Inside the C-Suite

What entrepreneurs need to know: Funding, Investor Mantras, External Capital, The role of the board, with Brent Pearson, CEO Enboarder.

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Summary

In this episode, William Tincup and Ryan Leary interview Brent Pearson, the founder and CEO of Emborder. They discuss Brent's background in film and television, his transition to computing, and his experience with startups and co-founders. Brent shares his reasons for choosing Austin as the location for his company and talks about his motivation and driving force. They also touch on the importance of innovation and adapting to change, as well as the habits that have contributed to Brent's success. Finally, they provide advice on funding and building a board of directors. The conversation covers the changing landscape of funding, adapting to investor mantras, the value of external capital, the role of the board, knowing when to take on funding, managing a reduction in force (RIF), and future goals and milestones.


Takeaways

  • Investor mantras and funding priorities can change, so it's important to stay aware and adapt your strategy accordingly.
  • Bootstrap your company as much as possible in the early stages, but consider external capital when you're ready to scale.
  • View your board as a valuable resource and partner, rather than an enemy to be managed.
  • When planning a reduction in force (RIF), prioritize clear communication, empathy, and minimizing disruption to the company culture.
  • Set clear goals and milestones for the future of your company, and be open to potential mergers or acquisitions for growth and innovation.


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    Chapters

    00:00 Introduction and Background

    04:27 Brent's Journey from Film to Computing

    07:12 Experience with Startups and Co-Founders

    13:12 Living in Boston and Choosing Austin

    19:46 Motivation and Driving Force

    25:42 Innovation and Adapting to Change

    27:50 Habits for Success

    33:25 Funding and Board Advice

    34:03 Changing Landscape of Funding

    35:50 Adapting to Investor Mantras

    36:19 The Value of External Capital

    37:18 The Role of the Board

    38:15 Knowing When to Take on Funding

    39:02 Managing a Reduction in Force (RIF)

    43:43 Future Goals and Milestones

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    Inside the C-SuiteBy WRKdefined