Over the past 24 months, Thomvest Ventures has recorded headcount data for 150 Series A to C firm SaaS startups, and we have the numbers.
This report by Eddy Ackerman, TomVest Strategic Finance Operating Partner, as of February 2021 looks at startup hiring pace by company type and specifically how long it’s been since the last fundraising.
Ackerman said he expects to see another round of deals in several weeks after the startups hold their Q4 2022 board meetings.
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That’s not something any employee wants to read a few days before Christmas, but he’s been forewarned.
“For companies with strong balance sheets, strong supporters, product market fit or low burnout, now is the best time to make a critical hire,” says Ackerman.
And if that doesn’t describe your company, you should plan ahead to reduce headcount.
“Even if your balance sheet is in good shape, the tough decision to terminate employment should be made well in advance,” Ackerman writes.
If you’re a founder reading this, you have a moral and ethical responsibility to notify your employees as soon as possible when layoffs are in the cards. Do the right thing.
TechCrunch+ will publish on a lighter schedule next week, and we’ll resume our normal classes on Monday, January 2. I’m taking a short break for the holidays and will be sending out the next TechCrunch+ Newsletter/Collection on Tuesday, January 3rd.
Thanks for reading in 2022. Happy New Year!
Walter Thompson
Editorial Manager, TechCrunch+
@your main actor
How to get the most out of your investor relations in 2023
Image Credits: anisah priyadi (Opens in a new window) / Getty Images
As Santa Claus re-issues his list of who’s been naughty and nice, it’s also a good time for startup founders to review their investor relations.
Vidya Raman, a partner at Sorenson Ventures, wrote a TC+ article with dos and don’ts for the next board meeting, her thoughts on which communication methods to use for various support requests and some data points to bring up in your discussion.
“Be aggressive about how you spend your time, especially with your investors,” she advises.
Holiday shipping is easy this year, but technology is still lagging behind
Image Credits: Yuichiro Chino (Opens in a new window) / Getty Images
According to Flexport CEO Ryan Peterson, global supply lines are in better shape than last year.
“This year’s shipping improvements mainly reflect consumption delays rather than any improvements in infrastructure,” the minister said, noting that labor shortages, international instability and rising oil prices have created ongoing bottlenecks.
Fortunately, today’s data is abundant, and we have the tools to use it in ways that increase efficiency.
Pitch Deck Teardown: A carte blanche $460K pitch deck for the angel round
Image Credits: Card Blanch (Opens in a new window)
Fintech startup Card Blanc recently closed a $460,000 round for its pre-launch service that allows customers to track personal spending from a centralized app.
To see why this deck is smiling at angel investors with good news, we’re sharing the unedited Founders deck.
- Cover slide
- Problem slide
- Market size slide
- The solution slider
- Product slide
- “How it works” slide
- Competition slide
- Revenue model slide
- Market opportunity slide
- “Next steps” – question slide
- “Your entire wallet in one card” – Value Prop Slide
- “Complete cost analysis in one place” – summary slide
Dear Sophie: What are the pros and cons of E-2 and L-1A visas?
Image Credits: Bryce Durbin / TechCrunch
Dear Sophie,
We have established a startup in Colombia, and are considering opening a sales office in the US! I will be moving, and my co-founder will continue to manage our engineering team from Columbia.
I am currently considering both the E-2 Investor and L-1A Executive visas. What are the advantages and disadvantages of each?
– Brave Colombian
How to solve a financial crisis: 3 strategies that never fail
Image Credits: Flavio Collo (Opens in a new window) / Getty Images
Let’s face it: Are you in a rush to close your November end because of the December holidays?
New Year’s resolutions are hard to stick to, but since this is the slowest time of the year, it’s a good time to establish healthy accounting habits.
Before you run your December numbers, look for ways to automate the month-end as soon as possible, advises Shagun Malhotra, CPA and CPA and experienced auditor.
In a TC+ post, she shares three strategies for digitizing this process, along with recommendations for sub-measures to track an accurate snapshot of your financial health.
“The information gathered through these steps allows you to quickly identify the core issues of your business, allowing you to assess what to do next.”
3 black investors say what they want in 2023
Image Credits: pchyburrs (Opens in a new window) / Getty Images
Investors are generally optimistic about technology’s ability to recover in the long term, but when it comes to expanding opportunities for black founders, Dominique-Madori Davis says, they are largely fatalistic.
She interviewed three black investors to get their thoughts on what trends they expect to see in 2023 and how they prefer to approach founders.
- Alexis Alston, Principal, Lightship Capital
- Richard Kerby, General Partner, Equal Ventures
- Jadyn Bryden, Vice President, Xfund
Avoid 3 common sales mistakes that startups make during the downsizing
Image Credits: Anthony Lee (Opens in a new window) / Getty Images
Analysts predict that IT spending will increase by 2023, but tell that to SaaS sales teams trying to close deals with customers who have been ordered to cut costs.
“What every company needs now is efficient sales,” said Anand Shah, CEO and founder of Databook.
“Make real changes to meet the needs of your buyers. Use the macroeconomic background to make the necessary sales productivity improvements.
