A Blog by Jonathan Low

 

Sep 16, 2014

The Myth of Venture Capital

In this society people are always looking for validation. And nothing says it more convincingly than putting your actual money where your proverbial mouth is.

This has been especially true in the tech start-up world where venture capitalists' decision to invest is seen as an imprimatur of intelligence, prescience, good taste - and success. But as the following article explains, celebrating the fact that a group of wealthy investors has decided to include your venture in their portfolio is hardly a guarantee - of anything. Well, anything other than that they think you might be worth an element in their risk/reward model.

The data do not support the contention that venture funding improves the odds of survival, to say nothing of actually making it to IPO status. In fact, as the author contends, doing it the old fashioned way with the weight of families' and friends' expectations hanging over the effort may provide greater discipline and concentration which results in a happier outcome for all.

The point is not that some money is better than others, a financial shortcut which our convenience-addicted economy is more than willing to embrace, but that, ultimately, the money is the same, it's the effort that provides the differentiation. And for that, we do not as yet have an adequate measure. JL

Jon Oringer comments in re/code:


We have created a tech culture that celebrates the act of securing capital as an achievement.
We’ve all heard the story: Brilliant founder raises millions of dollars in venture capital and attains new heights of wealth and success. While this has been true in a few exceptional cases, I’m fascinated by how often this narrative is portrayed in today’s media. It has become commonplace in the tech industry for companies to be considered successful (or on a path to success) only if they have the validation of raising millions by venture capitalists.
That’s why, when I get asked, “When is the right time to take on VC funding?” my answer — “In a lot of cases, never” — is often met with surprise.
Unless you absolutely need to take a round, the best way to start a company is by bootstrapping it yourself. This was the approach that I chose when founding Shutterstock in 2003. As I look back at that decision nearly 11 years later, I’m still confident that it was the right choice.
We have created a tech culture that celebrates the act of securing capital as an achievement. Many entrepreneurs have shifted their focus to pursuing VC funding as a primary strategic priority, instead of concentrating on generating value for their users. This is worrisome, because raising capital alone is misleading as a benchmark for success. I hear so many startups talking about how they can raise VC, instead of questioning whether they need it in the first place.
John Mullins, author of “The Customer-Funded Business,” recently addressed some of the drawbacks of accepting capital and dealing with VCs. I’d like to add my own perspective on how accepting seed funding can impact your skills and experiences as an entrepreneur, something that is often overlooked in discussions.
Many entrepreneurs think that cash is the ultimate solution to all of their problems, the one thing standing between them and their dreams. This is a dangerous mindset for several reasons. For one thing, it’s not necessarily true. Prominent and successful VCs like Fred Wilson will tell you that data actually shows that the amount of money startups raise in their seed and Series A rounds is inversely correlated with success. He writes that “less money raised leads to more success.”
Working with limited resources is an excellent way to hone skills that will serve you well for the rest of your career. You will prioritize profitability from the start. All businesses need to create value at some point to survive, and while some companies have had successful exits without profits, they are few and far between. By building profitability into your model, you’ll be able to start scaling. Self-funding will force this thinking at every stage. When it’s your own money on the line, you will be motivated to focus only on the essentials needed to move to the next phase, and you’ll keep yourself lean for efficiency.
Since I could feel the money moving out of my own bank account, I was very sensitive to my return on investment. This translated into a complex lifetime-value calculation that drives our acquisition model to this day.

We have created a tech culture that celebrates the act of securing capital as an achievement.

Building a business from the ground up can take years, and that time is incredibly valuable in self-paced growth. An injection of capital can act like an immediate boost that allows you to move much faster, but gives you less control over your trajectory. The faster you go, the less room you have for error. I believe that businesses have an inherent natural rhythm of growth that needs to be respected, at least in the early years — an influx of capital can disrupt that balance and push you and your team to take on projects before you’re ready.
Companies without capital will grow at the pace that makes sense to their business. You’ll only hire, introduce new products or expand into new markets when it makes financial sense for you to do so. I started Shutterstock with $10,000, and I carefully spent each dollar and worked to get a return from the start. Because of this, I still own 45 percent of the business. This is extremely rare among public companies — it’s usually closer to between five percent and 10 percent by the time businesses get to our stage.
You will also fail faster. It took me 10 tries to get to Shutterstock. Most of my startups never made it off the ground. Being an entrepreneur means being able to pivot quickly, shut down a business that isn’t performing and move on. If you use somebody else’s cash, you may be forced to continue even though you know it’s time to move on.
I recognize that self-funding isn’t an option for everyone, and some people might truly benefit from working with a VC. If a large amount of capital is required, or if not taking on a venture round will be truly detrimental to getting your company off the ground, then, by all means, do whatever you need to do. In those cases, a VC partner might be a valuable resource, providing support in areas like hiring, scaling and operations, if you and your team lack experience. They can also provide access to media, talent and technology.
But if you can figure out how to avoid an angel or venture round, you will have much more control in the long run. I would recommend trying everything you can to remain independent. Whether it’s exploring micro-funding, asking family and friends for support, reducing overhead costs by using open-source software, or learning new skills, I firmly believe that the longer you wait to raise money, the better off you and your business will be.
There are plenty of tools out there to start your own company with just a few thousand dollars. Bootstrapping doesn’t have the same allure as receiving millions in funding, but it will help you develop a solid foundation that will give your business the best chance of succeeding.

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