Startup Funding Espresso – The Failure Rate for Startups
Release Date: 12/18/2025
Startup Funding Espresso – Acid Test for Startup Valuation
Investor Connect Podcast
Acid Test for Startup Valuation Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Valuation is a key negotiating factor in startup investing. There are many valuation models available. The most common is the use of comps or comparables to see if the valuation is at market rate. Consider using the acid test for startup valuation. The acid test for startup valuation compares the money invested so far to the proposed pre-money valuation. Some call this the Money-in method. To calculate this value, take the pre-money valuation and...
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Startup Funding Espresso – Innovation Looks Trivial in the Early Days
Investor Connect Podcast
Innovation Looks Trivial in the Early Days Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In the early days of a startup, innovation can look trivial. Innovation is often applied to the lower end of the market. New technologies often start as simple devices or applications. These devices have minimal functionality and lack robust features. In vetting startups, look past the minimal functionality to the rate of change of the technology. While today it may seem trivial, a fast growth rate can move it into a more competitive...
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Startup Funding Espresso – Hiring a Professional CEO
Investor Connect Podcast
Hiring a Professional CEO Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Startup founders take the CEO position because they bring the vision and passion to launch the company. They know the domain and are building the core product and go-to-market strategy. They are the ultimate authority at the company. As the company grows and then scales, there comes a time for a professional CEO. Here’s a list of key characteristics to look for in a professional CEO: One who has experience managing a large company....
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Startup Funding Espresso – How Startups Can Make Better Forecasts
Investor Connect Podcast
How Startups Can Make Better Forecasts Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Forecasting is a key skill founders need for raising funding. Investors want to know the founders' expectations for the business with the funds raised. Here are some key steps to make better forecasts: Start with a baseline. If the startup has revenue, then use that as the starting point. If the startup is pre-revenue, then look to similar startups to set a baseline. Determine the drivers behind the revenue. This could be leads generated,...
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Startup Funding Espresso – How To Build an Elevator Pitch
Investor Connect Podcast
How To Build an Elevator Pitch Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. The elevator pitch is the short form of your startup pitch. It introduces the deal to an investor and gives the key highlights. The goal is not to tell them everything but rather to intrigue them to learn more about it. Here’s how to build an elevator pitch: State in five words or fewer what the startup does. Show two examples of the impact of the startup using numbers. This could be exploding revenue, such as “We’re seeing 50% month over...
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Startup Funding Espresso – The Nuances of Pitching
Investor Connect Podcast
The Nuances of Pitching Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In pitching investors, there are key nuances that can make or break the pitch. Here is a list of nuances to consider when pitching: Use the pitch to build a collaboration. Funding is a part of it, but not the only thing. Start your pitch with your core value proposition. State in plain language what your company does. If you have revenue numbers, build the pitch around them. Showcase the growth story with a graph showing a curve going up and to the right...
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Startup Funding Espresso – Key Skills for a Startup Founder To Have
Investor Connect Podcast
Key Skills for a Startup Founder To Have Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Successful startup founders share several key skills. Here are the key skills for a startup founder to have: They have access to the networks that are vital to their startup success. This includes investor networks for funding and customer networks for buying the product. They are flexible. They can pivot the business when the market changes or they discover a better one. They are persistent. They stick with it during the down times as...
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Startup Funding Espresso – Launching a Startup in a New Domain
Investor Connect Podcast
Launching a Startup in a New Domain Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Markets shift and change, creating new startup opportunities. Founders seek new markets in which to launch a startup. For those launching a startup in a new domain, here are some key steps: Read several books describing the domain and how it works. Talk to domain experts in the space to learn the details of the market. Look for unmet needs that must be addressed. Identify experts in the domain who can advise you. Ask one or two to be a mentor....
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Startup Funding Espresso – Revenue Solves All Problems
Investor Connect Podcast
Revenue Solves All Problems Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In a startup, revenue solves all problems. Funding can help, but only for so long. As long as you have cash, you can run the startup. When you run out of money, then it’s over. Revenue can fix any problem. If you need more sales support, you can hire them. If you need to fix a product, you can bring in a developer to do the job. If you need more leads, you can hire a marketer. Funding can solve many problems, but it’s limited. There’s only so...
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Startup Funding Espresso – Signs of a Good Founder
Investor Connect Podcast
Signs of a Good Founder Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Anyone can be a founder of a startup. Here are signs of a good one: They have an innovative mindset. They look for how to innovate on the product, the business model, and more. They are self-aware. They know their strengths and weaknesses. They have a vision for their business. They know where they want to go with it. They have passion. They exhibit this in their work, communication, and time spent. They are resilient. They can endure setbacks and carry...
info_outlineThe Failure Rate for Startups
Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing.
The failure rate for startups is high at almost 90%.
Here’s a list of reasons why startups fail:
The founders underestimate how long it will take to gain traction in the market.
The startup runs out of cash.
The product fails to find product-market fit.
The competition wins the market.
There are regulatory challenges that cannot be overcome.
The team was not up to the challenge.
The timing of the startup was off.
The founders failed to focus on productive tasks.
Some startups take on too much debt too soon.
The startup is building a product for an undefined market.
Half of all startups fail in the first five years.
Twenty percent of startups fail in the first year.
Less than 10% of founders build a successful startup.
Startups are challenging for many reasons.
The failure rate is high.
Consider these risks in launching your startup.
Thank you for joining us for the Startup Funding Espresso where we help startups and investors connect for funding.
Let’s go startup something today.
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