What Are The 5 Rules You Need To Divide Founder Equity?

By Brett Fox | March 26, 2024

“How much equity do you think I should give “Frank?”” That was the question “Sam”, the co-founder of a company that I’m working with asked me last week. He was considering bringing Frank on as a late co-founder to the company. [Do you want to grow your business? Maybe I can help. Click here.] “I’ve…

How Do You Compensate A Part Time Co-Founder?

By Brett Fox | March 25, 2024

“You should stay at your job until we get funded,” I said to Jeroen. It was September 2008 and Jeroen had just agreed to be our co-founder and VP Engineering. [Do you want to grow your business? Maybe I can help. Click here.] The economy was sinking like a stone and venture capital funding appeared…

How Should You Manage Your Remote Team?

By Brett Fox | March 19, 2024

I was talking with “Vikram”, a CEO I’ve been working with, the other day. Vikram commutes between the US and Bangalore, spending three months in the US, and then three months in India. [Do you want to grow your business? Maybe I can help. Click here.] When we spoke, Vikram had just spent time with…

What Are Five Decisions You Need To Make Before Raising Money?

By Brett Fox | March 18, 2024

“I don’t think we should raise $11 million,” my co-founder, “John”, said to me. “We will give up control of the company! We should only raise $6 million.” “John, we’re going to have to raise the $11 million and probably more. Getting the $11 million gives us more runway,” I said. “Let’s get the money…

How You Can Avoid Nine Startup Sales Killers

By Brett Fox | March 12, 2024

“It’s too early to hire a VP of Sales!” The VC said to me. “You should be doing the selling!” Do you want to grow your business? Maybe I can help. Click here. “I hear where you’re coming from,” I said. “And believe me, I will be selling.” “‘Ken’s’ been part of the company since…

How Do You Know It’s Time To Fire Someone?

By Brett Fox | March 11, 2024

By Brett Fox at www.brettjfox.com “See that property over there? Steve Jobs owns it. That’s going to stay in his family for a long time,” Bill, Venture Capitalist, said to me. Do you want to grow your business? Maybe I can help. Click here. I was being interviewed by Bill at his home in Woodside.…

7 Tips For Pitching Your Company To Anyone

By Brett Fox | March 4, 2024

I’ll never forget how nervous I was before my presenting to a VC for the first time. I was an EIR (Entrepreneur in Residence) at a VC fund based in San Francisco, and we were going to give a dry-run presentation to Dave and Alain, the two VC partners I was working with. [Do you…

What You Need To Know About Reference Checks

By Brett Fox | February 27, 2024

I curled up on my bed in a fetal ball, sobbing. I kept repeating to myself: “What have I done?” “What have I done?” “What have I done?” Why was I crying? [Do you want to grow your business? Maybe I can help. Click here.] We had been raising money for over eighteen months at…

How Quickly Should Your Business Get To Cash Flow Positive?

By Brett Fox | February 26, 2024

“I hate high margin businesses,” “Donald”, the billionaire VC head of Donald Ventures, said to me. Do you want to grow your business? Maybe I can help. Click here. I ignored him, and continued on with my pitch knowing he would never fund us. I mean, after all, how do you respond to an idiotic…

Are You Being Appropriately Frugal And Why It’s So Important?

By Brett Fox | February 20, 2024

“I’ve founded three startups, and I’ve never had one that was profitable,” a friend of mine was telling me. You’d think he was a failure based on that statement. [Do you want to grow your business? Maybe I can help. Click here.] Not exactly. He sold his last company for $300 million. But my friend…