Some interesting links we found across the web this week:
We Need More Startups That Don't Prioritize
Growth Above All Else
By now, you've probably heard about the Business
Roundtable's statement on corporate purpose rejecting
maximizing shareholder returns as the sole corporate objective. So
what can we learn from startups already prioritizing social good
over the more typical winner-takes-all mentality? This HBR article
proposes that in order to really embrace this shift, we have to
look at "zebras," not unicorns, and take a hard look at
alternatives to venture capital.
I'm a Founder Raising Money for the First
Time. What's My Company Worth?
Going out and raising money is hard for a lot of reasons, but one
of the biggest is trying to figure out what to tell investors your
company is worth. There are a lot of factors that go into this
number, but you shouldn't lose sight of the long-term
perspective. This article from Fast Company provides some advice on
how to find your number, but also on the other factors to consider
when finding investors, and why those other factors might matter
more.
California Lawmakers Pass Gig Economy Rights
Bill
Assembly Bill 5 in California looks to classify gig workers as
employees, rather that independent contractors, securing them
minimum wage and benefits. This bill passed the California Senate,
though has not yet been signed into law. This change would have
major implications for the way companies like Uber and Grubhub
operate in California, and this article by Business News Daily
describes those implications, as well as how this bill could still
be amended.
We Asked More Than 600 Female Founders to Weigh In
on Gender Bias, the Economy, and the Next US President. Here's
What They Said
Unsurprisingly, female founders, when polled separately from their
male counterparts, view the world and their experiences in it quite
differently (other than their optimism—founders overall tend
to agree their businesses will thrive). Covering everything from
expectations at home to current political issues, the data in this
Inc.com article is most interesting not for the insight into female
founders, but for the illuminating comparisons with the same
questions asked to the Inc. 5000 CEOs.
Five Trends Shaping FinTech Into 2020
FinTech seeks to change the way banking is done, and startups in
the space have largely been ahead of bigger institutions in terms
of innovation. If the big banks don't want to get pushed out,
they'll have to start reevaluating their services in earnest,
and take their cue from those startups. This Forbes article
discusses five current trends, what they startups are doing, how
the bigger tech companies are getting into the space, and ways
larger banks should consider responding.
Links compiled by Meghan Muncey.
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