Steve Blank

MARCH 16, 2016

After awhile, you ought to be able to go to the whiteboard and diagram the acquisition decision process much like a sales process. Do you wait 7 years until you’ve built enough revenue for a billion-dollar sale? Typically, a VC can force a sale, or even block one. The same is true about liquidity. Timing is everything.

Liquidity Event 120

Liquidity Event Founder Liquidation Preference Private Equity 120

Startup Company Lawyer

MARCH 14, 2010

Founders Institute Plain Preferred Term Sheet (by WSGR – disclaimer, I represent the Founders Institute and was involved in drafting this document). My general opinion is that anything that makes the financing process faster and easier or otherwise educates entrepreneurs is a good thing. (A Co-sale rights. under $500K).

Finance 70

Finance Software Review Term Sheet Liquidation Preference 70

Tim Keane

JANUARY 12, 2010

Please see later version of this post on May 16, 2010 Entrepreneurs are often not experts in the area of term-sheet negotiations and all of the surrounding issues.   Investors sometimes “present” the terms they’d like and expect the entrepreneurs to react. Term-sheets and Valuations: Thinking about Negotiations.

Term Sheet 68

Term Sheet Valuation Dividend Liquidation Preference 68

Up and Running

AUGUST 17, 2015

As I read stories of college dropouts who had successfully sold tech companies, or entrepreneurs with innovative ideas who made it big on Shark Tank, it became clear that there was no set path to startup success. C Corp versus LLC, non-competes, liquidation preferences, preferred versus common stock, and so on).

Entrepreneur 60

Entrepreneur Cofounder Angel Investor eCommerce 60

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 8, 2012

If you do a capped note it’s bad for the entrepreneur. It has both a “full rachet” and “multiple liquidation preferences.” Here is what I recommend very often – privately – to startup entrepreneurs for angel funding. If you do an uncapped note it’s bad for the investor.

Pre-Money Valuation 294

Pre-Money Valuation Finance Liquidation Preference Warrant 294

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 3, 2013

We talked about how business school historically hasn’t positioned entrepreneurs well for success. I wrote about that before in a post about “ whether MBAs are necessary for entrepreneurs. His class reading lists could be a primer for any entrepreneur, not just MBAs. Neither does Clayton.

Bankruptcy 403

Bankruptcy Offshore Liquidation Preference Balance Sheet 403

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 6, 2010

If Ventro was worth $8 billion on $2 million of sales surely a paltry $1 billion would suffice. That said, don’t complicate the topic – If you’re the founder of a company you likely know a lot about things like Liquidation Preferences and how they affect value allocations when the company is sold.

Stock Options 294

Stock Options Stock Valuation Liquidation Preference 294

Altgate

OCTOBER 8, 2009

Raising Capital: 5 Reasons Convertible Debt Sucks HOT The Collapse of the VC Ecosystem & What It Will Look Like Post Recovery 10 Tips On Negotiating With VCs Dating…er…Fundraising Etiquette The Science & Art of Term Sheet Negotiation HOT How Liquidation Preferences Work HOT How Much Money Should I Raise?

Term Sheet 39

Term Sheet Technical Review Michigan Liquidation Preference 39

www.readwriteweb.com

DECEMBER 29, 2011

Therefore, going down the fundraising path is something many technology entrepreneurs will need to do and is a critical step in the development of their business. Too many entrepreneurs focus exclusive on the valuation number and this book can really help you understand all the implications around the term sheet you receive.

Cap Table 47

Cap Table Term Sheet Liquidation Preference Technical Review 47

genylabs.typepad.com

SEPTEMBER 24, 2011

The Changing Face of Entrepreneurs. The Connected World of Entrepreneurs. Entrepreneur Magazine Blog. where your stock sits in the liquidity preference stack. what rights and preferences the founders and the other investors have. Business Week: Twitter for Entrepreneurs: 20 to Follow: Steve King.

Equity 40

Equity Technical Review San Jose Stock 40

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 19, 2011

Yet a critical mistake I see many entrepreneurs make is that they hand over too much control to their third-parties. For one, due to the way liquidation preference work sometimes they have “flat spots&# which means that they might earn the exact same amount from a $40 million sale as they would from a $50 million sale.

Term Sheet 319

Term Sheet PR Liquidation Preference Stock Options 319

Growthink Blog

JANUARY 24, 2011

I get the same question a lot from entrepreneurs raising equity capital (venture capital or angel funding). The question is whether they need to issue common or preferred stock. The answer depends on how and what rights are defined in the preferred stock. If, then the company were to be sold for $5,000,000 (i.e. read more.

Preferred Stock 93

Preferred Stock Stock Common Stock Liquidation Preference 93

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 26, 2015

Most entrepreneurs looking for an investor can tell you how much money they need, but few have given much thought to what they are willing to give up for it. Preferred shares are not possible with a limited liability corporation (LLC), so expect to convert to a C-corp to get an equity investment. Investor liquidation priority.

Term Sheet 120

Term Sheet Demand Preferred Stock Liquidation Preference 120

Growthink Blog

MAY 23, 2011

An entrepreneur starts a company in classic " bootstrap " fashion - with a combination of sweat equity and their own financial resources. The angel then introduces the entrepreneur to his or her wealthy friends and business connections who, based on the good reputation of the referring angel, also invest. All live happily ever after.

Angel Investor 112

Angel Investor Venture Capital Sweat Equity Cram Down 112

Feld Thoughts

FEBRUARY 9, 2016

And, rather than rational and helpful thoughts for entrepreneurs, it often brings out the schadenfreude in even the most talented people. We entrepreneurs have been spinning that line for decades in every boom cycle. Then use the down round to clean up your preference overhang. It’s simply not true.

Cap Table 70

Cap Table Down Round Liquidation Preference Founder 70

K9 Ventures

MARCH 23, 2011

Before the era of capped notes, entrepreneurs preferred to do notes because the note essentially deferred the valuation of the company. It is in essence equivalent to being a Liquidation Preference that is typically seen in a preferred equity financing. There are multiple issues at hand here.

Pre-Money Valuation 132

Pre-Money Valuation Valuation Equity Liquidation Preference 132

Berkonomics

MAY 22, 2014

The sale of equity in private companies is regulated by the Securities Act of 1933, which requires that the company either register with the SEC or meet one of several exemptions (Regulation D). The entrepreneur may have already raised half or more of the cash required in this round and is eager to top off the round. Raising money'

Early Stage 79

Early Stage Accredited Investor SEC Private Placement 79

abovethecrowd.com

APRIL 20, 2016

Many modern entrepreneurs have limited exposure to the notion of failure or layoffs because it has been so long since these things were common in the industry. Examples of dirty terms include guaranteed IPO returns, ratchets, PIK Dividends, series-based M&A vetoes, and superior preferences or liquidity rights.

IPO 40

IPO Term Sheet Silicon Valley Valuation 40

Scott Edward Walker

APRIL 9, 2012

When investors receive shares of preferred stock, they are typically granted certain significant control rights, including a Board seat and veto rights with respect to certain corporate actions (such as the sale of the company) pursuant to so-called “ protective provisions.”

Preferred Stock 87

Preferred Stock Finance Common Stock Liquidation Preference 87

Scott Edward Walker

AUGUST 31, 2011

Introduction This post was originally part of the “ Ask the Attorney ” series which I am writing for VentureBeat (one of my favorite websites for entrepreneurs). We’re first time entrepreneurs, and we don’t know if this is standard practice and what we should do. Any advice would be appreciated.

Silicon Valley 45

Silicon Valley Term Sheet Liquidation Preference Redemption 45

Altgate

MARCH 17, 2009

Raising Capital: 5 Reasons Convertible Debt Sucks HOT The Collapse of the VC Ecosystem & What It Will Look Like Post Recovery NEW 10 Tips On Negotiating With VCs NEW Dating…er…Fundraising Etiquette The Science & Art of Term Sheet Negotiation HOT How Liquidation Preferences Work HOT How Much Money Should I Raise?

Term Sheet 28

Term Sheet Due Diligence Liquidation Preference Dividend 28