But just like how money can't buy you happiness, it also can't buy you PM fit.
Saturday thoughts on funding: Where it helps. Where it doesn't. And how it affects team, success, and PM fit.
This is just my $0.02 after looking reviewing 30k+ early stage startups personally and having led 350+ investments across 2 VC firms & as an angel.
Let's begin! >>
But just like how money can't buy you happiness, it also can't buy you PM fit.
But for software startups, it's unclear if ppl want your product at your price pt.
But having sales does not mean that you have a repeatable customer acquisition process that can be sustainable
Frankly speaking, finding PM fit is a LOT of luck. This explains why a lot of serial entrepreneurs who were successful on 1 venture have a hard time repeating that.
It's not a lack of capabilities.
This is why SV VCs will often back "failed founders" again, because that failure isn't (always) an indicator of the founder -- there's also that big LUCK component of finding (or not finding) PM fit.
I mentioned 1 way -- experience in seeing and doing a lot. (and learning)
Another way: focusing on only things that matter (mostly derisking sales) & ignoring all else to utilize time and resources efficiently and quickly
But doing just 1 talk feels like nothing but it adds up.
Now where does money come into this?
And that affects runway. Runway affects # of PM fit experiments.
Then, by extension of their runway, they find strong PM fit and the rest is history.
However, I'm very aware that MOST founders don't get 2nd or 3rd chances like this.
Should ppl get more shots on goal? That's a philosophical q above my paygrade. But the way we operate @HustleFundVC is that we just assume that each of our cos will only get 1 shot on goal.
3 addl rounds -> your ROI is cut in half & that may not even return the fund even if the co "wins".
The flip side is if you don't have PM fit, having more ppl on the team makes getting to PM fit HARDER not easier in many cases.
More from Elizabeth Yin
Today's thread is on the affiliate business model. Many years ago, I used to be an affiliate marketer. If there is any way to get schooled in marketing, becoming an affiliate marketer is probably the best way.
What is affiliate marketing and why should you care?
Read on >>
1) Affiliate marketing is selling products or generating leads on behalf of other companies and getting paid a commission for those products.
2) Some notable examples you've seen before:
NerdWallet - you read their articles on best credit cards. You click on a link to one of those cards. You fill out an application. They get paid for delivering that lead to the cc company.
3) In https://t.co/kSfWS69ybp - same thing. Any of their financial products -- you fill out an application, and https://t.co/mCrBT43mOj gets paid for that.
But the affiliate revenue model applies beyond financial services products.
4) Wirecutter -- you see a neat product they review or talk about. You click through and buy.
Wirecutter gets a cut of that transaction.
What is affiliate marketing and why should you care?
Read on >>
1) Affiliate marketing is selling products or generating leads on behalf of other companies and getting paid a commission for those products.
2) Some notable examples you've seen before:
NerdWallet - you read their articles on best credit cards. You click on a link to one of those cards. You fill out an application. They get paid for delivering that lead to the cc company.
3) In https://t.co/kSfWS69ybp - same thing. Any of their financial products -- you fill out an application, and https://t.co/mCrBT43mOj gets paid for that.
But the affiliate revenue model applies beyond financial services products.
4) Wirecutter -- you see a neat product they review or talk about. You click through and buy.
Wirecutter gets a cut of that transaction.
More from Startups
1/ Tuesday was my last day as CEO of @CircleUp. I’ve been CEO since starting the co. in 2011 with my co-founder @roryeakin.
This is a thread about what happened, why and my emotions about it. For more detail:
https://t.co/vYImcm1bTM
Much of this I have never talked about.
2/ My goals: I hope it helps founders feel less lonely than I did. Little public content about the challenges of transitioning exists, but I longed for it. I’m not here to provide a playbook- just to share my experience. Hope it might build greater empathy.
Here goes….
3/ Why: When I tell people that I’m transitioning to an Exec Chairman role their first question is always: “why?” Short answer: co. pivot + fertility issues + health issues + a false sense that grit was always the answer = burnout. Long answer: is longer so hang in there with me
4/ Over a 12-18 month period that ended in late 2017 I ran my tank far beyond empty for far too long. You know that sound your car makes when it’s sputtering for more gas? It was like that. Worst year of my life. Since then it has felt like bone on bone.
5/ Here is what happened:
Professionally: pivoting a Series C company was a living hell in and of itself, as I’ve talked about before.
This is a thread about what happened, why and my emotions about it. For more detail:
https://t.co/vYImcm1bTM
Much of this I have never talked about.
2/ My goals: I hope it helps founders feel less lonely than I did. Little public content about the challenges of transitioning exists, but I longed for it. I’m not here to provide a playbook- just to share my experience. Hope it might build greater empathy.
Here goes….
3/ Why: When I tell people that I’m transitioning to an Exec Chairman role their first question is always: “why?” Short answer: co. pivot + fertility issues + health issues + a false sense that grit was always the answer = burnout. Long answer: is longer so hang in there with me
4/ Over a 12-18 month period that ended in late 2017 I ran my tank far beyond empty for far too long. You know that sound your car makes when it’s sputtering for more gas? It was like that. Worst year of my life. Since then it has felt like bone on bone.
5/ Here is what happened:
Professionally: pivoting a Series C company was a living hell in and of itself, as I’ve talked about before.
1/ We Pivoted a few yrs ago. This is the story- mostly my feelings. It has never been told publicly.
— Ryan Caldbeck (@ryan_caldbeck) April 16, 2019
This will be rambly and represents the chaos in my head at the time. There is [hopefully] no advice here. I don\u2019t know if we did it right.
I gathered the best design tools for startups.
Save 100+ hours researching.
A thread 🧵👇️
1. https://t.co/JuO4PMIkK6
Checklist Design is a collection of best UI and UX practices to provide a complete, honest and rewarding experience for your users.
Price: Free
{ 1 / 12 }
2. https://t.co/pBbmgt6ITD
Coolors is a super fast color schemes generator for designers. Create, save and share perfect palettes in seconds!
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{ 2 / 12 }
3. https://t.co/GYboviE1yX
Blush makes it easy for anyone to add stunning illustrations to their work with a huge collection of designs from artists around globe.
Price: Free + Paid
{ 3 / 12 }
4. https://t.co/eLsLkLAyNm
Feather is a collection of simply beautiful open source icons. Each icon is designed on a 24x24 grid with an emphasis on simplicity, consistency and readability.
Price: Free
{ 4 / 12 }
Save 100+ hours researching.
A thread 🧵👇️
1. https://t.co/JuO4PMIkK6
Checklist Design is a collection of best UI and UX practices to provide a complete, honest and rewarding experience for your users.
Price: Free
{ 1 / 12 }
2. https://t.co/pBbmgt6ITD
Coolors is a super fast color schemes generator for designers. Create, save and share perfect palettes in seconds!
Price: Free
{ 2 / 12 }
3. https://t.co/GYboviE1yX
Blush makes it easy for anyone to add stunning illustrations to their work with a huge collection of designs from artists around globe.
Price: Free + Paid
{ 3 / 12 }
4. https://t.co/eLsLkLAyNm
Feather is a collection of simply beautiful open source icons. Each icon is designed on a 24x24 grid with an emphasis on simplicity, consistency and readability.
Price: Free
{ 4 / 12 }
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