Negotiating a Terms Sheet
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In negotiating a terms sheet, there are several key elements to keep in mind. Valuation is the biggest hurdle as it sets equity ownership. Key terms that often come into…
Standard Raises by Stage
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. When I ask startups how much they are raising for investment, they often quote their total raise for the life of the startup. We then talk about breaking the raise…
Know Your Burn Rate
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In determining your raise amount, consider what you need for the next 18-24 months and focus on that window rather than the entire life of the company. Raise enough to…
The Risk at Each Stage
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. I often hear investors say if the company just had revenue then the risk would be gone. But once the startup achieves revenue, the next stage of risk comes up…
How to Set Up the Cap Table
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Startups raising funding should keep track of their cap table which shows who has ownership in the business. If you have one, make sure to keep it up to date. …
Financial Projections: Depreciation
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Depreciation represents the reduced value of assets. Each asset in your business has its own useful lifetime. Based on that useful lifetime, one can expense a portion of the value…
Financial Projections: Fundraise
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Your financial projections will be important for your fundraise. Banks will want to see your projections when you apply for a loan. And investors will want to see them as…
Financial Projections: Operating Expenses
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Operating expenses are the day to day expenses a business incurs. They support the operational side of the business covering sales, marketing, product development, and administration. These expenses include legal,…
Financial Projections: Valuation
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. For later-stage startups with revenue, one can use the financial projections to estimate the company's valuation for fundraising purposes. Discounted cash flows, called the DCF method, values the company based…
Financial Projections: Key Metrics to Capture
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Your financial statements will generate a wealth of metrics on your business. Investors want to know these metrics - also called KPIs - which stands for Key Performance Indicators. You…
