Notes on running a business.
Practical guidance on cash flow, accounting, and the decisions that come with running a business.
Articles — Page 6
Startup Headcount Planning: Build a Hiring Model That Protects Runway
A startup headcount planning model connects every hire to its real cost and runway impact before you commit. Learn how to build one that keeps your burn rate predictable and your hiring decisions defensible.
Budget vs. Actuals Analysis for Startups (2026 Guide)
Budget vs. actuals is the practice of comparing your startup's planned financials to real results — line by line, every month. Here's how to run it, what variances mean, and how to act on them.
Startup Board Reporting: 12 Metrics Investors Actually Want
Board reporting isn't just a formality — it's how investors decide whether to double down or pull back. Here are the 12 metrics every startup founder needs to include, and how to present them so the board can actually act on them.
Startup Cash Runway Model: Stay Funded Longer (2026)
A startup cash runway model is the single most important financial tool a founder can maintain. Learn how to build one, what inputs matter, and how to use it to make smarter hiring, spending, and fundraising decisions.
How to Calculate Burn Multiple for Startups (2026 Guide)
Burn multiple measures how much cash your startup spends to generate each dollar of new ARR. Learn the formula, benchmarks by stage, and how to improve your score before your next raise.
Startup Burn Rate: Metrics, Benchmarks & Forecast Guide (2026)
Burn rate is the single metric that tells you how long your startup can survive. This guide covers gross vs. net burn, runway benchmarks by stage, forecasting methods, and the mistakes that catch founders off guard.
Agency Benchmarks: Margins, Utilization & Cash
Compare agency margins using a sourced industry benchmark, then build a dashboard for delivery margin, utilization, and cash with transparent assumptions.
When to Hire an Operations or Finance Lead at Your Agency
Most agencies wait too long to hire an operations or finance lead — and pay for it in margin leakage, stalled decisions, and founder burnout. Here's how to know when you're actually ready.
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