VC Cafe

JUNE 6, 2024

It’s not a surprise, given that entrepreneurs are obsessed with data and metrics, but in the conservative VC market of 2024, it feels even more important for founders to know what ‘good’ looks like and what investors expect. Metric Unremarkable Good Excellent Outlier ARR <$500k $500k-$1.5m $1.5m-$2.5m >$2.5m

B2B 97

B2B Burn Rate Generative AI Retention 97

ReadWriteStart

JULY 9, 2023

Business Models and Pricing Know your business model prior to launching a startup. However, sometimes founders only think about their big idea and forget about the strictly business side of a startup. Metrics A business should be measurable. A good founder is always a good communicator.

Intellectual Property 122

Intellectual Property Startup Burn Rate Metrics 122

ReadWriteStart

JUNE 13, 2011

Reinventing the board meeting may offer venture-backed startups a more efficient, productive way to direct and measure their search for a profitable business model. Yet boards of large companies exist to monitor efficient strategy and execution of a known business model. What do those numbers/metrics look like?

Silicon Valley 117

Silicon Valley Balance Sheet Metrics Early Stage 117

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 7, 2015

How the solution and business model work to fund the business. Investors will impatiently expect a winning business model, customer segment definitions and volume projections. Investors will impatiently expect a winning business model, customer segment definitions and volume projections.

Product 120

Product Intellectual Property Liquidity Event Burn Rate 120

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 14, 2015

Even non-profits require money to operate, so every startup needs a business model with plans to bring in income. This means delegating tasks and not micro-managing, as well as more time spent working on the business, rather than in the business. Define metrics to keep on track for the journey.

Elevator Pitch 120

Elevator Pitch Burn Rate Startup Metrics 120

Professor VC

JANUARY 27, 2008

In addition to the case study analysis, the students also have the opportunity to develop a business model and financial model for a new concept, which always proves a lot more challenging. Can Entrepreneurship Be Taught? ► October. (1). Watch Out for the Red W(h)ine. ► September. (1). ► July. (1).

San Jose 28

San Jose Technical Review Angel Investor Venture Capital 28

Professor VC

FEBRUARY 26, 2008

He raised less financing than originally planned but was able to launch the site and was running a business by the time his classmates graduated 9 months later. I take CFO roles in early stage companies and participate on the management team during the early financings and business model development phases. ► October. (1).

Technical Review 28

Technical Review San Jose Angel Investor Silicon Valley 28

Up and Running

MAY 22, 2018

Every successful small business goes through four stages during its entire existence: Existence : expanding from pilot production to broad-scale production. Survival : generating enough cash flow to stay in business. Success : business model works and is stable, but there is still untapped potential.

Exit Strategy 90

Exit Strategy Angel Investor Search Elevator Pitch 90

Professor VC

AUGUST 26, 2011

What are the key drivers and metrics? Is the model consistent with the business plan? Does the business model make sense? Do you understand the business and market? Byron Deeter has a good blog post on SAAS metrics. When I look at a model, I care most about the assumptions around the business model.

Silicon Valley 35

Silicon Valley San Jose Hockey Stick Venture Capital 35

Startup Lessons Learned

MARCH 13, 2009

You have to know your business model. Most startups launch before theyve figured out what business theyre in. And even worse, wed cranked up the burn rate in order to be ready to handle all those millions of mainstream customers we anticipated. Know what the success metrics are for the launch. Gattiker said.

San Francisco 168

San Francisco PR Lean Early Stage 168

YoungUpstarts

JANUARY 11, 2018

When entrepreneurs are selling widely from the start and showing us vanity metrics, it’s clear that they haven’t found PMF and it’s a quick pass for us. Nailing solid fundamentals is crucial because good ongoing business practices offer a greater chance to succeed over the long term.

Los Angeles 133

Los Angeles Investment Bankers Cofounder Viral 133