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Sequoia takes issues severely. The storied enterprise agency is understood to react to macro-economic occasions with grand memos geared toward portfolio firms, and typically the entrepreneurship scene at giant. Most just lately, Sequoia created a 52-slide deck, first reported by The Info, titled Adapting to Endure; the doc reads like a follow-up course to its infamously ill-timed “Coronavirus: The Black Swan of 2020” memo of March 2020.
The agency just isn’t all the time proper in its prognostications — which is possibly why it caught to inside musings as an alternative of a Medium submit this time — nevertheless it does do a service in offering a snapshot of how one of the crucial weathered, and profitable, corporations of all time thinks a few looming downturn.
“Our intention in gathering right now is to not be a beacon of gloom,” the deck reads. “However we additionally consider that profitable within the years forward goes to rely on making onerous, decisive decisions confronting uncomfortable challenges that will have been masked throughout the exuberance and distortions of free capital over the previous two years.”
Sequoia’s recommendation largely adopted the identical script that different enterprise corporations have been utilizing: lengthen runway, concentrate on sustainable development and acknowledge that an financial restoration could also be a methods away. There have been, nevertheless, some tidbits that stood out, similar to a subtweet I’m guessing is for Tiger International and a exact rationalization of how founders ought to outline fluff today.
For my full tackle this subject, learn my Avisionews+ column, “Sequoia is the most recent VC agency that wishes you to take the downturn severely.” In the remainder of this article, we’ll usher in a founder’s perspective on this second in tech, a pitch deck teardown and a deal that will have flown beneath your radar this week. As all the time, you may assist me by forwarding this article to a buddy or following me on Twitter or subscribing to my blog.
Let’s have a Coronary heart to Coronary heart
On Fairness this week, Coronary heart to Coronary heart CEO Josh Ogundu joined us to speak about his perspective in the marketplace for early-stage founders. Ogundu advised us what he’s rethinking, the significance of honesty and what to do earlier than contemplating a layoff. It’s not too usually that we’ve visitors on the present, so once we do, it’s going to be one.
Right here’s why it’s vital: A lot of the recommendation, as this article’s intro reveals, has come from traders. But, founders are those residing the change and making the onerous choices, so contemplate this episode an overdue actuality test.
- A ping-pong match between bulls and bears
Picture Credit: Bryce Durbin/Avisionews
Pitch Deck Teardown
Our personal Haje Jan Kamps has began a weekly sequence during which he critiques a startup’s pitch deck within the form of a witty column. Most just lately, he reviewed Lumigo’s Collection A pitch deck that helped the startup land a $29 million spherical.
Right here’s why it’s vital, in his phrases: “I’ve been teaching startups for a very long time, and the No. 1 problem we all the time run into is that there’s no scarcity of recommendation for tips on how to do pitch deck (hell, I wrote a book about it), however the factor that’s all the time been lacking is an efficient library of precise, actual pitch decks that have been profitable in elevating cash. Once I rejoined Avisionews and began speaking to founders about fundraising rounds, I noticed this could be my probability. On this week’s teardown, we discuss what labored concerning the deck and the place the corporate might have made additional enhancements. That is data that isn’t out there anyplace else, and it’s been such a enjoyable venture to this point!”
- Making room on the cap desk: A brand new plan for selling range in tech
- Pitch Deck Teardown: BoxedUp’s $2.3M seed spherical pitch deck
- Pitch Deck Teardown: Dutch’s $20M Collection A deck
Deal of the week
It actually appears like layoff bulletins are the brand new funding spherical tales, however I do assume it’s useful to steadiness the doom and gloom with some growth-focused information. And no, I’m not simply speaking about new crypto funds. This week, Planet FWD introduced that it has secured $10 million so the buyer merchandise trade can monitor carbon emissions. No biggie.
Right here’s why it’s vital through reporter Christine Hall: “Time is of the essence in lowering emissions, with [CEO Julia Collins] noting that there are lower than 100 months left to succeed in the 2030 international objective of chopping no less than 40% of greenhouse gasoline emissions from 1990 ranges. Family consumption of issues like meals, which impacts land, vitality and water, account for 60% of world emissions, she added.”
- A take a look at the 9 groups that simply introduced at Pear’s newest demo day
- Does WeWork’s Adam Neumann actually deserve his second probability?
- Foursquare founder banks funding for thriller 3D social community startup
Picture Credit: Peter Dazeley (opens in a new window) / Getty Photos
Throughout the week
- Asserting the Avisionews+ Stage Agenda at Disrupt 2022
- We’re within the coronary heart of serving to plan the Avisionews+ stage at Disrupt this 12 months — apply right here to be thought of — and Avisionews Local weather subsequent month simply introduced a speaker who you might acknowledge.
- Big shout out to these wonderful colleagues who I’ve the glory of working with. Observe all of them, after which create one other account, and comply with them once more. I’m solely half kidding.
Seen on Avisionews
Report: Substack, the extremely hyped e-newsletter platform, has ditched plans for a Collection C
4 traders talk about the US hashish market’s prospects in Q3 2022
Manish Maheshwari, former Twitter India head, leaves new startup
Founder alleges that YC-backed fintech startup is ‘copy-and-pasting’ its enterprise
All the things you wished to find out about Elon Musk and Twitter (however didn’t need to ask)
Seen on Avisionews+
Questions come up on Y Combinator’s function in startup correction
Sequoia’s Jess Lee explains how VCs take into consideration their offers
Maybe quicker supply instances have been a poor selection from a unit-economics perspective
Expensive Sophie: Does Worldwide Entrepreneur Parole have any benefits over an O-1 visa?
Can recurring income financing drive development in a turbulent market?
Till subsequent time,
