Growth minds’ Post

Investors take note 📝 No matter what you think about “founder mode”, companies led by founders grow faster and produce better returns (on average). This is a critical reason to help your founders get coaches and connect with supportive peer forums 🚀 Reach out to explore how we can partner to help your founders succeed! Read the full article by Rosie Bradbury: https://lnkd.in/dtZ4_u53 #startupdevelopment

Here's what to expect from your investors on board roles.

I’ve had the privilege of witnessing various board meetings at startup companies. It’s quite clear what differentiates the bad and great investor involvement. Founders should look out for these: ❌Bad: They don’t express a view to move forward ✅Great: They offer good advice, clear action and even take ownership of them. Work with other investors to resolve differences and land on consensus ❌Bad: Prioritising ‘winners’ in their portfolio ✅Great: Showing up for portfolio companies without favoritism ❌Bad: Showing up but distracted or not involved in discussion ✅Great: Committed and highly engaged even digitally ❌Bad: Blaming founders if they miss numbers ✅Great: Understands startups don’t grow in a straight line and co-create with founders to find creative solutions. ❌Bad: Demanding onerous reporting that is ever changing ✅Great: Setting clear reporting ask upfront and focusing on key metrics suitable for their stage of growth. ❌Bad: Pushing strategy that changes with hype. Flipping from growth-at-all-costs > profitability  ✅Great: Sticking to one core strategy for a long period and working with founders to achieve outcomes. Some may say that time is scarce when funds are larger. Yet the great examples were consistent even in much larger funds with much bigger portfolios. It’s all about taking a stand for founders and it’s clear founders want investors who are engaged in their board roles. What do you think?

Bringing investors on board is exciting, but it comes with a challenge: maintaining control of your startup. While funding fuels growth, giving away equity means sharing decision-making power—and without a clear plan, founders can lose influence over their company’s direction. Here are two key tips to help you stay in control: 1️⃣ Be strategic with equity. Raise only what you need and avoid over-dilution in early rounds. Every percentage matters when it comes to ownership and influence. 2️⃣ Set boundaries upfront. Negotiate founder rights early, ensuring you retain decision-making power in critical areas. Clear terms protect your leadership role. Investors should align with your vision, not redefine it. Protecting control ensures your startup stays on the path you believe in. #StartupControl #RaisingFunds #FounderWisdom

🚀 Week 54 of Venture with Grace is Here! 🚀 This week, I’m excited to host five amazing leaders who’ve shaped industries, scaled companies, and driven real impact. Here’s who’s joining me: 👉 Jan 27 | 1:00 PM: John McMahon – Former Snowflake & MongoDB Board Member, 5X Public CRO. Learn how he helped companies scale to IPO success. 👉 Jan 28 | 11:00 AM: Josh Stein – Threshold Ventures Managing Partner. From Box to Twilio, hear how to invest in iconic companies and build a successful fund. 👉 Jan 29 | 10:00 AM: Anurag Chandra – Board Trustee, San Jose FCERS Pension Plan. Insights on navigating investment strategies for long-term success. 👉 Jan 30 | 9:00 AM: Damon Fletcher – Founder & CEO of Caliper, Ex-CFO of Tableau. Hear about making smarter, data-driven decisions. 👉 Jan 31 | 9:00 AM: Lesley Young – Fractional CRO. Lessons from growing Vimeo and Sourcegraph to scale effectively. 📅 Join me live every day on LinkedIn. 🎥 Watch live here (link in comment) ✨ What’s the biggest challenge you’d like us to cover this week? Drop your thoughts in the comments! #VentureWithGrace #Leadership #Startups #Tech #Entrepreneurship

"If you don't worry, you need to worry. And if you worry, you don't need to worry." This quote from Ray Dalio stuck with me. It's the essence of the 'Day One' mentality top CEOs swear by. Here's the breakdown: • Stay vigilant about blind spots • Embrace a healthy paranoia • Treat every day like you're starting fresh Even Blackstone, managing over $1 trillion, keeps this startup spirit. It's not about size. It's about mindset. #BusinessStrategy #LeadershipLessons

💡 In today's fast-paced startup world, the role of the CFO has expanded far beyond traditional financial management. As startups become more complex—leveraging cutting-edge technologies and navigating new challenges—the CFO has evolved into a multi-functional leader. They are now strategic advisors with deep insights into sales, marketing, and operations, offering guidance through both the highs and lows of a startup's journey. In our latest blog, Propeller CFO Chad Kalebic shares how today’s startup CFO is not just a financial steward but a trusted partner for founders. From managing new capital post-funding to navigating tough decisions during challenging times, the #CFO plays a critical role in shaping the company’s direction and ensuring sustainable growth: https://lnkd.in/ghVgu-EH

Chad Kalebic’s insight perfectly captures the delicate balance of supporting a founder's vision while providing the critical information needed for grounded decision-making: "You want to support their vision, but you also need to give them the information they need to make grounded decisions. It’s about not diluting their vision, but still steering them in the right direction." Ambitious CEOs and founders often rely on industry expertise to align their vision with a solid, practical strategy, ensuring they stay focused while remaining rooted in reality. This can be achieved by analyzing the right KPIs, margins, and creating a well-structured hiring plan, keeping everything within practical limits without compromising the startup’s financial targets

🚨 Attention Partners, CEOs, and CFOs! 🚨 We’re excited to announce that our CFO, Vandana Midha, will be hosting a daily financial session designed to help you avoid the financial pitfalls that many businesses face. Vandana knows this all too well, having learned invaluable lessons from her own one of the failed startups. These sessions will focus on the key financial indicators and strategies that every CEO/CFO and partner should be aware of to stay ahead of potential challenges. If you want to ensure your startup is financially healthy, don’t miss out! Stay tuned for more details! 💡 #StartupFinance #CFOInsights #FinancialHealth #StartupLessons #LearnFromMistakes

Don't SELL your board of directors. Don't give them just the highlight reel. Remember, your investors succeed through you. They are not in control of the outcome. They rely on you. This lack of control can make them nervous. They are always on the lookout for signals. Good and bad. When you only share the good news, they want to know what is wrong. Investors are your partners. They are in for the long haul. Yes, sometimes you are out of alignment with them. But you need to share the good, the bad and the ugly. They have seen it all before. They can help. For more tips on how to lead your company to a massive exit, join the leading newsletter for startup CEOs https://lnkd.in/gWqQBd-n