Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 27, 2011

If you hire 6 sales reps in January at $120,000 / year salary then you’ve taken on an extra $60,000 per month in costs yet these sales people might not close new business for 4-6 months. So your Q1 results will be $180,000 less profitable than if you hadn’t hired them. Hiring more people isn’t always the right answer.

Startup 418

Startup Revenue Technical Review Flash 418

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 25, 2016

Most of this advice boils down to an argument in favor of basic planning before starting a company or raising money. In many ways the fact that it has become so cheap to start a company and relatively cheap to raise angel/seed money that we as an industry have gotten lazy on basic planning. Incumbent Strengths & Weaknesses.

Startup 150

Startup Seed Money DC Software Review 150

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 25, 2009

For example, a recent phone call I had with a young entrepreneur straight out of one of the most prestigious engineering schools in America he asked, “I have an offer for $400,000 in seed money but the VC wants me to agree now to bring in a new CEO.&# This company is doing its SEED round and they already want to bring someone new in.

Pakistan 297

Pakistan India Technical Review Software Review 297

This is going to be BIG.

MARCH 23, 2015

in seed money instead of $1.5M You should target 18 to 24 months of runway post Series Seed." You just wind up spending it faster--and moving fast with lots of money, especially for a first time founder, is bound to be more mistake-prone and less focused. Yay, participation trophies! Why not raise $2.5M

Post-Money Valuation 60

Post-Money Valuation Valuation Pre-Money Valuation Seed Money 60

Rob Go

NOVEMBER 15, 2016

Often, I find that there is a very distinct trade-off that surfaces when thinking about how to best position yourself for your series A: Option 1 is to focus nearly exclusively on some traction metric. Also, in a market where a bunch of high-flyers are crumbling, investors are more deliberate and less enamored by pure top line metrics.

Product 28

Product Seed Stage Seed Money Metrics 28

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 9, 2013

If you’re a venture-backed tech company or even an early-stage business fueled by angel or seed money I assume you have a good group of board members or advisors who will give you time to be helpful and they want to be helpful. should we ramp up sales hires now or wait for more traction?

Advisory Board 337

Advisory Board Valuation Stock Options Seed Money 337

This is going to be BIG.

SEPTEMBER 7, 2012

There are a lot of people that artificially group together performance metrics for venture, and try to extrapolate successful stratagies from it. I think I'm terrific at helping early stage teams by rolling up my sleeves and doing what's necessary--getting them hires, PR, product strategy help to find that market fit. It's that simple.

Later Stage 99

Later Stage Down Round Pre-Money Valuation Early Stage 99