Why startups fail with Dave Hersh, Founder & Author

Only 10% of start-ups are successful and yet 82% of founders think they will be successful. 78% of start-ups don't even manage to pay back their investors.

Dave Hersh scaled a company with Jive to more than 10 million dollars in turnover, took a growth investor on board and Jive later went public.

Through his other positions as a coach, board partner at a16z and also as a buyer of start-ups, he has a 360-degree perspective on the things that go wrong in the venture ecosystem. 

His book Reignition is all about dealing with the 90% of startups that don't achieve outlier success.

As a founder, how can you prevent your startup from getting stuck halfway through, or pull the cart out of the mud if that has already happened.

What you learn:

• The evolution of the venture capital ecosystem and its current challenges

• The importance of intuition versus data-driven decisions in company building

• When and how to raise capital and the risks of funding too early or too much

• The role of market access and operational efficiency in the success of startups

• How to choose the right investor and the importance of deep personal connection and trust

ALL ABOUT UNICORN BAKERY: 

https://zez.am/unicornbakery

Dave Hersh:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davehersh/ 

Reignition - Transforming Stuck Startups: https://amzn.eu/d/3ZHnrUK 

Unicorn Bakery Whatsapp Broadcast:

Here you can find out everything you need to know as a founder: https://drp.li/jrq5S  

Our WhatsApp Broadcast keeps you up to date with insights into the scene, news and top content.

Marker:

(00:00:00) To what degree do you think the venture ecosystem is broken?

(00:04:67) What questions must be answered before building a company?

(00:11:33) Where do I position myself to set the guidance for the last few years?

(00:16:23) When is the right time to raise money, and do you differentiate between private and institutional investors?

(00:22:49) What do you tell founders that are scared of not reaching sales targets fast enough?

(00:25:36) How do I find the right investor, and what should I look for?

(00:29:26) How can founders see if they are on the right track and the company is moving in the right direction?

(00:34:27) What is the flywheel that leads to being stuck as a company?

(00:35:39) Trying to do my best hiring vs. putting persons in the position that hire better than me

(00:38:33) How do I unstuck my company, and how do I realize my own mistakes?

(00:49:01) What about overthinking in the early founder stage?

(00:52:39) What do you have to think about to become the best performer, and where do I start?

(00:59:20) Is it even possible to be successful in the early 20s?