Over the past 24 months, Thomvest Ventures has been recording headcount data for 150 Series A to C enterprise SaaS startups, and we have the numbers.
This report was prepared by Eddie Ackerman, Thomvest’s strategic financial operating partner start-up recruitment velocity as of February 2021 by region, type of company, and notably, how much time has elapsed since the last fundraiser.
Ackerman said he expects to see another round of layoffs in the coming weeks, after the startups hold their board meetings in the fourth quarter of 2022.
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It’s not something any worker wants to read a few days before Christmas, but forewarned.
“For companies with strong balance sheets, strong advocates, product-market fit, or low burn, now is the best time to hire people,” says Ackerman. important staff.
And if that doesn’t describe your company, you should make a plan to reduce headcount.
“The difficult decision to stop hiring should be made early, even if your balance sheet is in good standing,” writes Ackerman.
If you’re a founder reading this: When layoffs are possible, you have a moral and ethical responsibility to notify your employees as soon as possible. Do the right thing.
TechCrunch+ will publish on a light schedule next week and we’ll resume our normal rhythm on Monday, January 2. I’m taking a short break and will be sending out a newsletter/bulletin TechCrunch+ next meeting on Tuesday, January 3.
Thanks so much for reading us in 2022. Happy New Year!
Walter Thompson
Managing Editor, TechCrunch+
@your main character
How to Make the Most of Your Investor Relations in 2023
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As Santa reorganizes his list of naughty and good-natured people, it’s also a good time for startup founders to re-examine their investor relationships.
Vidya Raman, a partner at Sorenson Ventures, wrote an article on TC+ with do’s and don’ts for upcoming board meetings, her thoughts on which communication channel is best for different help requirements and specific data points that you should include in your discussions.
“Be ruthless about how you spend your time,” she advises, “especially with your investors.”
Holiday shipping is easier this year, but technology is still lagging
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Ryan Petersen, CEO of Flexport, writes: “Global supply lines are in better shape than they were this time last year, but that doesn’t bode well for the future.
“This year’s improvements in transportation largely reflect a decline in consumption rather than any improvement in basic infrastructure,” he said, noting that labor shortages, Global instability and high fuel prices have created persistent bottlenecks.
“Fortunately, the data available today is abundant, and we also have the tools to leverage it in ways that can enhance efficiency.”
Pitch Deck Teardown: Card Blanch’s $460k Deck for Its Angel Ring
Image credits: white card (Opens in a new window)
Fintech startup Card Blanch recently closed a $460,000 round for its pre-launch service, which promises to let customers track personal spending from a centralized app.
To see why this deck is so pleased with angel investors for its good news, we’re sharing the founders’ unedited deck:
- cover
- problem slides
- market size slip
- solution slides
- product slides
- Slide “How It Works”
- exam slides
- Revenue model slides
- Slip market opportunity
- “Next steps” — asked slide
- “Your entire wallet in one card” — value slide
- “Complete spending analysis in one place” — summary slide
Dear Sophie: What are the pros and cons of E-2 and L-1A visas?
Image credits: Bryce Durbin/TechCrunch
Dear Sophie,
We co-founded a startup in Colombia and we are thinking of opening a sales office in the US! I will be moving and my co-founder will continue to run our engineering team from Colombia.
I am currently considering both an E-2 investor visa and an L-1A executive visa. What are the pros and cons of each?
– Brave Colombians
How to solve the financial dilemma: 3 strategies that never fail
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Honestly: Are you in a hurry to close the book at the end of November due to the holidays in December?
New Year’s goals can be hard to come by, but since it’s the slowest time of the year, it’s a good time to establish healthier accounting habits.
Shagun Malhotra, a CPA and CIA and an experienced auditor, advises before running your December numbers, find a way to automate month-end closing.
In a TC+ post, she shares three strategies for digitizing this process, along with suggestions for sub-indices to track that will give you an accurate overview of your finances. mine.
“The data collected during these steps will allow you to quickly identify the root problems of your business, which will then allow you to assess what to do next.”
3 Black Investors Talk About What They’re Looking For In 2023
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Investors are generally optimistic about the tech industry’s long-term resilience, but when it comes to expanding opportunities for Black founders, Dominic-Madori Davis says they largely believe in destiny .
She interviewed three Black investors for their thoughts on impact investing, the trends they expect to grow in 2023, and how they’d like to be more accessible to founders:
- Alexis Alston, Principal, Lightship Capital
- Richard Kerby, general partner, Equal Ventures
- Jadyn Bryden, vice president, Xfund
Avoid 3 Common Sales Mistakes Startups Make During a Recession
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Analysts estimate that IT spending will increase in 2023, but let’s say that to SaaS sales teams trying to close deals with customers who have been instructed to cut spending.
Anand Shah, CEO and co-founder of Databook, explains why reactive moves like increasing sales quotas or raising prices won’t move: “What every company needs now is to sell. efficient product.
“Make real changes to meet buyer needs. Use the macroeconomic context to make the necessary sales productivity improvements.”
