Run the Numbers

Ruslan Sergeyev from Hercules Capital gives insights into venture debt, types, benefits, and players. He discusses debt structure, covenants, rates, and success fees. Learn when to raise venture debt and how to leverage banking activities. Discover red flags in the process and capital stack strategies.

Boris Wertz, Founding partner at Version One Ventures, talks about marketplace evolution, focusing on niche markets, solving chicken and egg problem, buyer mindshare, and long-tail models. They discuss the importance of understanding demand and supply matching in 'hotspots', liquidity in marketplaces, and pricing strategies. Boris also explores high-ticket collectibles, early-stage investing, and growth strategies for marketplaces.

Angela Winegar, Head of Growth at Carta, discusses how marketing is a form of capital allocation, ROI for media budgets, and the value of brand, demand gen, and growth marketing. She highlights the need for ROI in marketing and collaboration between CMOs and CFOs. Angela also shares anecdotes from her unconventional career path.

CFO Scott Haralson of Spirit Airlines discusses the complexities of the airline business, including ultra-low-cost carrier models and operating costs per available seat mile. He touches on forecasting challenges, network planning, fuel price hedging, capital decisions, and the importance of dynamic pricing. Haralson also reveals Spirit's Ideal Customer Profile and the role of leisure travelers. The podcast delves into economic cycles, aircraft purchases, and lessons learned in financial planning.

Silicon Valley veteran Molly Graham discusses scaling startups, work grief, taking risks in career progression, mastering destruction in building a company, and the art of firing people. She shares insights on navigating emotional challenges during layoffs, embracing risks for growth, and making bold career moves despite fear.

Experienced CFO Lanny Baker discusses business transformations, the differences between consumer-facing internet businesses versus SaaS or B2B, Eventbrite's unique creator and consumer model, network effects, take rates, expanding TAM, pivots, handling investors, and a hilarious marketing stunt gone wrong.

CFO of Calendly, John McCauley, shares insights on hiring, promotion, confronting challenges, and CFO responsibility. Talks about product-led growth, debunking benchmarking myths, loyalty in software organizations, and the importance of teamwork. Reflects on mentorship, leadership influence, CFO journey, embracing opportunities, navigating challenges in finance leadership, and redefining loyalty in the workplace. Discusses crazy expenses, sales strategies, and memorable CFO experiences.

Jeff Cooper, CFO of Guidewire, shares insights on their strategic advantage in vertical SaaS, challenges of the industry-specific business model, the importance of ARR metrics, transitioning to a cloud business model, and the significance of professional services in SaaS companies.

Taylor Holiday, CEO of Common Thread Collective, shares valuable insights on marketing and finance alignment, unit economics, ROI potential of in-house vs agencies, differences in B2C and B2B marketing, Buy Now Pay Later impact, e-commerce financial complexity, success stories, and brand sponsorship strategies in the e-commerce industry.

Former CFO legend Jim Kelliher shares insights on driving growth as a CFO, importance of product investment, navigating IPOs during economic downturns, building winning team spirit, and why later-stage private equity buyouts may be doing a disservice to startup communities.