VC Minute

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The next two post-funding mistakes are over-spending and not forecasting cash. Cash is king!

About Bolster
Bolster is the new way to find the right executives. We supercharge startup growth by matching CEOs with transformational leaders—without the hassle of traditional talent sourcing. Built by entrepreneurs for entrepreneurs, the Bolster marketplace is packed with diverse, highly qualified talent ready for executive, advisory, or board roles. Our no-nonsense, no-frills approach makes it easier than ever for startups to find the right leaders and for leaders to find the perfect next opportunity. Start your search at bolster.com.

About SpringTime Ventures
SpringTime Ventures seeds high-growth startups in healthcare, fintech, logistics, and marketplace businesses. We look for founders with domain expertise, forging a path with a truly transformative technology. We only invest in software-based businesses in the USA. We bring a people-focused approach, work quickly, and reach conviction independently. Our initial check size is $600k. You can learn more about us and our approach.   

About Rich Maloy
Rich’s mission is to rebuild the American dream through entrepreneurship. He believes technology gives all people the opportunity to grow, learn and earn. He is a Managing Partner at SpringTime Ventures and the host of the VC Minute podcast. With prior careers in finance and sales, he's been focused on the startup ecosystem for over a dozen years. He's a father of two young children and loves sci-fi, skiing, and video games.  

Text your thoughts directly to Rich.

There are three post-funding mistakes Matt regularly sees from founders. The first is under-reporting.

About Bolster
Bolster is the new way to find the right executives. We supercharge startup growth by matching CEOs with transformational leaders—without the hassle of traditional talent sourcing. Built by entrepreneurs for entrepreneurs, the Bolster marketplace is packed with diverse, highly qualified talent ready for executive, advisory, or board roles. Our no-nonsense, no-frills approach makes it easier than ever for startups to find the right leaders and for leaders to find the perfect next opportunity. Start your search at bolster.com.

About SpringTime Ventures
SpringTime Ventures seeds high-growth startups in healthcare, fintech, logistics, and marketplace businesses. We look for founders with domain expertise, forging a path with a truly transformative technology. We only invest in software-based businesses in the USA. We bring a people-focused approach, work quickly, and reach conviction independently. Our initial check size is $600k. You can learn more about us and our approach.   

About Rich Maloy
Rich’s mission is to rebuild the American dream through entrepreneurship. He believes technology gives all people the opportunity to grow, learn and earn. He is a Managing Partner at SpringTime Ventures and the host of the VC Minute podcast. With prior careers in finance and sales, he's been focused on the startup ecosystem for over a dozen years. He's a father of two young children and loves sci-fi, skiing, and video games.  

Text your thoughts directly to Rich.

While funding is down, it's down less at Seed. Angel investing is down, but it's likely leveled out and will hold steady. There is still a plethora of capital available, there are incredible tools to start businesses using low/no-code. There's never been a better time to start a company.

About Carta
Carta builds infrastructure for tomorrow's innovators. Founders can manage their equity, issue options, and pay fairly using Carta Cap Table and Compensation tools. You can get a weekly peek into data from 38,000 startups across the world by subscribing to our Data Minute newsletter.

About SpringTime Ventures
SpringTime Ventures seeds high-growth startups in healthcare, fintech, logistics, and marketplace businesses. We look for founders with domain expertise, forging a path with a truly transformative technology. We only invest in software-based businesses in the USA. We bring a people-focused approach, work quickly, and reach conviction independently. Our initial check size is $600k. You can learn more about us and our approach.   

About Rich Maloy
Rich’s mission is to rebuild the American dream through entrepreneurship. He believes technology gives all people the opportunity to grow, learn and earn. He is a Managing Partner at SpringTime Ventures and the host of the VC Minute podcast. With prior careers in finance and sales, he's been focused on the startup ecosystem for over a dozen years. He's a father of two young children and loves sci-fi, skiing, and video games.  

Text your thoughts directly to Rich.

Need help building your option pool? Carta has a tool: https://carta.com/option-pool-calculator/

Please listen to Peter's message about option exercise window. Personally, I agree with him that exercise windows should be longer for employees. The 90-day industry standard is just an arbitrary number. 


About Carta
Carta builds infrastructure for tomorrow's innovators. Founders can manage their equity, issue options, and pay fairly using Carta Cap Table and Compensation tools. You can get a weekly peek into data from 38,000 startups across the world by subscribing to our Data Minute newsletter.

About SpringTime Ventures
SpringTime Ventures seeds high-growth startups in healthcare, fintech, logistics, and marketplace businesses. We look for founders with domain expertise, forging a path with a truly transformative technology. We only invest in software-based businesses in the USA. We bring a people-focused approach, work quickly, and reach conviction independently. Our initial check size is $600k. You can learn more about us and our approach.   

About Rich Maloy
Rich’s mission is to rebuild the American dream through entrepreneurship. He believes technology gives all people the opportunity to grow, learn and earn. He is a Managing Partner at SpringTime Ventures and the host of the VC Minute podcast. With prior careers in finance and sales, he's been focused on the startup ecosystem for over a dozen years. He's a father of two young children and loves sci-fi, skiing, and video games.  

Text your thoughts directly to Rich.

As fundraising constricts, investor-friendly terms come out. Understand the effect these terms have on you and your company, as well as the effects of stacking SAFEs.

Here is the FREE Carta SAFE & Convertible Note calculator:
https://carta.com/blog/safe-and-convertible-note-calculator/

About Carta
Carta builds infrastructure for tomorrow's innovators. Founders can manage their equity, issue options, and pay fairly using Carta Cap Table and Compensation tools. You can get a weekly peek into data from 38,000 startups across the world by subscribing to our Data Minute newsletter.

About SpringTime Ventures
SpringTime Ventures seeds high-growth startups in healthcare, fintech, logistics, and marketplace businesses. We look for founders with domain expertise, forging a path with a truly transformative technology. We only invest in software-based businesses in the USA. We bring a people-focused approach, work quickly, and reach conviction independently. Our initial check size is $600k. You can learn more about us and our approach.   

About Rich Maloy
Rich’s mission is to rebuild the American dream through entrepreneurship. He believes technology gives all people the opportunity to grow, learn and earn. He is a Managing Partner at SpringTime Ventures and the host of the VC Minute podcast. With prior careers in finance and sales, he's been focused on the startup ecosystem for over a dozen years. He's a father of two young children and loves sci-fi, skiing, and video games.  

Text your thoughts directly to Rich.

On Tuesday, September 12th our friend and operating partner at SpringTime, Jessie Dixon, passed away after a battle with cancer.

Her obituary and details about the celebration of life is here: https://www.horancares.com/obituaries/jessie-dixon

She was previously a co-founder at Havenly, and in the e-commerce industry before getting into the startup world. More importantly, she was a wife and a mother of two.

Our loved ones live on through the stories we tell about them. And in the spirit of VC Minute offering quick advice to startup founders, I invited some friends of the pod  to share their memories of Jessie  and the lasting advice they will take forward with them.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a donation to Hope Kids' Colorado Chapter https://hopekids.org/inhonorofjessie/

Text your thoughts directly to Rich.

We all know that valuations are down and that down rounds are up. But does a down round need to be a stigma? Some great companies have been built after down rounds. 

About Carta
Carta builds infrastructure for tomorrow's innovators. Founders can manage their equity, issue options, and pay fairly using Carta Cap Table and Compensation tools. You can get a weekly peek into data from 38,000 startups across the world by subscribing to our Data Minute newsletter.

About SpringTime Ventures
SpringTime Ventures seeds high-growth startups in healthcare, fintech, logistics, and marketplace businesses. We look for founders with domain expertise, forging a path with a truly transformative technology. We only invest in software-based businesses in the USA. We bring a people-focused approach, work quickly, and reach conviction independently. Our initial check size is $600k. You can learn more about us and our approach.   

About Rich Maloy
Rich’s mission is to rebuild the American dream through entrepreneurship. He believes technology gives all people the opportunity to grow, learn and earn. He is a Managing Partner at SpringTime Ventures and the host of the VC Minute podcast. With prior careers in finance and sales, he's been focused on the startup ecosystem for over a dozen years. He's a father of two young children and loves sci-fi, skiing, and video games.  

Text your thoughts directly to Rich.

Founders, whatever you think it's going to take you to raise this funding, it's probably going to take longer. So begin those conversations earlier than you think you need to.

About Carta
Carta builds infrastructure for tomorrow's innovators. Founders can manage their equity, issue options, and pay fairly using Carta Cap Table and Compensation tools. You can get a weekly peek into data from 38,000 startups across the world by subscribing to our Data Minute newsletter.

About SpringTime Ventures
SpringTime Ventures seeds high-growth startups in healthcare, fintech, logistics, and marketplace businesses. We look for founders with domain expertise, forging a path with a truly transformative technology. We only invest in software-based businesses in the USA. We bring a people-focused approach, work quickly, and reach conviction independently. Our initial check size is $600k. You can learn more about us and our approach.   

About Rich Maloy
Rich’s mission is to rebuild the American dream through entrepreneurship. He believes technology gives all people the opportunity to grow, learn and earn. He is a Managing Partner at SpringTime Ventures and the host of the VC Minute podcast. With prior careers in finance and sales, he's been focused on the startup ecosystem for over a dozen years. He's a father of two young children and loves sci-fi, skiing, and video games.  

Text your thoughts directly to Rich.

Founders are always going to add value no matter how big or small the check size is.

About Rescripted
Reaching 9M people monthly, Rescripted is the #1 global media platform for women's health and fertility, providing content, tools, and resources for wherever you are in your reproductive lifecycle. Learn more at rescripted.com, and follow along at @hellorescripted on Instagram and TikTok.

About SpringTime Ventures
SpringTime Ventures seeds high-growth startups in healthcare, fintech, logistics, and marketplace businesses. We look for founders with domain expertise, forging a path with a truly transformative technology. We only invest in software-based businesses in the USA. We bring a people-focused approach, work quickly, and reach conviction independently. Our initial check size is $600k. You can learn more about us and our approach.   

About Rich Maloy
Rich’s mission is to rebuild the American dream through entrepreneurship. He believes technology gives all people the opportunity to grow, learn and earn. He is a Managing Partner at SpringTime Ventures and the host of the VC Minute podcast. With prior careers in finance and sales, he's been focused on the startup ecosystem for over a dozen years. He's a father of two young children and loves sci-fi, skiing, and video games. 

Text your thoughts directly to Rich.

Rescripted has over 60 Angels on its cap table. How did they do it? Networking "like a crazy person."

About Rescripted
Reaching 9M people monthly, Rescripted is the #1 global media platform for women's health and fertility, providing content, tools, and resources for wherever you are in your reproductive lifecycle. Learn more at rescripted.com, and follow along at @hellorescripted on Instagram and TikTok.

About SpringTime Ventures
SpringTime Ventures seeds high-growth startups in healthcare, fintech, logistics, and marketplace businesses. We look for founders with domain expertise, forging a path with a truly transformative technology. We only invest in software-based businesses in the USA. We bring a people-focused approach, work quickly, and reach conviction independently. Our initial check size is $600k. You can learn more about us and our approach.   

About Rich Maloy
Rich’s mission is to rebuild the American dream through entrepreneurship. He believes technology gives all people the opportunity to grow, learn and earn. He is a Managing Partner at SpringTime Ventures and the host of the VC Minute podcast. With prior careers in finance and sales, he's been focused on the startup ecosystem for over a dozen years. He's a father of two young children and loves sci-fi, skiing, and video games.