Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 29, 2009

Just ask anybody who was trying to close funding the fateful week of September 11, 2001 or even March 2000. The best MBA class I took was an investment strategy class. As a personal story, I sat on the board of one company with a very unhealthy burn rate relative to revenue or expected growth. Can a deal get done?

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VC board investing investment 263

Dream It

APRIL 12, 2020

Martino outlined essentially two types of outcomes for this financial crisis from a historical perspective: “In 2001-2003, there was a depression in Silicon Valley. I think you’ll start seeing pushback on complete board control by the founding team,” stated Martino. “I I think this is the area that will fall first during this crisis.”

ventures 334

ventures startup capital board 334

TechCrunch

MAY 17, 2022

Prior to Prelude Ventures, Victoria worked on climate change strategy at BCG and started an agriculture supply chain company. ” Strohband also served as PM at Volkswagen, led Stanford racing’s autonomous car, Stanley, co-founded Metamind, and sits on the board of various companies. Victoria holds an MBA and M.S.

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pitching energy startup consulting 76

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 11, 2010

It’s like adding rocket fuel to space ship before you’re sure that it’s pointing in the right direction for take off (or even if all of the people on board are qualified to take this into outer space). I say define a strategy, test it up front and pivot if you’re not getting the traction you had expected.

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startup advice venture capital VC 319

Tomasz Tunguz

SEPTEMBER 9, 2012

First, board directors are encouraging companies to remain unprofitable longer to pursue bigger outcomes. Without significant barriers to entry, new entrants use lower prices and freemium strategies to win market share. The fraction of small IPOs with negative EBITDA has doubled to nearly 90% in about 30 years. Small IPOs. .

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financing finance strategy venture capital 40

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 10, 2021

In 2001 companies IPO’d very quickly if they were working, by 2011 IPOs had slowed down to the point that in 2013 Aileen Lee of Cowboy Ventures astutely called billion-dollar outcomes “unicorns.” Pre-seed is just a narrower segment where you might raise $1–3 million on a SAFE note and not give out any board seats.

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ventures VC venture capital funders 471

Feedough

JANUARY 8, 2021

California Milk Processor Board: “Got Milk?” This slogan managed to be catchy despite its relatively bigger size because it describes the product and its unique strategy. Some examples of slogans that didn’t work well are: Sunglass Shack – “Sitting On Faces Since 2001” (2001). Apple: “Think Different.”

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mix-use board strategy technology 98