Disrupting disruption with disruptive disruptions since 2010.
A mechanism where existing users naturally bring in new users, creating exponential growth without paid advertising. It's the holy grail that almost nobody actually achieves.
Special shares that get priority in liquidation, dividends, or control—essentially investor insurance against founder incompetence.
How much money your subscription business expects to make monthly from existing customers. The metric that makes founders feel slightly less broke.
Investor insurance that says 'your loss is our gain' in math form. When a down round happens, this clause adjusts the math.
Being the first to boldly venture into uncharted territory—whether that's a new market, technology, or increasingly, a niche on TikTok. The marketing term for 'we did it before it was cool.'
The introduction of something new—a fresh idea, process, or product that differs from the status quo. The corporate world's favorite word to slap on anything that isn't from 1987.
A wooden stick driven into the ground to mark territory or prop things up, or in the business world, the percentage ownership or financial commitment you have in a deal. High stakes mean high risk and high reward; low stakes mean you're testing the waters.
In startup context: begging investors for money while pretending your MVP with zero revenue is worth millions. The permanent state of a founder's existence between pivots.
A professional investor who manages pools of money from institutions and wealthy individuals, and who will explain why your startup needs to 10x to be worthwhile.
Financially obliterated; what happens when you've spent all your capital on ideas that looked good on a napkin at 2 AM. A state every entrepreneur fears and half have experienced.
Short-term money to keep you alive until someone actually funds you properly. Usually at slightly worse terms than you'd normally accept.
A business innovator who shakes up stagnant industries with fresh ideas instead of recycling the same tired playbook everyone else follows.
The early release of a product to limited users for testing and feedback. It's a safe way to find bugs before the internet makes fun of you in public.
See MVP—the leanest version of your product that teaches you what customers actually want rather than what you assume they want.
Groups of angel investors or VCs pooling resources to make a larger investment than they could individually, because apparently teamwork makes the dream work.
An SEC regulation allowing private companies to raise money from unlimited accredited investors without formal SEC registration. It's basically the loophole that makes startup funding possible.
The constellation of measurements VCs obsess over (MRR, ARR, CAC, LTV, churn) that supposedly predict success but often just delay the realization that your growth is unsustainable.
Using inflated company stock as currency to acquire other companies, a strategy that's great for acquirers, terrible for shareholders, and indicative of overvaluation.
A contractual protection for investors ensuring their ownership percentage doesn't decrease too much if you raise money at a lower valuation—basically punishing you for underwhelming growth.
To fundamentally alter an existing market or industry with a new approach. Every startup claims to 'disrupt' something, and 99% of them are just adding a mobile app to an existing business model.
The vanguard or front line of a movement, army, or trend—basically the people doing cutting-edge stuff before everyone else catches on. Think of them as the cool kids who are three seasons ahead and won't shut up about it.
Supposedly novel and revolutionary; corporate-speak for 'we added one feature that already exists elsewhere but with aggressively different marketing.'
A self-appointed visionary who had an idea first or adopted one early; startup world's favorite honorific for anyone owning three blockchain apps and genuine FOMO.
When founders get a waiver from anti-dilution adjustments because they dilute themselves (or the math is too ugly). Technical term for 'let's not do this.'