The Dance of Expectations: Understanding Founder Pressures in VC
Many moons ago, I penned a post that garnered great interest: “Communicating with Founders is like Handling Cats.” It drew a comparison between working with founders to handling cats—granting them freedom to explore, ensuring their comfort, yet preventing them from leaping out of reach. Consider this a sequel, exploring the fine art of discerning when […]
The Great Debate: Operators vs. Financial Analyst as VCs
Venture Capital has become one of the hottest business sectors of the last decade, and with good reason. For founders, a VC investment can be the difference between seeing their idea turn into a unicorn or die a slow death. And for investors, the potential returns in VC can be astronomical. However, as the industry […]
Founders are Put on the Pedestal Too Early
Jen Abel, the co-founder of PMF finding agency JJellyfish, made a bold statement when she proclaimed that founders are put onto a pedestal too early. While this statement may seem harsh, it does carry some truth. Founders often share a vision that is nothing more than an idea, which gets funded with millions of dollars, […]
The Lorax, Dr. Seuss, and the Importance of Emotional Awareness in Entrepreneurship
Growing up, many of us were introduced to Dr. Seuss’ books. We marveled at the vivid illustrations and silly stories, never realizing that we were also learning lessons on life and society. One of his most famous works, The Lorax, tells the story of a greedy entrepreneur who destroys the environment for the sake of […]
The Future of Fundraising in the VC Market: What Founders Need to Know
Founders all over the world are concerned about the current state of the fundraising market. With funding down and the amount of money raised considerably lower than previous years, there is a sense of uncertainty among startups trying to secure new capital. And while many hope that things will return to normal, the past two […]
"What is Your MRR?" and Why Founders Hate that Question
As a startup founder, you may think that your innovative idea and impressive traction are enough to secure a fundraising round. However, as crass as it may sound, from an investor’s standpoint, nothing matters more than your current Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR). In this blog post, we’ll dive deep into what MRR is and why […]
Why Comparing VCs to Seagulls is a Funny Yet Accurate Analogy
VCs are like seagulls- they crowd you, shit on you, then fly away. As a founder, you would have probably heard the commonly used analogy comparing venture capitalists (VCs) to seagulls. It may sound funny at first, but it actually holds a lot of truth in the world of startup investing. In this blog post, […]
ICYMI: Change Management – A Survival Trait for Founders
I chatted with my friend Jon Hunter, a CRO and biz coach with $14B+ in ARR under his belt, on change management in enterprise & startups amid a strained economy. His wisdom on surviving & thriving in this rapidly changing world? Oh, and crystal clear communication ?️ + goals ? are ?. Organize a culture […]
Investor Money is Subjected to "Stupid Tax"
One of the biggest questions that many young entrepreneurs often ponder is whether or not to seek investor funding. While there are certainly advantages, investors can also pose a threat to the discipline needed to build a successful company. Recently, I had a conversation with my friend Piet Jan De Bruin about this very topic. […]
How to Unblock Your Startup's Sales Cycle: Insights from Founders
Startup founders are always navigating their way through unchartered territories and learning how to overcome critical obstacles. One of the trickiest parts of any startup’s journey is to unblock the sales cycle. Recently, I had the privilege of having dinner with Amy Jackson, founder of DWP Capital’s portfolio company, Statera. During our conversation, we discussed […]
