
Why, as CEO, I Love Driver-Based Planning
While driver-based planning is a bit of an old buzzword (the first two Google hits date to 2009 and 2011 respectively), I am nevertheless a huge fan of driver-based planning not because the concept was sexy back in the day, but because it’s incredibly useful. In this post, I’ll explain why. When I talk to finance people, I tend […]
Unfortunately, SaaS Start-Up Valuations Are About To Fall by 50%
Depending on where you are in terms of stage, timing, and all the rest, you may or may not particularly care what is happening with the public markets. I know at EchoSign, once we hit cash-flow positive, I cared a bit less — after all, what did it matter what valuations were, when I didn’t […]

A Look at the Zendesk S-1 (IPO)
I thought I’d take a quick read of the Zendesk S-1 today, so here are my real-time notes on so doing. Before diving in, let me provide a quick pointer to David Cummings’ summary of the same. My notes: 40,000 customers in 140 countries 2012 revenues of $38.2M 2013 revenues of $72.0M, 88% growth 41% […]

Back to the Future: Are We in Another Tech Bubble?
I’ve read several blogs and articles over the last few weeks debating the current tech environment and comparing (or arguing why not to compare) today to 1999. I guess it’s not surprise that there’s concern over this topic though, considering the soaring valuations that some of the current crop of social start ups has garnered […]

The Art of Riding the Bubble
People are increasingly asking whether there is a Bubble underway in the tech business. The answer is that by the time you know there is a Bubble it’s probably too late to do anything about it. But if all you’re doing is asking whether there is a Bubble, the Bubble is probably not here, yet. […]

Thinking Through the Procurement Implications of a Rising RMB
In the past couple of weeks, there’s been an abrupt turn of events around the RMB, (from US pressure, and Chinese push-back) to a state where China appears ready to let the RMB rise. A recent Financial Times article shares some of the global currency and monetary implications that an appreciating RMB may bring. But […]