Navigating Uncertain Times in SaaS - ep. #33

#AskAVC with Ryan Floyd

#Entrepreneur #Business #Ryan Floyd

32:08

Did you know there’s an actual science to uncovering your hidden genius? It’s not about filling out a “dream job” worksheet—it’s about understanding how your brain is wired, identifying your natural aptitudes, and using them to thrive. This isn’t just a self-discovery exercise. It’s a game-changer for your career, your relationships, and how you show up in the world. Betsy Wills and Alex Ellison are redefining how we approach career discovery, proving that finding the right path isn’t just about landing a job—it’s about creating a life that aligns with who you actually are. ✅ Betsy Wills – Cofounder of YouScience, a groundbreaking psychometric assessment platform reshaping how we understand our talents. She’s also the Director of Marketing & Branding at Diversified Trust and a frequent lecturer at Vanderbilt University and NYU’s Stern School of Business. ✅ Alex Ellison – Founder of Throughline Guidance, a global college and career counseling practice. She’s a sought-after writer, speaker, and expert in college readiness and career development. ✅ Together, they co-authored Your Hidden Genius: The Science-Backed Strategy to Uncovering and Harnessing Your Innate Talents. Discovering your hidden genius isn’t just about career success—it’s about tapping into what makes you, you . Connect with Betsy & Alex: Website (Free Downloads): www.yourhiddengenius.com Book: https://www.harpercollins.com/products/your-hidden-genius-elizabeth-m-willsalexandra-ellison Related Podcast Episodes: How To Be You, But Better with Olga Khazan | 288 Finding Purpose Through Human Design with Emma Dunwoody | 228 195 / Finding (And Using) Your Voice with Amy Green Smith Share the Love: If you found this episode insightful, please share it with a friend, tag us on social media, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform! 🔗 Subscribe & Review: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music…

3年之前 16:41

MP3•单集首页

Make sure to also:

- Follow me on Twitter - for a lot more content on building SaaS B2B startups, as well as venture capital and entrepreneurship in general

- Subscribe to my blog, where I talk about why I invest in certain companies and broader tech industry issues

- Check out my #AskAVC YouTube channel this podcast is based on

About Ryan Floyd

Ryan is a founding Managing Director of Storm Ventures, where he invests in, and works with, early-stage enterprise SaaS startups. His primary focus is applications and cloud infrastructure-related companies. He is always interested in hearing from passionate technology entrepreneurs. Ryan is a skilled writer and commentator on all things SaaS. He's written for Techcrunch, Sifted, Thrive Global and regularly contributes to The UK Newspaper. He's the host of the recently launched #AskAVC YouTube channel aimed at enterprise entrepreneurs. In each episode, he tackles a different issue relating to building and scaling B2B startups - topics such as pitching to an investor and tackling sales churn.

When he's not working with his portfolio founders, Ryan is active with Code2040, a nonprofit organization that creates pathways to educational, professional, and entrepreneurial success in technology for underrepresented minorities. And occasionally, he finds time for surfing!

38集单集

Navigating Uncertain Times in SaaS - ep. #33

#AskAVC with Ryan Floyd

published 3年之前

MP3•单集首页

Make sure to also:

- Follow me on Twitter - for a lot more content on building SaaS B2B startups, as well as venture capital and entrepreneurship in general

- Subscribe to my blog, where I talk about why I invest in certain companies and broader tech industry issues

- Check out my #AskAVC YouTube channel this podcast is based on

About Ryan Floyd

38集单集

#Entrepreneur #Business #Ryan Floyd

כל הפרקים

#AskAVC with Ryan Floyd

1
Transforming Customer Success: From Defense to Offense with Mark Stephenson 33:03

8 weeks之前33:03

33:03

In this episode of 'Ask a VC', Storm Ventures Managing Director Ryan Floyd and Go-to-Market Consultant Mark Stephenson discuss the pivotal role of customer success in B2B SaaS companies. They delve into the critical importance of transitioning customer success strategies from a defensive to an offensive mindset, emphasizing the importance of net dollar retention (NDR), and the need for a mentality shift within organizations. Topics covered include the significance of Net Dollar Retention (NDR), aligning customer success with revenue goals, and the value of expanding customer relationships post-sale. The conversation highlights best practices for driving growth and retaining customers, ensuring long-term success in the competitive SaaS market.00:00 Introduction00:51 The Importance of Customer Success02:11 Revenue and Customer Success04:14 Net Dollar Retention (NDR) and Metrics05:42 Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) and Expansion08:18 Sales and Customer Success Alignment12:09 Customer Success Quotas and Roles21:46 Onboarding and Achieving Value One06:57 Aligning Marketing and Sales with Customer Success27:18 Best Practices and Final ThoughtsMake sure to also:- Follow Ryan on Twitter @RyanFloyd for more content on building SaaS B2B startups, venture capital, and entrepreneurship in general- Subscribe to Ryan’s blog at https://ryanfloyd.org, where he talks about why he invests in certain companies and broader tech industry issues- Connect with Mark on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/markstephenson-consultant/- Check out the #AskAVC podcast based on this channel - https://anchor.fm/ask-a-vcAbout Ryan Floyd:Ryan is a founding Managing Director of Storm Ventures, where he invests in, and works with, early-stage enterprise SaaS startups. His primary focus is applications and cloud infrastructure-related companies. He is always interested in hearing from passionate technology entrepreneurs. Ryan is a skilled writer and commentator on all things SaaS. He's written for TechCrunch, Sifted, Thrive Global and regularly contributes to The UK Newspaper. He's the host of the recently launched #AskAVC YouTube channel aimed at enterprise entrepreneurs. In each episode, he tackles a different issue relating to building and scaling B2B startups - topics such as pitching to an investor and tackling sales churn. When he's not working with his portfolio founders, Ryan is active with Code2040, a nonprofit organization that creates pathways to educational, professional, and entrepreneurial success in technology for underrepresented minorities. And occasionally, he finds time for surfing!About Mark Stephenson:Mark has over 30 years of solution sales GTM leadership experience with high-growth venture backed Series A through E SaaS modern software disruptors such as Evisort, Avi Networks as well as large matrix sales organizations such as HP and Cisco. Mark started sales at Xerox. Over the years as a strategic go-to-market executive, he has developed a four-pronged growth approach to drive consistent exceptional results delivering above quota performance in 24 of 27 operating years. Mark loves building teams that work well together and has a proven ability to lead direct and indirect sales teams at the 3rd and 4th line level as well as Marketing and Customer Success Orgs. He is a high-energy, cross-functional business partner known as a creative thinker with a method for aligning GTM with the business, who has a passion for finding and developing talent, and building repeatable customer engagement and growth process that leverages the team for impact. Great results come from great teams -- Mark can help you hire great GTM team members, put them to work on the right things to scale results.…

#AskAVC with Ryan Floyd

1
An Insider’s Take on Hiring Your First VP of Sales 45:38

24 weeks之前45:38

45:38

Storm Ventures Managing Director Ryan Floyd and Go-to-Market Consultant Mark Stephenson discuss how early-stage companies can hire the right VP of Sales using a few essential strategies. #b2bsaas #venturecapital #hiring #salesexecutive #gotomarket Here's what's covered: 0:00 Intros: Ryan & Mark 1:13 Hiring the Right VP of Sales 2:58 Preparing with a Strategic Plan 4:55 Importance of Defining the Spec (Functional Experience, Domain Experience, and Customer Experience) 6:00 Functional Experience 8:02 Domain Experience 10:39 Customer Experience 11:34 Should Be Stage-Appropriate for the Company 12:34 Hypothetical Situation — Business with $1m ARR 14:25 The Interview Process 21:39 Questions to Ask the Candidate 23:06 Sales is a Systematic Process 25:18 Set Objective Criteria — How to See Green, Yellow, and Red Flags 27:13 How Important is Culture? 33:23 What About Diversity? 37:15 Three Es for Top Sales Hires (Ego, Empathy, Energy) 38:57 Take Your Time to Hire Well 40:08 Importance of References 44:55 Thanks! Make sure to also: Follow Ryan on Twitter @RyanFloyd for more content on building SaaS B2B startups, venture capital, and entrepreneurship in general Subscribe to Ryan’s blog at https://ryanfloyd.org , where he talks about why he invests in certain companies and broader tech industry issues Connect with Ajay on LinkedIn / ajayawatramani Check out the #AskAVC podcast based on this channel - https://anchor.fm/ask-a-vc About Ryan Floyd: Ryan is a founding Managing Director of Storm Ventures, where he invests in, and works with, early-stage enterprise SaaS startups. His primary focus is applications and cloud infrastructure-related companies. He is always interested in hearing from passionate technology entrepreneurs. Ryan is a skilled writer and commentator on all things SaaS. He's written for TechCrunch, Sifted, Thrive Global and regularly contributes to The UK Newspaper. He's the host of the recently launched #AskAVC YouTube channel aimed at enterprise entrepreneurs. In each episode, he tackles a different issue relating to building and scaling B2B startups - topics such as pitching to an investor and tackling sales churn. When he's not working with his portfolio founders, Ryan is active with Code2040, a nonprofit organization that creates pathways to educational, professional, and entrepreneurial success in technology for underrepresented minorities. And occasionally, he finds time for surfing! About Mark Stephenson: Mark has over 30 years of solution sales GTM leadership experience with high-growth venture backed Series A through E SaaS modern software disruptors such as Evisort, Avi Networks as well as large matrix sales organizations such as HP and Cisco. Mark started sales at Xerox. Over the years as a strategic go-to-market executive, he has developed a four-pronged growth approach to drive consistent exceptional results delivering above quota performance in 24 of 27 operating years. Mark loves building teams that work well together and has a proven ability to lead direct and indirect sales teams at the 3rd and 4th line level as well as Marketing and Customer Success Orgs. He is a high-energy, cross-functional business partner known as a creative thinker with a method for aligning GTM with the business, who has a passion for finding and developing talent, and building repeatable customer engagement and growth process that leverages the team for impact. Great results come from great teams -- Mark can help you hire great GTM team members, put them to work on the right things to scale results.…

#AskAVC with Ryan Floyd

1
AI & B2B SaaS: Worth the Hype? - Ask a VC #38 23:21

2 years之前23:21

23:21

Will every SaaS company become an AI company? Will AI unlock guaranteed ROI? Is the promise of AI real and what’s the hype anyway? Storm Ventures Managing Director Ryan Floyd and Entrepreneur-in-Residence Ajay Awatramani answer these questions and more in the latest episode of Ask A VC! #b2bsaas #AI #venturecapital Make sure to also: - Follow Ryan on Twitter @RyanFloyd for more content on building SaaS B2B startups, venture capital, and entrepreneurship in general - Subscribe to Ryan’s blog , where he talks about why he invests in certain companies and broader tech industry issues - Connect with Ryan & Ajay on LinkedIn - Find prior Ask a VC podcast episodes to listen to! About Ryan Floyd: Ryan is a founding Managing Director of Storm Ventures, where he invests in, and works with, early-stage enterprise SaaS startups. His primary focus is applications and cloud infrastructure-related companies. He is always interested in hearing from passionate technology entrepreneurs. Ryan is a skilled writer and commentator on all things SaaS. He's written for TechCrunch, Sifted, Thrive Global and regularly contributes to The UK Newspaper. He's the host of the recently launched #AskAVC YouTube channel aimed at enterprise entrepreneurs. In each episode, he tackles a different issue relating to building and scaling B2B startups - topics such as pitching to an investor and tackling sales churn. When he's not working with his portfolio founders, Ryan is active with Code2040, a nonprofit organization that creates pathways to educational, professional, and entrepreneurial success in technology for underrepresented minorities. And occasionally, he finds time for surfing! About Ajay Awatramani: ✔ 23 years of growth leadership experience at Adobe, Marketo, Siebel, Oracle and Sun. And transformation experience at Cornerstone. Venture capital and Private equity deal and industry advisorship. Board role at 150M+ portco. 4+ buy-side and 3+ sell-side txns experience. ✔ Accelerated Marketo growth under public, Vista and Adobe ownership through enterprise transformation incl. platform retrofit for scale, multi-product evolution and TAM expansion into ABX. The 3B$ equity value creation in 2.5 years is the largest exit for Vista in 18 years of existence. Co-led acquisition of Bizible, and integrated Toutapp. ✔ Expanded the TAM at Cornerstone beyond mandatory training/certifications/compliance into a Talent Experience Platform. Created value through platform transformation, operational excellence and add-on acquisition of Edcast (strategic) and SumTotal (EBITDA). Added content business responsibility in '22. ✔ Build a business around Hyperion apps for Sales within Oracle ✔ Founding member of industry's #1 Field Service Automation enterprise solution at Siebel…

#AskAVC with Ryan Floyd

1
Remote Work: Is it a Revolution? - ep. #35 14:50

2 years之前14:50

14:50

Remote work is here to stay. But it’s not what you think. Storm Ventures’ managing director Ryan Floyd reflects upon the new way people work and what that means for founders and investors going forward. Make sure to also: - Follow Ryan on Twitter @RyanFloyd for more content on building SaaS B2B startups, venture capital, and entrepreneurship in general - Subscribe to Ryan’s blog at https://ryanfloyd.org , where he talks about why he invests in certain companies and broader tech industry issues - Check out his #AskAVC podcast based on this channel - https://anchor.fm/ask-a-vc About Ryan Floyd: Ryan is a founding Managing Director of Storm Ventures, where he invests in, and works with, early-stage enterprise SaaS startups. His primary focus is applications and cloud infrastructure-related companies. He is always interested in hearing from passionate technology entrepreneurs. Ryan is a skilled writer and commentator on all things SaaS. He's written for Techcrunch, Sifted, Thrive Global and regularly contributes to The UK Newspaper. He's the host of the recently launched #AskAVC YouTube channel aimed at enterprise entrepreneurs. In each episode, he tackles a different issue relating to building and scaling B2B startups - topics such as pitching to an investor and tackling sales churn. When he's not working with his portfolio founders, Ryan is active with Code2040, a nonprofit organization that creates pathways to educational, professional, and entrepreneurial success in technology for underrepresented minorities. And occasionally, he finds time for surfing!…

#AskAVC with Ryan Floyd

1
Startup Funding: How Venture Investors Make Decisions - ep. #34 30:22

3 years之前30:22

30:22

The venture capital world is notoriously elusive - even for the founders seeking investments. But the process isn't intended to be secretive. Venture Capital investor Ryan Floyd and fellow partner at Storm Ventures, Pascale Diaine take you behind the scenes, revealing their firm's process step-by-step. Find out what happens after your initial pitch, what to note when talking to different VC firms, and the importance of culture & aligned values. Ryan and Pascale will leave you ready, confident and ready to impress at your next investment meeting. Make sure to also: - Follow me on Twitter ( https://twitter.com/RyanFloyd ) for a lot more content on building SaaS B2B startups, as well as venture capital and entrepreneurship in general - Subscribe to my blog at http://ryanfloyd.org/ , where I talk about why I invest in certain companies and broader tech industry issues - Check out my #AskAVC podcast based on this channel ( https://anchor.fm/ask-a-vc ) About Ryan Floyd Ryan is a founding Managing Director of Storm Ventures where he invests in, and works with, early stage enterprise SaaS startups. His primary focus is applications and cloud infrastructure related companies. He is always interested in hearing from passionate technology entrepreneurs. Ryan is a skilled writer and commentator on all things SaaS. He’s written for Techcrunch, Sifted, Thrive Global and is a regular contributor to The UK Newspaper. He’s host of the recently launched #AskAVC YouTube channel aimed at enterprise entrepreneurs. In each episode he tackles a different issue relating to building and scaling B2B startups - topics such as how to pitch to an investor and how to combat sales churn. When he’s not working with his portfolio founders, Ryan is active with Code2040, a nonprofit organization that creates pathways to educational, professional, and entrepreneurial success in technology for underrepresented minorities. And occasionally he finds time for surfing!…

#AskAVC with Ryan Floyd

1
Navigating Uncertain Times in SaaS - ep. #33 16:41

3 years之前16:41

16:41

The only certainty in business is uncertainty! No founder or investor could have predicted events like the Covid-19 pandemic or the war in Ukraine - both of which had profound effects on the economy, and therefore SaaS and the venture capital investment trends. But there are ways that startups can prepare for unforeseen ups and downs. Venture Capital investor Ryan Floyd shares his advice on how SaaS starutps specifically can plan for, adapt to and thrive in times of economic uncertainty. Make sure to also: - Follow me on Twitter - for a lot more content on building SaaS B2B startups, as well as venture capital and entrepreneurship in general - Subscribe to my blog , where I talk about why I invest in certain companies and broader tech industry issues - Check out my #AskAVC YouTube channel this podcast is based on About Ryan Floyd Ryan is a founding Managing Director of Storm Ventures, where he invests in, and works with, early-stage enterprise SaaS startups. His primary focus is applications and cloud infrastructure-related companies. He is always interested in hearing from passionate technology entrepreneurs. Ryan is a skilled writer and commentator on all things SaaS. He's written for Techcrunch, Sifted, Thrive Global and regularly contributes to The UK Newspaper. He's the host of the recently launched #AskAVC YouTube channel aimed at enterprise entrepreneurs. In each episode, he tackles a different issue relating to building and scaling B2B startups - topics such as pitching to an investor and tackling sales churn. When he's not working with his portfolio founders, Ryan is active with Code2040, a nonprofit organization that creates pathways to educational, professional, and entrepreneurial success in technology for underrepresented minorities. And occasionally, he finds time for surfing!…

#AskAVC with Ryan Floyd

1
Customer experience 101 - ep. #32 26:30

3 years之前26:30

26:30

Net dollar retention and customer experience are highly critical for the success of your SaaS business. I had a chance to connect recently with Gaby Moran, director of customer experience at Workato . Before her current role, Gaby spent quite a few years at Medallia , customer experience management software with a world-class NPS of 60+. Our conversation turned out to be a fantastic "customer experience 101" overview, with key terms defined; and many burning questions I get from entrepreneurs all the time - answered. How do you collect and use data to inform your customer experience function? How to account for possible bias in the customer feedback - both positive and negative? How to get started with customer experience as a SaaS startup founder? Listen to the episode to get the answers to all these questions - and more. Make sure to also: - Follow me on Twitter - for a lot more content on building SaaS B2B startups, as well as venture capital and entrepreneurship in general - Subscribe to my blog , where I talk about why I invest in certain companies and broader tech industry issues - Check out my #AskAVC YouTube channel this podcast is based on About Ryan Floyd Ryan is a founding Managing Director of Storm Ventures, where he invests in, and works with, early-stage enterprise SaaS startups. His primary focus is applications and cloud infrastructure-related companies. He is always interested in hearing from passionate technology entrepreneurs. Ryan is a skilled writer and commentator on all things SaaS. He's written for Techcrunch, Sifted, Thrive Global and regularly contributes to The UK Newspaper. He's the host of the recently launched #AskAVC YouTube channel aimed at enterprise entrepreneurs. In each episode, he tackles a different issue relating to building and scaling B2B startups - topics such as pitching to an investor and tackling sales churn. When he's not working with his portfolio founders, Ryan is active with Code2040, a nonprofit organization that creates pathways to educational, professional, and entrepreneurial success in technology for underrepresented minorities. And occasionally, he finds time for surfing!…

#AskAVC with Ryan Floyd

1
Cybersecurity for a small business: latest threats - ep. #31 22:59

3 years之前22:59

22:59

In this episode, I talk about the latest cybersecurity threats you should be aware of as a founder of a small business (what your startup essentially is). Alastair Paterson, Co-founder and CEO of a cybersecurity company Digital Shadows, joined me to answer your questions about the dark web and more. How has the global pandemic affected the cybersecurity landscape? How security threats can impact your success as a startup? What are the latest phishing techniques you should be aware of as a founder? Watch the video to get the answers to all these questions - and make sure you are better equipped to tackle the latest cybersecurity threats your business is facing. Make sure to also: - Follow me on Twitter ( https://twitter.com/RyanFloyd ) for a lot more content on building SaaS B2B startups, as well as venture capital and entrepreneurship in general - Subscribe to my blog at https://ryanfloyd.org/ , where I talk about why I invest in certain companies and broader tech industry issues - Check out my #AskAVC YouTube channel this podcast is based on About Ryan Floyd Ryan is a founding Managing Director of Storm Ventures where he invests in and works with, early-stage enterprise SaaS startups. His primary focus is applications and cloud infrastructure-related companies. He is always interested in hearing from passionate technology entrepreneurs. Ryan is a skilled writer and commentator on all things SaaS. He’s written for Techcrunch, Sifted, Thrive Global and is a regular contributor to The UK Newspaper. He’s the host of the recently launched #AskAVC YouTube channel aimed at enterprise entrepreneurs. In each episode he tackles a different issue relating to building and scaling B2B startups - topics such as how to pitch to an investor and how to combat sales churn. When he’s not working with his portfolio founders, Ryan is active with Code2040, a nonprofit organization that creates pathways to educational, professional, and entrepreneurial success in technology for underrepresented minorities. And occasionally he finds time for surfing!…

#AskAVC with Ryan Floyd

1
How to master net dollar retention - ep. #30 15:35

4 years之前15:35

15:35

Net dollar retention (NDR) is critical to your SaaS startup's success. I talked quite a bit about churn in the early days of this channel. Mastering NDR is the next logical step you should consider as you continue to grow your startup. In this episode, I am sharing 4 tips that will help you take control of your net dollar retention metric - and take it to the next level: What is the difference between gross churn and net dollar retention? Can your startup have negative churn? What can you learn from Salesforce when it comes to NDR? Listen to the episode to get the answers to all these questions - and get the complete list of 4 tips that will surely help you master your net dollar retention. Make sure to also: - Follow me on Twitter ( https://twitter.com/RyanFloyd ) for a lot more content on building SaaS B2B startups, as well as venture capital and entrepreneurship in general - Subscribe to my blog at https://ryanfloyd.org/ , where I talk about why I invest in certain companies and broader tech industry issues - Check out my #AskAVC YouTube channel this podcast is based on About Ryan Floyd Ryan is a founding Managing Director of Storm Ventures where he invests in and works with, early-stage enterprise SaaS startups. His primary focus is applications and cloud infrastructure-related companies. He is always interested in hearing from passionate technology entrepreneurs. Ryan is a skilled writer and commentator on all things SaaS. He’s written for Techcrunch, Sifted, Thrive Global and is a regular contributor to The UK Newspaper. He’s the host of the recently launched #AskAVC YouTube channel aimed at enterprise entrepreneurs. In each episode he tackles a different issue relating to building and scaling B2B startups - topics such as how to pitch to an investor and how to combat sales churn. When he’s not working with his portfolio founders, Ryan is active with Code2040, a nonprofit organization that creates pathways to educational, professional, and entrepreneurial success in technology for underrepresented minorities. And occasionally he finds time for surfing!…

#AskAVC with Ryan Floyd

1
Understanding diversity and inclusion - ep. #29 38:33

4 years之前38:33

38:33

In the latest #AskAVC episode, we talk about understanding and the importance of diversity, inclusion, and equity in startups. I am joined by Aubrey Blanche, Director of Equitable Design at Culture Amp, The Mathpath (Math Nerd + Empath), and a startup investor and advisor. Aubrey is a recognized thought leader when it comes to building more equitable businesses - and our conversation is full of actionable insights that any startup founder can utilize right away. Why using the word "diversity" might be counter-effective? Why you as a startup founder should care about equity (and no, we are not talking about ownership)? How to go about creating an inclusive culture at your company? In the episode, we give answers to these questions - and much more. If you are ready to level up your understanding of diversity, inclusion, and equity, and learn how you can apply it in your business today - tune in! Make sure to also: - Follow me on Twitter ( https://twitter.com/RyanFloyd ) for a lot more content on building SaaS B2B startups, as well as venture capital and entrepreneurship in general - Subscribe to my blog at https://ryanfloyd.org/ , where I talk about why I invest in certain companies and broader tech industry issues - Check out my #AskAVC YouTube channel this podcast is based on About Ryan Floyd Ryan is a founding Managing Director of Storm Ventures where he invests in and works with, early-stage enterprise SaaS startups. His primary focus is applications and cloud infrastructure-related companies. He is always interested in hearing from passionate technology entrepreneurs. Ryan is a skilled writer and commentator on all things SaaS. He’s written for Techcrunch, Sifted, Thrive Global and is a regular contributor to The UK Newspaper. He’s the host of the recently launched #AskAVC YouTube channel aimed at enterprise entrepreneurs. In each episode he tackles a different issue relating to building and scaling B2B startups - topics such as how to pitch to an investor and how to combat sales churn. When he’s not working with his portfolio founders, Ryan is active with Code2040, a nonprofit organization that creates pathways to educational, professional, and entrepreneurial success in technology for underrepresented minorities. And occasionally he finds time for surfing!…

#AskAVC with Ryan Floyd

1
8 ways to finance your startup - no VC funding required! - ep. #28 17:53

4 years之前17:53

17:53

In this episode, I share with you 8 ways to finance your startup - and that doesn't include venture capital! It might seem odd coming from a VC investor. However, my goal for you as a startup founder is to be aware of all the options that are available to finance your business - along with their respective pros and cons. When you do partner with a VC like myself, you need to be sure that it is, in fact, the best way forward for your startup. What might be the reasons NOT to take venture capital? How to be more like Sam Walton, Walmart's founder? Should you be scared of taking on debt to finance your venture? Listen to the episode to get the answers to all these questions - and get the full list of 8 ways you can go about financing your startup! Buy "Sam Walton: Made In America" book I recommend in this video on Amazon Read Paul Graham's full essay "Do Things That Don't Scale" that I mentioned in the video Make sure to also: Follow me on Twitter for a lot more content on building SaaS B2B startups, as well as venture capital and entrepreneurship in general Subscribe to my blog at where I talk about why I invest in certain companies and broader tech industry issues Check out my #AskAVC YouTube channel this podcast is based on About Ryan Floyd Ryan is a founding Managing Director of Storm Ventures where he invests in and works with, early-stage enterprise SaaS startups. His primary focus is applications and cloud infrastructure-related companies. He is always interested in hearing from passionate technology entrepreneurs. Ryan is a skilled writer and commentator on all things SaaS. He’s written for Techcrunch, Sifted, Thrive Global and is a regular contributor to The UK Newspaper. He’s the host of the recently launched #AskAVC YouTube channel aimed at enterprise entrepreneurs. In each episode he tackles a different issue relating to building and scaling B2B startups - topics such as how to pitch to an investor and how to combat sales churn. When he’s not working with his portfolio founders, Ryan is active with Code2040, a nonprofit organization that creates pathways to educational, professional, and entrepreneurial success in technology for underrepresented minorities. And occasionally he finds time for surfing!…

#AskAVC with Ryan Floyd

1
Finding a perfect sales channel partner for your startup - ep. #27 28:07

4 years之前28:07

28:07

As you grow your enterprise SaaS startup, opportunities to engage various sales channel partners will most certainly come your way. The prospect of partnering with a leading telco or some other big corporation might seem very appealing. However, there is a lot you need to know before entering any agreements - and to make sure it works out well in the end. What are sales channel partners and how to choose the right ones? How to make sure they are successful in growing your business? What pitfalls to avoid? Watch my full interview with Christof Baumgärtner, ex-Chief Revenue Officer at MobileIron, one of the leading enterprise security companies today. Christof did an outstanding job of finding & partnering with the best sales channels that fueled the growth of MobileIron. Make sure to also: Follow me on Twitter (https://twitter.com/RyanFloyd) for a lot more content on building SaaS B2B startups, as well as venture capital and entrepreneurship in general Subscribe to my blog at http://ryanfloyd.org/, where I talk about why I invest in certain companies and broader tech industry issues Check out my #AskAVCYouTube channel this podcast is based on (https://www.youtube.com/c/AskAVC) About Ryan Floyd Ryan is a founding Managing Director of Storm Ventures where he invests in, and works with, early stage enterprise SaaS startups. His primary focus is applications and cloud infrastructure related companies. He is always interested in hearing from passionate technology entrepreneurs. Ryan is a skilled writer and commentator on all things SaaS. He’s written for Techcrunch, Sifted, Thrive Global and is a regular contributor to The UK Newspaper. He’s host of the recently launched #AskAVC YouTube channel aimed at enterprise entrepreneurs. In each episode he tackles a different issue relating to building and scaling B2B startups - topics such as how to pitch to an investor and how to combat sales churn. When he’s not working with his portfolio founders, Ryan is active with Code2040, a nonprofit organization that creates pathways to educational, professional, and entrepreneurial success in technology for underrepresented minorities. And occasionally he finds time for surfing!…

#AskAVC with Ryan Floyd

1
Startup equity & convertible notes explained - ep. #26 30:41

4 years之前30:41

30:41

Startup equity and convertible notes are about to be fully explained! Early-stage entrepreneurs have to learn a lot of new vocabulary, technical & legal details, to ensure their initial rounds of outside financing go well. In this video I am being interviewed by Fellows at ASIF Ventures, European micro-VC, focused on student-led startups, and we do a deep dive into: Comparing direct startup equity investments vs convertible notes Discussing intricacies of founder's dilution over time Tackling valuation challenges ... and much more! Make sure to also: Follow me on Twitter (https://twitter.com/RyanFloyd) for a lot more content on building SaaS B2B startups, as well as venture capital and entrepreneurship in general Subscribe to my blog at http://ryanfloyd.org/, where I talk about why I invest in certain companies and broader tech industry issues Check out my #AskAVCYouTube channel this podcast is based on (https://www.youtube.com/c/AskAVC) About Ryan Floyd Ryan is a founding Managing Director of Storm Ventures where he invests in, and works with, early stage enterprise SaaS startups. His primary focus is applications and cloud infrastructure related companies. He is always interested in hearing from passionate technology entrepreneurs. Ryan is a skilled writer and commentator on all things SaaS. He’s written for Techcrunch, Sifted, Thrive Global and is a regular contributor to The UK Newspaper. He’s host of the recently launched #AskAVC YouTube channel aimed at enterprise entrepreneurs. In each episode he tackles a different issue relating to building and scaling B2B startups - topics such as how to pitch to an investor and how to combat sales churn. When he’s not working with his portfolio founders, Ryan is active with Code2040, a nonprofit organization that creates pathways to educational, professional, and entrepreneurial success in technology for underrepresented minorities. And occasionally he finds time for surfing!…

#AskAVC with Ryan Floyd

1
How much to pay startup advisors - ep. #25 7:57

4 years之前7:57

7:57

"How much to pay startup advisors" is the question I often get asked by even experienced entrepreneurs. In one of my previous episodes, I gave an intro to the topic of startup advisors - what do they do, how to find them, etc. In this one, I dive deeper into the specifics: What's the difference between consultants and advisors for your startup? How should you think about cash pay versus equity? Are you missing out on leveraging "free" advisors you might already have? After listening to this podcast, you will have answers to all these questions - and a pretty good idea of how much to pay your startup advisors! Make sure to also: Follow me on Twitter (https://twitter.com/RyanFloyd) for a lot more content on building SaaS B2B startups, as well as venture capital and entrepreneurship in general Subscribe to my blog at http://ryanfloyd.org/, where I talk about why I invest in certain companies and broader tech industry issues Check out my #AskAVCYouTube channel this podcast is based on (https://www.youtube.com/c/AskAVC) About Ryan Floyd Ryan is a founding Managing Director of Storm Ventures where he invests in, and works with, early stage enterprise SaaS startups. His primary focus is applications and cloud infrastructure related companies. He is always interested in hearing from passionate technology entrepreneurs. Ryan is a skilled writer and commentator on all things SaaS. He’s written for Techcrunch, Sifted, Thrive Global and is a regular contributor to The UK Newspaper. He’s host of the recently launched #AskAVC YouTube channel aimed at enterprise entrepreneurs. In each episode he tackles a different issue relating to building and scaling B2B startups - topics such as how to pitch to an investor and how to combat sales churn. When he’s not working with his portfolio founders, Ryan is active with Code2040, a nonprofit organization that creates pathways to educational, professional, and entrepreneurial success in technology for underrepresented minorities. And occasionally he finds time for surfing!…

#AskAVC with Ryan Floyd

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What is enterprise automation: tech breakdown - ep. #24 33:21

4 years之前33:21