023

As a founder, ask yourself – does your business actually warrant VC funding? If the answers are no, have an honest conversation with your VCs today. Ten back and forth emails can often be resolved in a 30-second phone conversation. Can you produce venture returns in this new economic reality?

Early Stage 112

Early Stage Los Angeles Silicon Valley Cofounder 112

YoungUpstarts

OCTOBER 17, 2018

Any CEO or entrepreneur who ever put off having a critical conversation or justified retaining a poor-performing employee has experienced their own “hidden growth killers” in action. In most cases, you’ll realize that it isn’t real enough to warrant impact on your thinking and behavior. Next, don’t rush into decisions.

Green 171

Green Warrant Leadership Naming 171

Austin Startup

MAY 13, 2019

The police now have to get a warrant to put a GPS tracker on a car. More recently, the Supreme Court ruled that police must obtain a valid search warrant before obtaining location data on a suspect from their cell phone. We think the parallels are clear. Originally published at [link] on May 14, 2019.

Technology 48

Technology San Francisco Warrant Oakland 48

YoungUpstarts

AUGUST 30, 2017

Founders often believe that splitting the equity pie with you is not warranted. The converse is never true. Founders always believe their ventures are worth at least an order of magnitude more than people with money do. They think that the money guys don’t get it. Some people thrive in the details. This isn’t because they are bad.

Warrant 179

Warrant Valuation Metrics Startup 179

Reid Hoffman

JULY 30, 2020

A risky, high-impact decision might warrant more consideration. Entrepreneurs should always be in conversation with great talent, or with people who can refer great talent. The default decision window for startups and entrepreneurs is “right away,” since they depend on speed to outcompete bigger, more well-resourced competitors.

Hiring 36

Hiring Warrant Software Review Technical Review 36

YoungUpstarts

DECEMBER 21, 2015

In the world of e-commerce, literally every aspect of a transaction can be tracked and analysed at a later date, from conversion rates to geographical visitor data, there’s a wealth of analytical stats you can use to enhance future marketing efforts.

Operations 100

Operations Warrant Database Analytics 100

Duct Tape Marketing

DECEMBER 28, 2012

Some of my favorite tools and services have gone through some pretty big changes recently – enough so that felt it warranted a post just to point the changes out. Your contact profile pictures now show up within a conversation. The first three, Gmail , Evernote and TweetDeck , are tools I use every day to run my business.

Social Media 70

Social Media Warrant Search Technical Review 70

View from Seed

OCTOBER 15, 2014

Include both positives and negatives for a more productive board conversation, which is especially critical in the seed stage since nearly everything is in “figure it out” mode. Section 1: “High Level Summary” This is a short section that we’d recommend structuring in one of two ways.

Seed Stage 331

Seed Stage Cap Table Metrics Burn Rate 331

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 9, 2009

I sometimes think that certain advice is BGO (blinding glimpse of the obvious) and doesn’t warrant mentioning. Usually it’s because your conversations steam looks interesting, your link goes to an interesting blog or website or you work at a company that interests me. But then people’s actions tell me otherwise.

Social Network 282

Social Network Networking Warrant Conversion 282

Lightspeed Venture Partners

DECEMBER 10, 2012

This is a loan with a 15% warrant attached at a zero strike price. They often do get warrants attached to their loans, but for nowhere near 15% of the company; usually an order of magnitude less. Through further conversation it turned out that the 200 units were sold 6 months ago and the company had not sold anything since.

Covenant 156

Covenant Warrant Southern California Los Angeles 156

Austin Startup

MARCH 23, 2010

If you are a reporter for a major tech or business publication, you are probably used to companies and wannabe influencers attempting to accost you for an elevator pitch or quick conversation. And if a more intimate conversation is warranted, it’s easy to break off somewhere less hectic. It comes with the territory.

Technical Review 78

Technical Review Elevator Pitch Austin Warrant 78

Feld Thoughts

OCTOBER 12, 2011

Convertible Debt – Conversion Mechanics. Convertible Debt – Conversion In A Sale Of The Company. Convertible Debt – Warrants. Convertible Debt Series. Convertible Debt – The Discount. Convertible Debt – Valuation Caps. Convertible Debt – Other Terms. Convertible Debt – Early Versus Late Stage Dynamics.

Term Sheet 138

Term Sheet Warrant Open Source Valuation 138

Gust

SEPTEMBER 5, 2012

In that sense it’s more like a warrant or option with a zero exercise price.). This is true, although interest is generally paid in stock upon conversion. By contrast, convertible equity is only a contractual right to acquire stock in the future, like an option or warrant. How can this possibly make sense?

Finance 134

Finance Convertible Security Equity Seed Stage 134

Eric Friedman

NOVEMBER 24, 2015

I was reminded a lesson I learned from Brad Burnham while I was at Union Square Ventures ; it’s the questions and conversations that are important, not the answers. . However we definitely purchased something from the restaurant, so didn’t that warrant letting them know? — Jeff Atwood (@codinghorror) November 23, 2015.

Warrant 60

Warrant Valuation Conversion Operations 60

Hunter Walker

NOVEMBER 29, 2017

A richer unpacking would be around whether the bull case actually warranted the capital – was it a reasonable risk to take, not, was there risk. Now, I don’t mean to overgeneralize but I think that could be good for founders, good for the community and good for the press to have that level of conversation with an investor.

Seed Stage 101

Seed Stage Warrant Framework Vertical 101

Austin Startup

AUGUST 20, 2017

Startups often hand out shares, options, and warrants for employees and for contractors rendering needed services. It behooves you to strive for similar succinctness and to carry that across all your communications, from web to social media to presentations to just casual conversations at your country club.

Technical Review 48

Technical Review Software Review Cap Table Securities and Exchange Commission 48

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 24, 2019

If a conversation happens between the CEO and each director then each side knows what we’re trying to achieve with the in-person meeting. A director who hasn’t had a pre-conversation with management will not be as effective in the board meeting. I sometimes view it as my role to drag other people into the conversation.

Cofounder 251

Cofounder Conversion Management Founder 251

Gust

SEPTEMBER 17, 2014

These are all real conversations. What if when you have that conversation you don’t agree? If you want to give them a 50% discount offer them $1 of common-stock warrants (no liquidation preference) for every $1 of stock they buy. I have them all the time. I’m bored of it. But how do I offer cheaper prices to early investors?”

Liquidation Preference 153

Liquidation Preference Valuation Term Sheet Stock 153

YoungUpstarts

DECEMBER 9, 2016

Get in the habit of having regular, informal conversations with your employees, whether over coffee or at lunch. You may not believe their frustrations are warranted, but in every case it’s better to know why an employee is frustrated than to be in the dark. How can I help you do your job better?

Employee 100

Employee Green Warrant Management 100

Austin Startup

MARCH 23, 2017

From the date of its issuance the clock starts, applying constant pressure that can suffocate a company with ever-accruing interest, fixed payment amounts, prepayment penalties, dilutive warrants, or even personal guarantees forced upon the founders (as if they didn’t already have enough skin in the game). Well, it depends.

Dilution 54

Dilution Equity Warrant Distribution 54

Feld Thoughts

AUGUST 21, 2013

I was having a conversion on Friday with Brad Bernthal , an Associate Professor at Colorado Law School who directs the Silicon Flatirons Center’s Entrepreneurship Initiative. Brad and I – in addition to sharing a first name – are close friends.

Colorado 141

Colorado Seattle Silicon Valley Warrant 141