Launch Series Ep.2: Search Startup with Nikita Sunilkumar and Alex Thinath - Ep.174

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Ep.174: Alex (@Aebridgeman) is joined by Alex Thinath (@Alex-Thinath) and Nikita Sunilkumar (@Nikita-Sunilkumar).

This episode is the second in our Launch Series, a partnered series with Pacific Lake Partners and Trilogy Search Partners, focused on starting a search. We walk through the various phases before and after the search begins, with key questions and best practices on how to approach each phase. I’m joined by Alex Thinath, a current searcher backed by both Pacific Lake and Trilogy, and Nikita Sunilkumar, an entrepreneur in residence at Trilogy. In our discussion, we also discuss differentiation as a searcher, choosing investors, key KPIs and metrics to watch, and measuring success.

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Learn more about Alex and Think Like an Owner at https://tlaopodcast.com/

Links:

Trilogy Search Partners

Pacific Lake Partners

Timestamps

(00:02:22) Introducing Nikita and Alex

(00:04:54) Activities and questions in the 3-12 months leading up to the Search

(00:10:35) Industry research 

(00:14:35) Cap table and investor selections

(00:22:53) Drafting a PPM

(00:32:34) Daily activities and tools to use one month into a Search

(00:41:55) How Searchers should pitch themselves

(00:47:42) Getting into your groove: 6 months into a Search

(00:54:12) KPIs and benchmarks to hit during Search

(00:59:50) Utilizing interns and VAs

(01:05:59) Final thoughts