“Here, I must say that some terminology in the language of finance is slightly misleading. Uber’s “loss” largely means heavy investments in other businesses and stock-based compensation stemming from the company's initial public offering.
Unsurprisingly, Travis Kalanick, Uber’s co-founder, sold nearly $1 billion in company shares the moment Uber’s IPO lockup period (read: the timeframe when you can’t sell your shares) was over. Duh.
When a company files for an IPO instead of bankruptcy, the IPO should be renamed a bailout—because modern business solutions require modern business jargon. #sarcasm”
Source: Raise and Rise: Funding Sources for Your Startup in the Era of Digital Transformation & Blockchain
“In entrepreneurial finance, the asymmetry between what needs to be backed and what actually gets financed—often driven by purely speculative expectations—is truly remarkable.
Case in point: CB Insights has been doing an admirable job publishing its "mortality reports," analyzing why some of the most promising and heavily vetted startups fail. And for years, the number one reason for failure among VC-backed startups has remained the same:
There was no market need.”
Source: Raise and Rise: Funding Sources for Your Startup in the Era of Digital Transformation & Blockchain
“The general rule of thumb for a seed-stage round is to preserve at least 80% of your equity pie.
In other words, before you hit the marketplace, don’t sell more than 20% of your company’s ownership.”
Source: Raise and Rise: Funding Sources for Your Startup in the Era of Digital Transformation & Blockchain
“Most of us eagerly celebrate yet another mega deal, cheering for a founder who landed a venture capital fund and secured a sizeable investment.
Now, let’s pause and think about what that actually means. It signals that our fellow entrepreneur has officially taken on… yes, a liability burden.”
Source: Raise and Rise: Funding Sources for Your Startup in the Era of Digital Transformation & Blockchain
“The Sublimity of Nature is God’s way of shaking you awake from the dream – it’s not about fear or dread but about being startled back into seeing clearly.”
Source: Trust: A Manual for Becoming the Void, Building Flow, and Finding Peace
“When a venture capitalist says, "We are now one team," take it with a grain of salt—and remember, his primary job is to make sure that you do yours.”
Source: Raise and Rise: Funding Sources for Your Startup in the Era of Digital Transformation & Blockchain
“You might well ask—what now then, shall I stop looking for capital?
Haha, that’s like asking whether you should get married or not—as they say, you’ll be damned if you do and damned if you don’t.”
Source: Raise and Rise: Funding Sources for Your Startup in the Era of Digital Transformation & Blockchain
“I believe that in the 21st century, we need to redefine ownership, innovation, and capital—because if we don’t, we’ll soon wake up in a modern-day feudal society. And no, I’m not kidding.
In the vast majority of countries, an average citizen can’t invest in a privately-held company—yet private equity, including direct investments, now makes up the largest share of family office portfolios, serving exclusively high-net-worth individuals.”
Source: Raise and Rise: Funding Sources for Your Startup in the Era of Digital Transformation & Blockchain
“Now, if you live in the U.S., keep in mind that the average annual interest rate for a credit card ranges between 15-19%—while store credit cards and banks like Wells Fargo charge 25% or more.
This means you’d have to generate returns comparable to the best-performing family offices—entities run by some of the most highly educated investment professionals in the world, whose full-time job is managing wealth.
So, next time a VC thoughtfully suggests you bootstrap your business with a credit card, tell him to take a hike.”
Source: Raise and Rise: Funding Sources for Your Startup in the Era of Digital Transformation & Blockchain
“Today.
We.
Have.
Everything.
You see, we now live in an age where markets—especially those with high purchasing power—are overserved to the point of absurdity.
Let’s start with the fact that we now have over 4 million apps for just about everything—from monitoring your health and tracking your pet’s habits to making harmonica sounds with an iPhone in your mouth or using the chat app Yo—which exists solely to send your friends the word "Yo."
The latter, by the way, managed to raise $1 million in seed funding.”
Source: Raise and Rise: Funding Sources for Your Startup in the Era of Digital Transformation & Blockchain