A Smart Bear: Startups and Marketing for Geeks

MARCH 11, 2014

And when you look at the tools that we use, I mean we’ve made so many technological advances, but really to manage a meeting there’s not a practical tool available. We use email; we use Word; we use task manager; we use a file sharing tool. They are so happy that they finally have a tool to manage their business.

Technical Cofounder 220

Technical Cofounder Cofounder Software Review Management 220

BeyondVC

SEPTEMBER 14, 2004

On the flipside, they can be a valuable source of input and guidance for a management team in the pursuit of maximizing shareholder value. What I want to know about is the management team’s priorities and why, how they are tracking against those goals, and what keeps them up at night with respect to meeting their objectives.

Balance Sheet 99

Balance Sheet Technical Review Framework Stock Options 99

Up and Running

JANUARY 4, 2017

However, you might not have the finances to attract the types of quality personnel that you want. Stock options, increased pay over time, a flexible schedule, and use of work resources are all great incentives for snagging yourself a talented new employee. Struggling with effective time management. Online invoicing.

Small Business 122

Small Business Social Media Stock Options Employee 122

Startup Company Lawyer

MARCH 12, 2009

Any company that raises venture financing will need to be a C corp in order to issue preferred stock. If founders want the benefit of flow through tax treatment with respect to losses prior to an outside financing, an S corp election may make sense as long as there are no entity or non-U.S. citizen/resident stockholders.

LLC 61

LLC Stock Options Preferred Stock Stock 61

BeyondVC

SEPTEMBER 14, 2004

On the flipside, they can be a valuable source of input and guidance for a management team in the pursuit of maximizing shareholder value. What I want to know about is the management team’s priorities and why, how they are tracking against those goals, and what keeps them up at night with respect to meeting their objectives.

Balance Sheet 78

Balance Sheet Technical Review Framework Stock Options 78

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 23, 2015

We did the early round of financing and the founding team walked when the market turned and when the situation got tough. Or maybe you just negotiate that your ownership should be 15% of the company (vs. the standard 4-6% for a hired-gun CEO). There is often money to be made in finding places with under-valued IP. ” (Warren Buffett).

Technical Review 150

Technical Review Liquidation Preference Silicon Valley IP 150

Up and Running

DECEMBER 1, 2015

If however you are giving a “normal employee” an incentive stock option plan (more on that later), that’s entirely different. Make sure you understand all of your options before making any decisions. When business owners decide to go down the route of equity compensation, there are two primary options to choose between.

Equity 60

Equity Employee Stock Options Vesting 60

Up and Running

DECEMBER 16, 2021

Some reasons why include needing a more detailed picture of your company’s value, submitting taxes, outlining employee stock option plans, or presenting to investors or creditors. To explain further, let’s take a look at this list of the most profitable industries (according to a recent writeup from Yahoo Finance ). .

Valuation 86

Valuation .Net Metrics Balance Sheet 86

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 23, 2010

Often when startups who have raised venture capital need another round of financing they will turn to their existing investors to give them money before raising from outsiders. a loan) that is later converted to equity at the time of the next financing. It starts as a debt instrument (e.g.

Startup 290

Startup Burn Rate Warrant Bankruptcy 290

www.inc.com

SEPTEMBER 24, 2011

Finance | Tuesdays. Leadership & Managing | Tuesdays. Financing a Small Business. Financing A Small Business. Personal Finance. LEADERSHIP & MANAGING. LEADERSHIP & MANAGING. Managing Creativity. Durkin , managing partner with the Boston -based law firm Lucash, Gesmer & Updegrove LLP.

Fractional CTO 40

Fractional CTO Equity Iowa Technical Cofounder 40

YoungUpstarts

MAY 5, 2017

Figuring out a way to pay for college expenses might be far easier when compared to dealing with finances post-graduation, when you enter your first job and receive your first disposable income. If not managed properly, it can quickly leave you in financial knots. The extra-prudent ones can go up to to a year, but that is up to you.

Finance 124

Finance Stock Options Dividend Stock 124

Tim Keane

JANUARY 12, 2010

Good investors use the valuation discussions to gauge the business savvy of the management team and to understand their ability to appreciate and deal with economic market forces that set values.   For individual angels and others investing their own money, this may be more fluid than for someone with responsibility for a managed fund.

Term Sheet 68

Term Sheet Valuation Dividend Liquidation Preference 68

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 25, 2019

Here are some observations I have from this exposure: If a company moves from strength-to-strength with predictable outcomes, easy financings, low staff turn-over, limited competitive threats then the composition of the board probably doesn’t matter as much. As an investor board member I see this as my immediate goal, too.

LP 269

LP Startup Burn Rate Stock Options 269

Gust

JULY 18, 2012

Yet I’ve rarely seen entrepreneurs more fired up than when recounting war stories of startups whose founders had control of the company wrested from them, were forced to take financing or compensation deals on outrageously onerous terms , or worst of all, fired from their own companies.

Stock Options 188

Stock Options SEC Stock Government 188

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 22, 2019

There are actually several type and I’m going to make the case that if you can avoid board observers you generally should and when you do have them you should be thoughtful about how you manage them. On a board with 5 members plus a CFO plus a legal representative plus 1–2 management?—?every The full lists of posts is on the link.

Strategic Investors 255

Strategic Investors Startup Stock Options Venture Capital 255

Startup Company Lawyer

MAY 1, 2009

CompStudy publishes an annual report of equity and cash compensation that provides compensation data on top management positions and Boards of Directors at private companies in technology and life sciences. Tags: Stock options. CompStudy covers more than 25,000 executives at 5,000 companies and is the largest study of its kind.

Stock Options 31

Stock Options CTO Hire Israel Equity 31

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 19, 2019

While the management of a startup company deals with the day-to-day decision-making within the company (strategy, budgets, goals, tasks, compensation) ultimately the Board of Directors has the legal governing responsibilities for these things. Equally it could vote to increase the stock option plan to 99% of the company.

Startup 204

Startup Dilution Government Stock Options 204

YoungUpstarts

OCTOBER 26, 2018

When a small business startup manages to secure external investment magical things happen. The first is making sure that there is a good understanding of the management structure and hierarchy in place. When others see this, it prompts them to buy options on that stock too and the stock price rises.

Stock 166

Stock Stock Options Startup Security 166

YoungUpstarts

MAY 8, 2014

You can also contact a broker or a financial planner to help you figure out what stocks to buy and how. If you work for a company like Starbucks that offers you stock options, take them. By learning how to use the stock market early, you’ll create investment opportunities for yourself for the rest of your life.

Stock 150

Stock Stock Options Finance America 150

The Next Web

MARCH 2, 2014

For many business owners and management teams, “now” can easily seem like the right time to secure funding, and why not? Instead, honestly analyze the company’s business plan and finances to determine whether the business needs to secure outside funding in order to achieve its objectives, and if so, how much. Take your time.

Liquidity Event 139

Liquidity Event Equity Finance Stock Options 139

Up and Running

JUNE 19, 2015

Sabrina: In terms of that, when you think about growing and getting more people on board and all the people management that goes a long with it, how have you dealt with continuing to make sure that the culture is what you want it to be and that you have time to think about it? That’s my dream. Great guest to have around, really excited.

Cloud 60

Cloud Small Business Silicon Valley Media 60

Gust

DECEMBER 8, 2011

Take any steps needed to qualify Newco to conduct the business it plans to conduct wherever it’s located (for example, a filing made in California qualifying a Delaware corporation to do business there if the management team is located in San Francisco). Finally, corporate projects beyond the first list above involve significant legal work.

Intellectual Property 139

Intellectual Property Non-disclosure Agreement Delaware Stock 139

Up and Running

SEPTEMBER 20, 2021

And as the company grows, it brings on new people and may decide to issue stock options to attract new staff and funding from investors. A cap table will help you in the strategic management of business decisions. Outline your plans for future employee stock option pools. Total share ownership.

Cap Table 112

Cap Table Pre-Money Valuation Stock Options Option Pool 112

VC Cafe

SEPTEMBER 16, 2021

Let’s start with a short definition: [the creator economy] is defined as the class of businesses built by over 50 million independent content creators, curators, and community builders including social media influencers, bloggers, and videographers, plus the software and finance tools designed to help them with growth and monetization.

Startup 207

Startup Social Media Venture Capital Audio 207

ithacaVC

FEBRUARY 23, 2011

A management carve out plan (MCOP) is a written obligation of the company that, in simple terms, provides that certain management members get a predetermined slice of proceeds when a company is sold. But, in any given situation, investors may want to motivate the management team in a sale situation.

Liquidation Preference 55

Liquidation Preference Management Preferred Stock Dividend 55

Growthink Blog

JULY 2, 2010

It helps with recruiting top management talent, particularly since the value of/likelihood of exercising employee stock options appears greater. Tags: Dave Lavinsky Financing. The huge negatives of going public however were the massive amount of time required to do the pre-IPO roadshow and the $1.8 pretty exciting stuff.

Venture Capital 85

Venture Capital Stock Options New York Angel Investor 85

ithacaVC

SEPTEMBER 4, 2011

Here is the latest edition of Finance Fridays from Brad Feld called “Introducing the Cap Table and CTO” Every startup needs someone to be in charge of the Cap Table. That person is typically the inside finance person, but it does not really matter who so long is it is always current.

Cap Table 49

Cap Table Finance Option Pool Warrant 49

Early Growth Financial Services

JULY 10, 2014

One thing that’s probably not occupying much mind space as you’re building your company is managing your personal assets. Too often, entrepreneurs neglect planning for and managing personal finances as they focus on building their business, lining up financing, and steering toward an eventual liquidity event.

Liquidity Event 41

Liquidity Event Management Stock Options Founder 41

The Startup Magazine

JUNE 1, 2023

After all, you’ve likely given your employees stock options which make them part-time business owners as well. CEO, Sokolovsky is responsible for managing the company’s overall operations including managing the company’s organizational structure, guiding the WARP brand and overall company strategy.

Early Stage 143

Early Stage Los Angeles Silicon Valley Cofounder 143

Seeing Both Sides

JULY 15, 2009

VCs have an unfair advantage when it comes to financings. A typical start-up company will do 2-4 venture capital financings before a successful exit (or, conversely, an ignomious ending). In contrast, the typical venture capitalist, either individually or across their partnership, will do 5-10 financings in any given year.

Pre-Money Valuation 49

Pre-Money Valuation Option Pool Stock Options Post-Money Valuation 49

www.quora.com

SEPTEMBER 22, 2011

Type to Add and Search Questions; Search Topics and People Startups Startup Compensation Entrepreneurship Compensation Stock Options Major Internet Companies Silicon Valley Why is there such a large founder to early employee equity drop-off? 109k/year plus the option to build more widgets in the future.

Equity 40

Equity Employee Founder Cofounder 40

ithacaVC

JUNE 20, 2011

2. You need (or think you need) a stock option plan: granting stock options (and other forms of equity compensation to employees like restricted stock) should be done under a written equity incentive plan. 4. You are raising money: raising funds requires documentation regardless of type of financing.

Stock Options 58

Stock Options Vesting Subscription Agreement Founder Vesting 58

VC Cafe

NOVEMBER 1, 2024

Mabruk Matan Bar and team Melio on your $150M series E (at $2 billion valuation ) to integrate cash flow management, accounts receivable and accounts payable solutions! Impressive stuff Ori Tamuz and team DoorLoop on raising $100M series B to accelerate its journey to be the central platform for property management! Mazel tov Isaac B.

Stealth 88

Stealth Israel Generative AI Iran 88

venturehacks.com

OCTOBER 21, 2010

If you don’t keep your eyes on the option pool while you’re negotiating valuation, your investors will have you playing (and losing) a game that we like to call: Option Pool Shuffle You have successfully negotiated a $2M investment on a $8M pre-money valuation by pitting the famous Blue Shirt Capital against Herd Mentality Management.

Option Pool 68

Option Pool Pre-Money Valuation Dilution Warrant 68

Berkonomics

NOVEMBER 1, 2018

Formal option plans for some. Some companies, especially those financed by angel or VC investors, have good, formal stock option plans with properly priced options set to reward all employees and managers in the event of a corporate sale.

Stock Options 192

Stock Options Stock Distribution Programming 192

Berkonomics

AUGUST 27, 2015

Many thought that they were starting companies for their children and grandchildren to inherit and manage. They financed their companies, to the extent possible, in a manner minimizing the cost of capital, planning for organic growth in the number of customers served and in associated revenues.

Intellectual Property 48

Intellectual Property Balance Sheet Stock Options Valuation 48

Ben's Blog

APRIL 21, 2010

Six Months Later… Fast-forward six months and everyone in the company is wondering why the sales (or marketing or finance or product) guy who has produced nothing got such a monster stock option package. Meanwhile, the people doing all the work have much fewer options. What the frak just happened?

Stock Options 70

Stock Options Restful Hiring Sales 70