Episode 235: Billy Libby - Co-Founder & CEO, Upper90

On Upper90’s website you’ll find the following phrase: It’s not how much you raise… it’s how much you own. It’s a very compelling statement that makes a ton of sense, yet every day in the world of tech news, there’s a concentration on the size of the round and company’s valuation. Wouldn’t it be cool if they also reported how much of the company the founders still own? Since the entrepreneurs are the ones taking the most risk, shouldn’t we celebrate their ownership stake instead? Upper90 is working on solving this exact challenge as the firm aims to help founders keep more of their ownership by potentially delaying or even skipping their Series A round of funding. They do this by leveraging alternative forms of financing, like debt, to provide the capital for the company’s growth. The firm is focused on eCommerce and fintech businesses and have been first investors in companies like Thrasio, Clearbanc, and several others. In this episode of our podcast, we cover: * Common mistakes that founders make as it relates to equity and fundraising. * Billy’s background story in terms of time at Wharton and his experience in the financial services industry which focused on building electronic trading businesses and exchanges. * What led him and his Co-Founder, Jason Finger, down the path of creating Upper90. * All the details on their investment thesis and how their model works. * Hiring advice for founders on building out your initial leadership team for a company. * And so much more. If you like the show, please remember to subscribe and review us on iTunes, Soundcloud, Spotify, Stitcher, or Google Play.