SAFEs are fast and inexpensive to use. That’s a feature and a bug. Too many founders overuse SAFEs and end up in a dilution trap. * Carta recently released its Q1 2024 State of Pre-seed report.  It's the perfect opportunity to review the current state of SAFE notes
Are your current venture investors acting strange? Did they seem more nervous and jumpy at your last board meeting? Are you concerned that you’re suddenly not all on the same page? Venture funds are under a lot of pressure right now. This has implications for your startup as you
Fear. Uncertainty. Doubt. As a founder, it’s easy to believe these feelings are weaknesses. They lay the foundation of imposter syndrome. But when properly channeled, fear, uncertainty, and doubt are founder superpowers. They help you find the path to profitable, scalable growth. They allow you to stay in control
You’re trying to boil the ocean. You had a simple idea for a startup. One problem to solve. A solution to a common pain point that would attract customers and keep them coming back. You were targeting a small market at first. But that’s ok. You had a
2023 is in the books. Your 2024 budget is sitting in front of you. The start of a new year is the perfect time to reassess whether your startup is still on the venture path. Here is a simple question: Is your revenue growth strong enough to attract a round
The Scooter company Bird filed for bankruptcy yesterday. Another high-flying unicorn falls to earth. This is an important reminder that you can’t believe the hype in the startup press. Let me show you what I mean. Take a look at the photo above. Wait! Don’t scroll down to
Welcome to part four of our series on down rounds and recaps: * Part 1: A Guide to Down Rounds and Recaps * Part 2: Managing Your Key Stakeholders * Part 3: A Deep Dive Into Down Rounds * Part 4: Navigating the Startup Recap <- You are here Let’s get on
Welcome to part three of our series on down rounds and recaps: * Part 1: A Guide to Down Rounds and Recaps * Part 2: Managing Your Key Stakeholders * Part 3: A Deep Dive Into Down Rounds <- You are here * Part 4: Navigating the Startup Recap Let’s get into
Welcome to part two of our series on down rounds and recaps: * Part 1: A Guide to Down Rounds and Recaps * Part 2: Managing Your Key Stakeholders <- You are here * Part 3: A Deep Dive Into Down Rounds * Part 4: Navigating the Startup Recap Let’s get into
Welcome to part one of our series on down rounds and recaps: * Part 1: A Guide to Down Rounds and Recaps <- You are here * Part 2: Managing Your Key Stakeholders * Part 3: A Deep Dive Into Down Rounds * Part 4: Navigating the Startup Recap Let’s get into
Exploring the consequences of prioritizing short-term gains over long-term trust and transparency in the startup world, as illustrated by Substack’s recent fundraising approach. Reading time: 4 minutes In a startup’s journey, founders face many challenges and difficult decisions. While it’s easy to maintain integrity and transparency when
Reading time: 3 minutes What business are you in? What’s the business model? What is the real TAM, and can you efficiently scale to reach it? We are in a period of accelerating change and innovation. The explosion of AI over the past six months is just the start.
