Morgan Stanley’s Post

The holiday season is fast approaching and gift-giving can be a daunting task. My strategy for gifts is simple: find an exceptional item and buy it for everyone. Last year, I bought everyone in my family the On Cloudsurfer sneaker and it was a huge hit. Speaking of…Alex Straton, Softlines Retail and Brand Analyst for Morgan Stanley Research, visited On at their Global HQ in Zurich to sit down with their CFO and Co-CEO, Martin Hoffman. Here are the takeaways: The Co-CEO model can be highly effective when leveraging complimentary skill sets. There is also a benefit to having a strong personal friendship. Using recycled or recyclable material only gets you so far. The ultimate goal is to close your own loop from a sustainability perspective. If you are entering a crowded market, the product must speak for itself to ensure that fans become fans for line. Simple business models win. Enjoy the craziness! Dream on! Watch the full interview here: https://lnkd.in/e8gfr9cS

One of the most important considerations for founders raising capital is who to bring onto their cap tables. Understanding the investors you are speaking to is not just fundamental for successful fundraising, it's also absolutely critical to long term alignment and success. Join the OnePitch VC Reverse Pitch Party today at 3pm to learn more about 18 of Australia's most active early-stage investors on one call. Tag any raising, or soon-to-be-raising founders you know! Giant Leap Rampersand Macdoch Ventures Alberts Sprint Ventures Aura Ventures Five V Capital Black Nova Venture Capital Investible Carthona Capital OIF Ventures Tidal Ventures Cut Through Venture OneVentures Square Peg Black Sheep Capital Archangel Ventures

I'm reflecting on 2 recent pitches that went wildly differently. At a high level, both meetings were for infra startups raising Seed rounds, and both had the CEO and CTO co-founders in the meeting. In one startup pitch, the co-founders engaged quite thoughtfully. While the CEO drove most of the pitch, the CTO chimed in throughout when relevant and it made for an informative conversation. The best part is that a healthy co-founder dynamic seemed apparent based on their interactions. In the other, the CTO actively cut off the CEO and went on wild tangents unrelated to their core pitch. They were clearly not in sync, and it made us wonder how they operate together in building their company. This sounds obvious, but when co-founders pitch together it's critical to be in sync together. If there's a lack of rapport or respect for one another, it's an immediate negative signal about your ability to build and scale a company together.

This is such important topic to discuss and one that we don't speak enough about for founders and startups. I am thankful for my friends, Charley, Garrett, and Dan, for their willingness to share their experience and stories. Also, a huge shout out to Lisa for being our moderator! Let's go! #startuplou #givefirst #founderfirst

In the next episode of our Brex Founder Insights series, I spoke with Kelly Anne Parker about selling her business and her work now that's focused on helping founders exit! I asked her how she sold her company and any tips for other founders who are hoping for an acquisition one day. Her advice? Build a robust organic network of founders in a similar space to you because years from now they may just want to buy what you're building (like they did for her startup!)

You’ve always been a DIY’er, and now you’ve got something to show for all those late nights and early mornings. Before you send a pitch deck to an investor who isn’t going to read it, invite them to The Main Stage — the platform built by startup founders for startup founders. If you’re ready to attract investors, manage relationships, and raise capital, The Main Stage is for you. Sign up today at themainstage.com.

Who should be on the Board of Directors for my startup? In this video, I discuss who should be on your startup's board, and when, from co-founders, to investors, to independent directors as you prepare to go public.

How did your company get started? What problem are you solving? What are the challenges of running a startup, especially as a married couple? See how Yoodlize founders Jason and Natalie Fairbourne answered these and other questions in "5 Questions for the Founders." https://lnkd.in/grEFbUEX

Many thanks to the amazing ☁️ Mark Birch 🚀 for publishing my thoughts on "the startup CTOs journey". Whether you are a startup CTO or are a founder looking to hire one, hopefully it'll give you a little context about the long, but exciting road ahead from inception to IPO! Link in first comment.

Ever wonder how investors and VCs put a price tag on your startup before they write that check? 🤔 Let's break it down, plain and simple. What's on their radar? How do they peek under your startup's hood? Let's dive into the essentials of what really gets their attention when they're sizing up a business. No jargon, just the good stuff!