Feb 4, 20213 Trends in Seed & Series-A VC in 20212020 was a year like no other: “lockdowns” and the sudden, mass adoption of work-from-home upended the office as many knew it. For fortunate consumers, stimulus checks and more time at home bred new and unique spending. While 2021 has graciously ushered in vaccine distribution, Americans can still expect several…Venture Capital4 min readVenture Capital4 min read
Nov 23, 2020The Bakery Model in Startup FundraisingOr Why EBITDA should be the Northstar Metric for Startups (even if it’s negative) Early 2020, Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi declared “The era of growth at all costs is over,” signifying a mentality shift towards profitability and an end of the company’s notorious habit of throwing money at problems. Funny…Startup Fundraising3 min readStartup Fundraising3 min read
Oct 12, 2020The Unit Economics Story, or “How to Market Your eComm Startup to Investors”I was recently on The E-Commerce Business Podcast and was asked for my top advice to E-Commerce startups that plan to raise capital. My answer will always be: tell me the story of your company’s unit economics. You draw the investor in with your team’s background, data on market opportunity…Ecommerce3 min readEcommerce3 min read
Aug 11, 2020E-Commerce Startup Valuation Trends: Boom or Bust?Pandemic shutdowns across the globe drove one positive effect for e-commerce companies: a boom in consumer spending. People sheltered-at-home are choosing delivery for everything from daily necessities like groceries and personal items, to home improvement projects, house plants, and more. Windfall e-commerce spending has peaked the interest of the bulge…Covid 19 Crisis5 min readCovid 19 Crisis5 min read
Jun 20, 2020Fund More Black-Owned Startups through Better Deal Sourcing StrategiesWe live in extraordinary times. In recent weeks, countless Americans shared outrage over the criminal killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and others. …8 min read8 min read
Jun 2, 2020“Dry Powder” in Venture Capital and Early-Stage FundingAn undeniable fact about investing: you need cash to do it. That means that startups searching for funding or venture capital need to focus on potential investors who have the intent and means to invest in the near term. The cash on hand that funds and investors deploy into companies…Startup2 min readStartup2 min read
Jun 2, 2020Sourcing Investors: Know Your Investor QualifiersDoes “You’re too early” sound familiar? A key component of a successful capital raise is a well-researched investor pipeline. …Startup3 min readStartup3 min read
Jun 2, 2020Raising Capital vs. Pitching: You Need an Investor Relations StrategyWho doesn’t love Shark Tank? But statistically very few early-stage investments are the result of a single pitch. Most angel and seed investments are the result of a months-long process of diligent relationship management with a well-selected group of investors. How is raising capital different than pitching? It’s conversational. After…Startup2 min readStartup2 min read
May 14, 2020Raising a Seed Round: Valuation vs. Valuation CapMost seed- and angel-stage founders consider two types of securities to receive investment: the convertible note (and its siblings: SAFE, KISS, and other notes); and equity-based investment, typically via preferred stock, AKA “priced round”. A main difference between the two is the application of a valuation cap vs. a valuation. …Startup2 min readStartup2 min read
Apr 20, 202010 Ways Venture Investors Can Support Portfolio Companies NowThe novel coronavirus (COVID-19), and its sweeping personal, societal, and economic effects have plunged the globe into a new paradigm. …Startup3 min readStartup3 min read
