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Recent Articles from Dan King
Finance after founders
Let’s say your start-up company is 4 years old and has become wildly successful. You have consulted your board and advisors, you are ready to exit and believe a fair valuation for your company is $50 million. This valuation number was derived from comparable exits of companies similar in size, i...
The fine art of managing fear
This is a story about a guy named Joe. Joe had a crippling fear that bound him for many years.This was the fear of being let go from his corporate job. While Joe didn’t have a rational excuse that led him to believe this would actually happen, he still obsessed. This fear bound him to limiting th...
The SaaS churn effect
The subscription-based economy is coming, if not here already. Software providers are especially focusing sales efforts away from the "transaction” model, to longer term focused “customer relationship” models. The best example of this concept today is a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) business. The...
Software-as-a-Service soars
Key attractions for customers to use SaaS products are: 1) predictable cash outflows because transactions are typically accounted for as an “operating expense” vs.” capital purchase”; 2) cost optimization (customers often only pay for what they use); and 3) customers can outsource functions to a v...
The fractional CFO
A CFO is a key business partner and financial strategist for the CEO. They can develop financial strategies, sales pricing and operations, negotiate contracts and otherwise maintain the company compliance functions. The fractional CFO does all of this, too – but only as much as a client wants or...
A look at unlimited time off
If you have the right company recipe for success, there is a high likelihood an unlimited time off policy might work. If not, it can be a poison pill for culture that breeds inequity and entitlement. So, what are the basic rules of engagement when considering an unlimited PTO.
Consider a “Digital Sabbatical”
Think about it. No cell phone, email, Facebook, Twitter – nothing. If you are like me, you would cringe at the thought of unread emails piling up in your inbox, phone calls going unanswered or text messages clogging your cell phone. How could anyone recover from such catastrophe after a full week?
Creative compensation
Startups with limited cash resources must come up with alternative but meaningful forms of compensation, such as more time off, unusual perks and progressive work environments.There's another popular form of deferred compensation: stock options.
The rise of you
Engaging relationships in today’s market starts with an understanding that the rules of the engagement are vastly different from even a decade ago. It's time to place your needs on the same level as the needs of others.This requires a process of creative self-renewal. Here are a few philosophies.
The M&A financial follies
Acquisitions can be a fantastic driver of business value – or a career-limiting disaster.Three key activities increase the likelihood of a successful acquisition: 1) the deal structure; 2) planning; and 3) execution. If all of these aren’t mastered, bring in outside help.
Success and the servant leader
Many Colorado companies have their fair share of great business models and leadership teams. Others, not so much. So why do some companies crush it on a daily basis while other struggle? One important key: the leadership of a “servant leader." The concept of the servant leader is among the top r...
Keep calm and carry cash
Working in a startup company is tough. Founders face many challenges: Creating a brand; getting customers to believe in their company; developing cutting edge products; and persuading customers to buy […]
