David Garnder

Investor: Sales, biz development are different – startups need both

Posted by David Garnder | Aug 25, 2017

In a blog published at ExitEvent, author and investor David Gardner explores The Business Development Hat, a critical hat that entrepreneurs must wear as they grow their companies. CARY – Each day as I talk with promising new startups and the founders of my 35 or so portfolio companies, I ask myself, “What else do they need to know?” This month’s recurring topic has been business development. I often hear the terms “sales” and “business development” used interchangeably. This is a clear indication that the person I’m working with does not understand what biz dev is all about. I’ve...

Sales and Biz Dev Are Different. Here’s Why You Need Both.

Posted by David Garnder | Aug 24, 2017

Each day as I talk with promising new startups and the founders of my 35 or so portfolio companies, I ask myself, “What else do they need to know?” This month’s recurring topic has been business development. I often hear the terms “sales” and “business development” used interchangeably. This...

Why Startups Should Recruit Superstars

Posted by David Garnder | Jul 10, 2017

I worked for a while once at a staffing agency. It was just a placeholder job for me at the time, so I had no idea how extremely valuable that experience was going to be for my career as an entrepreneur. I am often asked why I included a...

Why Startup Founders Aren’t CEOs When The Company Goes Public

Posted by David Garnder | May 9, 2017

There are only a few examples I can think of where the founder of a nationally well-known company was still the CEO once the company did an initial public offering. After founding several of my own startups and working with hundreds of young entrepreneurs over the years, I think...

Lies, Damn Lies, and CAC Marketing Metrics

Posted by David Garnder | Feb 15, 2017

I would not call myself a marketing expert by any reach but I’ve invested in enough companies and served on enough boards to know that if your business has a marketing component to it, how you define and report your marketing metrics can be full of pit falls. If...

Will Investors Want to Control My Startup?

Posted by David Garnder | Jan 12, 2017

Lately I’ve heard several entrepreneurs express concerns about investor rights, board seats and other terms that are typical in investment agreements. I’ve even heard a speaker warn entrepreneurs at a startup event not to allow early stage investors any representation on their board because they, “Should not have to give up control of their venture.” This seemed like a good time to set the record straight about proper startup governances and oversight for early-stage companies. Despite the occasional angel investor who thinks putting a little money into your venture gives him or her management decision-making authority, professional fund managers...

Will Investors Want to Control My Startup?

Posted by David Garnder | Jan 12, 2017

Lately I’ve heard several entrepreneurs express concerns about investor rights, board seats and other terms that are typical in investment agreements. I’ve even heard a speaker warn entrepreneurs at a startup event not to allow early stage investors any representation on their board because they, “Should not have to give up control of their venture.” This seemed like a good time to set the record straight about proper startup governances and oversight for early-stage companies. Despite the occasional angel investor who thinks putting a little money into your venture gives him or her management decision-making authority, professional fund managers...

Why Texting is Bad For Productivity

Posted by David Garnder | Dec 28, 2015

I work with a lot of millennial entrepreneurs who grew up with texting as their primary written communication modality rather than email. This can lead to problems when they start businesses and their needs for collaboration and time management increase. Let me start by saying that I enjoy texting with my daughter and friends. Social instant messages can be fun, but when it comes to getting work done and organizing diverse communication exchanges, texting is a horrible modality that can seriously limit your success. Here’s why. The root from which the word “business” is derived is the word...

The Startup Hats: The Manager’s Hat

Posted by David Garnder | Dec 9, 2014

David Gardner is a serial entrepreneur and angel investor based in Cary. He sold ProviderLink to Compuware for $12 million in 2006. Four years later, he sold Peopleclick to a New York private equity firm for $100 million. Among his portfolio of 25 local startups are FilterEasy, Stealz, Validic, ArchiveSocial, FotoSwipe and Fortnight Brewing. He had two exits in 2013: Magnus Health (after it raised a round) and ChannelAdvisor. Gardner wrote The Startup Hats over Christmas 2013 and it is now available for purchase in both paperback and ebook. He shares excerpts of each chapter with ExitEvent readers in 13 installments. Here’s part eight. Special...

Posts by David Garnder