Purchasing next quarter’s stationery in advance offers a 10 % discount but requires cash outflow now.
I treat every small operational choice—whether a supply discount or a hiring decision—as a direct profit lever, embedding this mindset early to build a culture of financial discipline.
I made a 20X return on a company.
A new round later happened at a 25% higher valuation.
An exit of ₹100 crore vs ₹120 crore won’t change your life.
Losing goodwill will follow you everywhere.
Suggested equity ceiling at pre‑seed: ≤ 40 % total (founders retain ≥ 60 %).
I advise founders not to give away 30‑40 % equity at pre‑seed because excessive dilution limits control and future fundraising flexibility, and to focus on a narrow‑niche PMF, bootstrapping revenue, disciplined ESOPs, and careful cap‑table hygiene.
In 2024, nearly 25 % of US venture rounds were flat or down, a decade‑high.
I advise founders to raise only what they need and keep the cap table sane, because chasing a lofty valuation drives premature scaling, unrealistic TAM assumptions, and pressure to justify the number rather than solve the core problem.
The Foundery keeps 70 % equity from founders, a slice I believe could have been 20 % while still dominating the market.
A typical pre‑seed fund offer I see is ₹3 cr for 10 % equity, which I consider a more founder‑friendly benchmark than a ~70 % equity‑heavy mentorship deal.
I reflected on how founders split equity and decide on a CEO, because these conversations reveal future conflict‑resolution ability.
I get why an equal split makes folks nervous, it can look like dodging a hard call.
The other question I always ask is who is going to be the CEO.