The Twenty Minute VC (20VC): Venture Capital | Startup Funding | The Pitch 20VC: How Founders Can Gain Leverage in Fundraising Negotiations, The Metrics You Need To Raise Your Series A in Consumer & What We Have To Change About Cap Table Construction with Jana Messerschmidt, Partner @ Lightspeed Venture Partners
Sep 2, 2019
Jana Messerschmidt, Partner at Lightspeed Venture Partners, has an impressive background with stints at Twitter and Netflix, along with co-founding #Angels to support women in tech. She shares invaluable insights on how founders can effectively leverage fundraising negotiations. Jana discusses the Netflix culture of high performance, where leaders provide context instead of control. She emphasizes key metrics for Series A success and highlights the importance of building supportive relationships with investors while also ensuring diverse cap tables.
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From Manitowoc to Silicon Valley
- Jana Messerschmidt's interest in technology began in her small Midwest town, sparked by her dad's love for gadgets.
- Her engineering pursuit stemmed from a simple desire to understand computers, leading her from Manitowoc to Silicon Valley.
Founding #Angels
- Jana Messerschmidt co-founded #Angels, an investment collective designed to increase women's participation in successful companies' cap tables. #Angels, born over cocktails, aimed to amplify deal flow, discussion, and founder value.
Netflix's Keeper Test
- Netflix's culture deck emphasizes high performance, viewing the workplace like a professional sports team, not a little league.
- The "keeper test" helps managers assess team quality by asking if they'd fight to retain a departing employee.
