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Todays show:
Moniepoint made waves this week by raising a massive $110 million Series C. For a startup in a category (fintech) that has seen its venture fortunes falter and a company building for the African market (which has seen its venture inflows slow), Moniepoint is an outlier – twice. Three times if you consider how quickly the company has grown in recent years. How did its round come together? How was it priced? And why aren't more investors putting capital to work in Africa? Tune in, we have answers.
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Timestamps: (0:00) Alex Wilhelm kicks off the show
(1:21) Moniepoint's origin story and pivot to the current model
(10:30) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist
(10:13) Balancing profitability and venture capital
(16:48) Digitalization's impact on Moniepoint's growth
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(26:43) Moniepoint's office and IPO strategies
(28:18) Launch of consumer banking services
(31:07) Linear - Streamline issues, projects, and product roadmaps in a tool your team will actually enjoy using. Get 25% off at https://www.linear.app/twist
(32:07) The recent fundraising round and valuation insights
(38:32) Moniepoint's expansion plans in Africa
(42:17) Fostering the early-stage startup ecosystem
(44:18) Tosin's journey in angel investing
(46:38) Spotlight on African startups in the global market
(49:37) Angel University - Apply now at https://www.angel.univeristy
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(31:07) Linear - Streamline issues, projects, and product roadmaps in a tool your team will actually enjoy using. Get 25% off at https://www.linear.app/twist
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Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland
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Todays show:
Alex Wilhelm interviews leaders from Monte Carlo and Mastertech.ai, exploring their roles in data observability and AI applications. Linda Gray shares her journey founding Mastertech.ai and highlighting AI's transformative role in auto shops.(2:05) Monte Carlo's Lior Gavish discusses the importance of data downtime and AI's influence on data monitoring. (35:51)
*
Timestamps: (0:00) Alex Wilhelm kicks off the show
(2:05) Linda Gray's career and Mastertech.ai origin
(5:17) Mastertech.ai and the auto repair industry
(8:06) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist
(9:11) Technological adoption and Mastertech.ai's benefits
(16:18) Mastertech.ai's OEM approval process and community data
(20:50) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST
(22:20) Mastertech.ai's AI-driven diagnostics demo
(34:34) Kalshi—the largest regulated predictions market—now lets you trade on US elections. Visit https://www.kalshi.com/twist to see live odds, trade, and get $20 when you deposit $100.
(35:51) Lior Gavish from Monte Carlo joins Alex
(45:15) AI's accelerant effect on Monte Carlo's growth and strategy *
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Monte Carlo: https://www.montecarlodata.com
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Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland
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This Week in Startups is brought to you by…
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Cloud Devs. Building the best remote team is tough, but you don't have to do it alone. Visit https://www.clouddevs.com/twist for an unbeatable offer on hiring elite Latam talent today.
Kalshi. Kalshi the largest regulated predictions market—now lets you trade on US elections. Visit https://www.kalshi.com/twist to see live odds, trade, and get $20 when you deposit $100.
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Todays show:
Sonos director Mattias Scheek joins Jason & Alex to discuss his journey in audio technology and Sonos acquisition. Then, Jason and Alex dive into election security (34:57), influencer marketing, Google's upcoming AI release (1:10:42), and more!
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Timestamps:
(0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show
(3:18) Earnings week predictions & discussion on national debt
(9:17) DigitalOcean. DigitalOcean is the cloud platform you need to turn your AI project into a rocket ship. Right now, approved listeners can get up to $100,000 in free credits to try us out. Visit https://do.co/twist - get started and view terms and conditions.
(10:24) Mattias Scheek from Sonos joins the show
(11:23) Mattias Scheek's journey in audio technology and Sonos acquisition
(17:49) Challenges for hardware startups in venture capital
(20:25) Getting acquired: The process, strategy, and life after
(22:04) Cloud Devs - Visit https://www.clouddevs.com/twist for an unbeatable offer on hiring elite Latam talent today.
(23:11) Sonos' hi-fi strategy and industry issues in audio clarity
(33:08) Kalshi - Visit https://www.kalshi.com/twist today to see live election odds, place a trade, and get $20 dollars when you deposit $100. (34:57) Voting irregularities, election security, and influencer marketing
(45:14) Trump Rogan YouTube search issues and search engine comparison
(53:06) Monetization experiments on YouTube and Launch Cloud Kitchens Incubator
(1:10:42) Google's upcoming AI model for PC browsers and cybersecurity risks
(1:15:52) Apple's app permissions approach and AI
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Mentioned on the show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWnUry6mCxs
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Follow Mattias:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattias-scheek-539a0349/
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X: https://x.com/alex
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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis
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Thank you to our partners:
(9:17) DigitalOcean. DigitalOcean is the cloud platform you need to turn your AI project into a rocket ship. Right now, approved listeners can get up to $100,000 in free credits to try us out. Visit https://do.co/twist - get started and view terms and conditions.
(22:04) Cloud Devs - Visit https://www.clouddevs.com/twist for an unbeatable offer on hiring elite Latam talent today.
(33:08) Kalshi - Visit https://www.kalshi.com/twist today to see live election odds, place a trade, and get $20 dollars when you deposit $100.
*
Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland
*
Check out Jason's suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis
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Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com
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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916
In this episode: Alex talks with Shensi Ding from Merge, who shares her transition from finance to tech and highlights the critical role of integrations in modern businesses. They explore the challenges of building and maintaining these integrations, emphasizing the importance of standardized data models. Shensi discusses partnerships and the strategies to overcome resistance. The conversation delves into trust-building, enhancing integration observability, and expanding Merge's offerings to include AI applications. They also touch on financial efficiency, growth strategies, and Merge's evolution beyond APIs, concluding with insights into future plans and potential acquisition interest. * Timestamps: (0:00) Alex kicks off the show with guest Shensi Ding of Merge.
(5:18) Shensi's journey from finance to tech and the importance of integrations (10:20) The challenges of building and maintaining integrations
(11:19) Coda. Empower your startup with Coda's Team plan for free—get 6 months at https://www.Coda.io/twist
(13:17) Identifying the market gap for Merge and the benefits of standardized data models (17:39) Partnership building, Salesforce integration, and overcoming resistance
(20:07) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist
(21:16) Further discussion on trust-building and integration challenges (26:04) Enhancing integration observability and customer support
(30:01) Micro1 - Visit https://www.micro1.ai/twist to get 10 free AI Interviews and 2 weeks free per hire
(31:21) Expanding Merge's integration list and its AI applications (35:27) Discussing financial efficiency, runway management, and team dynamics (43:16) Growth strategies, customer base expansion, and go-to-market experiments (47:10) Pricing strategies, customer value, and market trends (50:05) Future plans for Merge, acquisition interest, and long-term vision (52:26) Evolution of Merge beyond API focus.
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Thank you to our partners:
(11:19) Coda. Empower your startup with Coda's Team plan for free—get 6 months at https://www.Coda.io/twist
(20:07) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist
(30:01) Micro1 - Visit https://www.micro1.ai/twist to get 10 free AI Interviews and 2 weeks free per hire
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Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland
*
Check out Jason's suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis
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Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com
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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916
In this episode we look back at all the Jam with JCal sessions from 2024. This is where startups pitch their groundbreaking ideas to Jason, covering everything from AI-driven investor tools and gamified publisher rewards to sleep tech and architecture compliance software. Watch as these innovative founders get unfiltered feedback and game-changing advice! Don't miss these exciting pitches that could be the next big thing.
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Timestamps: (0:00) Alex kicks off the show, setting the stage for our "Jam with JCal" season recap, focusing on startups using .TECH domains.
(0:53) Jason discusses the origins of the Jam with JCal sessions and how Travis from Uber inspired the format.
(1:39) Ramsey Shaffer presents Uptrends AI, explaining how it helps financial advisors manage and stay ahead of market news.
(17:24) Ana Malhotra introduces Rome, a yard-sharing service for dogs.
(32:24) Tyce Herrman talks about Ullama, software for architects that analyzes 3D building models for code compliance, highlighting their journey and challenges.
(44:56) Ulan Abdurazakov presents CorePod, an AI-powered device designed to help users get better sleep with personalized voice interaction
(57:25) Elliot Easterling presents Bonbon, a rewards platform for publishers to boost engagement through gamification, and discusses their go-to-market strategy.
*
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Get your .TECH domain here: https://get.tech/
Check out Uptrends AI:https://www.uptrends-ai.tech/
Check out the Rome app: https://theromeapp.tech/
Check out Ulama: https://www.ulama.tech/
Check out CorePod: https://www.corepod.tech/
Check out Bonbon: https://bonbon.tech
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Follow Ramsey:
X: https://x.com/RamseyShaffer
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ramseyshaffer/
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X: https://x.com/TheAnaMalhotra
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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ulanbek-abdurazakov/
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Follow Elliot:
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Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland
*
Check out Jason's suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis
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Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com
*
Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916
This Week in Startups is brought to you by…
LinkedIn Ads. To redeem a $100 LinkedIn ad credit and launch your first campaign, go to https://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups
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Todays show:
Jason and Alex dive into the latest updates from Claude AI, exploring the new "Use Computer" feature and its implications. Next, Andrew Lissimore of headphones.com shares the journey of turning a side hustle into a thriving business, highlighting the advantages of owning a premium domain and leveraging YouTube for customer acquisition. The team from Prandtl Dynamics then joins to showcase their handcrafted, anti-drone technology. Finally, the episode concludes with an in-depth discussion on TollBit's Series A funding and their strategies for scaling in the competitive marketplace space.
*
Timestamps:
(0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show
(2:52) Anthropic's latest launch, Claude 3.5 Sonnet capable of "Computer use".
(8:33) Future of AI assistants and employment effects
(10:11) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at https://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups
(11:36) AI's impact on white-collar jobs and economic implications
(21:12) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist
(22:13) Andrew Lissimore from headphones.com joins the show
(30:38) Beehiiv - Get 30 days free and 20% off your first 3 months at https://www.beehiiv.com/twist
(32:06) Deep dive into high-end audio and audiophile community
(38:03) The role of reviews and content at headphones.com
(47:00) Leveraging Organic search and YouTube for brand growth
(50:11) Prandtl Dynamics team on anti-drone technology
(55:21) Building cost-effective anti-drone solutions
(1:03:42) Prandtl Dynamics business potential and funding
(1:09:04) TollBit's Series A funding news and AI data marketplace
*
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Check out Prandtl Dynamics: https://prandtl.ca
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Follow Andrew:
X: https://x.com/andrewlissimore
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewlissimore
Website: https://www.headphones.com
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(30:38) Beehiiv - Get 30 days free and 20% off your first 3 months at https://www.beehiiv.com/twist
*
Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland
*
Check out Jason's suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis
*
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Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com
*
Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916
This Week in Startups is brought to you by…
Squarespace. Turn your idea into a new website! Go to https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST for a free trial. When you're ready to launch, use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.
LinkedIn Jobs. A business is only as strong as its people, and every hire matters. Go to https://www.linkedin.com/twist to post your first job for free. Terms and conditions apply
Kalshi. The largest regulated predictions market—now lets you trade on US elections. Visit kalshi.com/twist to see live odds, trade, and get $20 when you deposit $100.
*
Timestamps:
(0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show
(4:10) Heritage Foundation's stance on election integrity and fraud
(11:18) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST
(12:48) Technological improvements for secure elections
(21:07) Hans von Spakovsky's perspective on the 2020 election
(22:29) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups
(24:01) Election security and legal consequences of fraud
(30:06) Closing remarks on election security
(32:11) Reflecting on the election fraud discussion and transfer of power
(31:00) (28:22) Kalshi - Visit https://www.kalshi.com/twist today to see live election odds, place a trade, and get $20 dollars when you deposit $100.
(36:06) Introduction of Rafat Ali and discussion on Uber-Expedia rumors
(42:16) Evaluating the potential Uber-Expedia acquisition
(45:04) Challenges and consumer behavior in online travel industry
(48:33) Future of loyalty programs and travel industry partnerships
(52:17) Uber's strategic moves in the travel sector
(57:00) AI advancements in travel and media
(1:00:19) Media strategies and data monetization
(1:05:21) Skift's business model, LinkedIn's role, and remote work strategies
(1:11:24) Skift's growth and potential IPO discussion
(1:13:18) Uber's expansion into the airline industry
(1:15:41) Latest developments in AI with Anthropic's Claude 3.5 model
(1:20:07) Announcement of Angel University workshop
*
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Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com
Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp
*
Mentioned on the show:
Check out The Heritage Foundation: https://www.heritage.org/
Check out The Heritage Foundation's database: https://www.heritage.org/voterfraud
Check out Skift: https://skift.com/
*
Follow Hans:
X: https://x.com/HvonSpakovsky
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hans-von-spakovsky-0a544913/
Follow Rafat:
X: https://x.com/rafat
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rafatali/
*
Follow Alex:
X: https://x.com/alex
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm
*
Follow Jason:
X: https://twitter.com/Jason
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis
*
Thank you to our partners:
(11:18) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://www.Squarespace.com/TWIST
(22:29) LinkedIn Ads - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at http://www.linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups
(31:00) (28:22) Kalshi - Visit https://www.kalshi.com/twist today to see live election odds, place a trade, and get $20 dollars when you deposit $100.
*
Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland
*
Check out Jason's suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis
*
Follow TWiST:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups
Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com
*
Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@founderuniversity1916
This Week in Startups is brought to you by…
DigitalOcean's GPU Droplet - simple flexible, affordable, and scalable machines for your AI/ML workloads. Spin up powerful GPU virtual machines and start training models, building agents, or digging deep into huge data sets in seconds—and spin them back down just as quickly. With options ranging from single-GPU configurations to setups with 8 GPUs, you can scale computing power based on your specific needs without having to make upfront hardware investments. Get up to 100k in free Credits at https://www.do.co/twist!
Oracle - Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, or OCI, is a single platform for your infrastructure, database, application development, and AI needs. Save up to 50% on your cloud bill at https://www.oracle.com/twist
Kalshi—the largest regulated predictions market—now lets you trade on US elections. Visit https://www.kalshi.com/twist to see live odds, trade, and get $20 when you deposit $100.
*
Todays show:
Alex Wilhelm joins Jason to discuss the GPU market insights and the discovery of a new prime number. John LePore from BlackBox Infinite joins to discuss bridging science fiction with real-world tech, focusing on VisionPRO and Hollywood VFX. The discussion shifts to autonomous driving, Tesla's safety improvements, and Stripe's acquisition of Bridge.
*
Timestamps:
(0:00) Jason and Alex kick off the show
(5:15) Discovery of a new prime number and GPU market insights
(7:15) BlackBox Infinite's John LePore joins the show
(10:06) DigitalOcean - Approved listeners can get up to $100,000 in free credits to try out. Visit https://www.do.co/twist to get started. Terms and conditions apply
(11:54) VisionPRO app development and Hollywood VFX integration
(16:51) Oracle - Try OCI and save up to 50% on your cloud bill at https://www.oracle.com/twist
(18:35) Bridging the gap between science fiction and real-world technology
(20:36) Deep dive into the F1 experience prototype
(28:22) Kalshi - Visit https://www.kalshi.com/twist today to see live election odds, place a trade, and get $20 dollars when you deposit $100.
(29:35) Inspirational media and its impact on technology
(32:10) The influence of science fiction interfaces on real-world tech
(38:59) How safe is self-driving technology today?
(1:03:11) Stripe buying Stablecoin provider Bridge *
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Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland
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Todays show:
Cacheflow's Sarika Garg joins Alex Wilhelm to discuss the challenges of B2B software sales (4:26), finding product-market fit (14:08), HubSpot's acquisition of Cacheflow (17:32), and more!
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Timestamps:
(0:00) Cacheflow's Sarika Garg joins Alex
(2:25) Sarika Garg's startup journey and founding of Cacheflow
(4:26) Challenges in B2B software sales, managing billing complexities, and SaaS explosion
(10:09) Initial funding, product development, and growth
(10:34) AssemblyAI - Get 100 free hours to start building at https://www.assemblyai.com/twist
(14:08) Finding product-market fit and scaling strategies
(17:32) HubSpot's acquisition of Cacheflow
(21:20) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at https://www.vanta.com/twist
(22:24) Preparing for Series A and positioning as an AI company
(24:57) Deal with HubSpot and integration plans
(29:41) Runway - Sign up at https://runway.com/twist to get your first 3 months free
(30:58) Diverse cap table, early exit, and founder lessons
(33:45) Importance of a part-time CFO and organizational efficiency
(37:26) Integration with HubSpot's Commerce Hub
(39:02) Shifts in SaaS buying behavior and future plans at HubSpot
(47:01) Remote work's impact
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Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland
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Todays show: Kruze's Scott Orn joins Jason on the latest edition of Startup Finance Basics! In this episode, they break down the best financial advice that VCs give founders including, managing cash flow (0:21), accounting methods (5:19), building an effective financial plan (15:22), and more!
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Timestamps:
(00:00) Kruze COO, Scott Orn, joins Jason
(0:21) The best financial advice VCs give startups, managing cash flow, and the risks of over-fundraising
(5:19) Growth strategies for early-stage startups and accounting methods
(8:28) Legal aspects of financial representation and maintaining credibility with VCs
(15:00) Building an effective financial plan for your startup
(17:47) Historical perspectives on funding and the importance of regulatory considerations
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Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland
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Check out Jason's suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis
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