Don’t Let Your Company Die
Dimitris Glezos
Founder, CEO @ Transifex
YOUR #1 PRIORITY AS A CEO

Thoughtful on what can
seriously hurt our company

Thoughtful on what can
seriously hurt our company
“Our top business
is to stay in business.”

All $1B companies didn’t die at $10M

Startups Challenge Limits

Train hard

Prevent Injury
Train hard

Prevent Injury
Train hard
Prevent Injury
in your startup

Prevent Injury
Train hard
Do not run out of

Prevent Injury
Train hard
Do not run out of

Fundraising
and Wishful Thinking

● Is our market really going to grow that fast?
● How fast can we realistically absorb people?
● Which KPIs matter and when to evaluate them?
● Will hiring a VP Mktg really take only this much time?
● Are our top customers in any danger of churning?
● Maybe we’ll have to use our backup plans & reserves.

There is a non-zero chance
that things will go wrong
Be honest and thoughtful about the big risks

Raise enough to get to profitability
if you have to

REVENUE OPEX
RUNWAY
IN 18mo
FUNDING
SCENARIO 100 100 3
AGGRESSIVE 120 120 3
CONSERVATIVE 70 70 3

REVENUE OPEX
RUNWAY
IN 18mo
FUNDING
SCENARIO 100 100 3
ACTUAL PLAN 120 70 18
CONSERVATIVE 100 70 9

Runway Optionality

Dimitris Glezos
glezos@transifex.com