In this Prologue/Intro episode, we introduce the co-hosts and discuss the premise of a new web series focused on startups from the perspective and experiences of a Silicon Valley startup CFO. The episode covers the background of Ryan Keating and how he formed his perspectives on successful startup finance. Future guests will include startup founders, investors (VCs and angels), consultants/experts, and board members of startups. Key themes central to each show include fundraising, financial modeling, and board meetings.
As the startup world tentatively enters the “return-to-office” phase of this COVID adventure and prepares for the “new normal,” we thought it might be interesting to briefly chronicle Keating’s own experiences and efforts so far in adjusting to the realities of social (and professional) distancing while supporting fast-moving startups during a pandemic. This post summarizes our own experiences and discusses our team's planning and decision-making processes.
A dashboard is almost as essential for your startup as it is for your car. Dashboarding can be transformative to your company and provide you, your executive team, and your investors with a new level of data-driven confidence, speed, and direction. But what makes a good dashboard, and how should you use it as the centerpiece for driving your startup?
In response to the unique needs of the burgeoning cannabis industry, Keating Consulting Group has launched its first spin-off specialty practice - Mattari Group, LLC. Mattari’s mission is to take the same finance, accounting, HR, and back-office expertise that Keating Consulting Group has perfected serving several of the Bay Area’s most successful tech startups and apply it to help grow startups in the cannabis arena.
At a recent a16z Summit, D'Arcy Coolican of Andreessen Horowitz insightfully expanded on the simple-but-crucial element of market timing for a startup by examining the concepts of societal "zeitgeists". If a startup is addressing one or more core issues within a current zeitgeist, they greatly increase the chance of survival because the solution doesn't have to be perfect out of the gate - the zeitgeist wants it solved so badly that society almost wills success and grants patience. Good stuff. Take a listen.