3 ms·

It's still better to have 10% of a billion rather than 100% of a million. It's just that "valuation" is only one of the metrics that really matters, and selling

It's still better to have 10% of a billion rather than 100% of a million. It's just that "valuation" is only one of the metrics that really matters, and selling your equity has to be done progressively and by reading the small prints in every file. It's sad that startup founders have become so good at raising money that they forget that a path to profitability + understanding the actual financials (beyond just valuation) matters.

brycelarkin 3y ago
I’d rather take 100% of a million than Fan Duels’ 0% of half a billion.
RowanH 3y ago
It's just what are the odds of 10% of a billion vs 100% of a million. Without any statistics at all to back this comment, I bet there are a magnitures more software companies out there that have made people 100% of a million, vs 10% of a billon. You're talking such a small pool (which might seem large in HN terms) when in reality there's an incredible number of small software companies globally. Of course not discouraging anyone from shooting for the moon.
- swiftcoder 3y ago
  You can also earn 100% of a million in a few years by punching the clock in a 9-5 in the big tech side of the industry. Even at that level of expected returns, startups are extremely risky investments...
- bluedino 3y ago
  > I bet there are a magnitures more software companies out there that have made people 100% of a million, vs 10% of a billon. After we signed with a vendor, the owner took us out on his boat one weekend. As we walked through the harbor he pointed out all the other boats owned by competitors and other companies in the same industry. "This is Supercom's boat, this boat is owned by the person that started Megacom, and that's Supercom's old boat and now it's owned by the Digicom guy..."
- bionsystem 3y ago
  You are nitpicking, think 50% of 10 million or whatever number you think your VC money is going to help you reach. Still better than a million. My point is you don't have to take any deal regardless of how unreasonable they are in terms of how fast your investor think you can grow, but you may want some investment to help you grow at a higher rate, sooner. The debate isn't bootstrapping vs financing but how much you can finance and under what conditions.

brycelarkin 3y ago

I’d rather take 100% of a million than Fan Duels’ 0% of half a billion.

RowanH 3y ago

It's just what are the odds of 10% of a billion vs 100% of a million. Without any statistics at all to back this comment, I bet there are a magnitures more software companies out there that have made people 100% of a million, vs 10% of a billon. You're talking such a small pool (which might seem large in HN terms) when in reality there's an incredible number of small software companies globally. Of course not discouraging anyone from shooting for the moon.

swiftcoder 3y ago
You can also earn 100% of a million in a few years by punching the clock in a 9-5 in the big tech side of the industry. Even at that level of expected returns, startups are extremely risky investments...
bluedino 3y ago
> I bet there are a magnitures more software companies out there that have made people 100% of a million, vs 10% of a billon. After we signed with a vendor, the owner took us out on his boat one weekend. As we walked through the harbor he pointed out all the other boats owned by competitors and other companies in the same industry. "This is Supercom's boat, this boat is owned by the person that started Megacom, and that's Supercom's old boat and now it's owned by the Digicom guy..."
bionsystem 3y ago
You are nitpicking, think 50% of 10 million or whatever number you think your VC money is going to help you reach. Still better than a million. My point is you don't have to take any deal regardless of how unreasonable they are in terms of how fast your investor think you can grow, but you may want some investment to help you grow at a higher rate, sooner. The debate isn't bootstrapping vs financing but how much you can finance and under what conditions.