17 years ago, I stopped working for big, established conglomerates and took a job working for what I thought was an unknown US company with offshore operations in the heart of Ortigas. That was when I first heard the term “startup”.
Almost two decades later, I got exposed to thousands of startups’ fundraising deals, especially after I founded FullSuite nine years ago. As money comes and goes into the startup’s war chest, one question remains consistent: “How will the money actually get spent?” Or, when startups are nearing the end of their runway, “Where did the money go?”
In love, as it is in business, there is no one-size-fits-all roadmap to success. An accountant at heart, I always gravitate towards the hows and whys. Why do most startups crash and burn, even after raising a lot of funds? How on earth did they burn through all that money?
The twists and turns on my journey in the startup world led me to a single epiphany: Capital allocation is the invisible hand that steers any business venture towards success or failure.
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While many view capital allocation as a science, it is, in fact, an art, one governed by principles rather than hard and fast rules. Below are my top five takeaways, influenced by what I learned, having seen thousands of startups raise funds only to crash and burn, leaving a chosen few thriving and eventually exiting.
#One: Practice visionary investment
Strategically allocate funds to initiatives that align with the company’s long-term vision. Though there are many ways to skin the cat, not all are cost-efficient. Focus on investing your early funding proceeds into serving a niche sector of your target market versus trying to speak to a wide customer base.
In its earliest days, Slack initially targeted tech-savvy teams and developers before expanding to a broader audience. This focus allowed them to establish a strong foothold within the tech industry, and from thereon, they expanded to various other sectors. The same holds for Dropbox, as it started by targeting tech enthusiasts and early adopters, offering a solution for easy file sharing. Their initial user base provided valuable feedback and insights, allowing them to refine their product before reaching a wider market.
In both instances, they focused on improving their product and services to a niche target audience, protecting their capital from being spent on initiatives that would otherwise spread them thin if they tried to capture a larger set of customer persona.
#Two: Balance risk and reward
Every decision in business involves a tradeoff. It’s essential to tread a path where costs can be measured effectively, allowing you to maximise your resources. For example, if your organisation is remote, hiring talents from low-cost countries for non-core activities can be a strategic way to stretch your budget further. Balancing risk and reward is not about avoiding risk altogether but making calculated decisions that align with your overall business strategy.
For example, Robinhood introduced commission-free trading, aiming to make investing accessible to a wider audience. While challenging the conventional revenue model of brokerage firms was risky, Robinhood’s user-friendly platform and gamified approach attracted a new generation of investors.
#Three: Timing matters
In the fast-paced world of startups and entrepreneurship, timing can be everything. Being mindful of where you invest your time and resources is critical. Prioritising “must-haves” over “nice-to-haves” ensures you don’t exhaust your resources on peripheral features or technologies before hitting product-market fit. Such precision in timing can make or break your business growth.
Timing is best seen in the ride-hailing industry. When Grab first launched in the Philippines, it did so as GrabTaxi, focusing on taxi-hailing at a moment when traditional taxi services were facing criticism for price gouging, bad service, and other issues. Only several years later did the company launch its ride-hailing service with private cars, which was also timed well. More Filipinos had disposable income to spend on ride-hailing and the need for convenient and clean transportation in urban areas. By launching both services with impeccable timing, Grab quickly became the market leader.
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#Four: Make data-driven decisions
Measurement is the first step towards improvement. Gaining insights into where and how your capital gets spent enables better spending behaviour. Analysing data to evaluate the need for investments, such as productivity monitoring tools, can save unnecessary expenses. Embracing a data-driven culture promotes a proactive approach to decision-making, where choices are rooted in facts rather than assumptions.
Netflix is one of the businesses where its operation is driven almost entirely by data insights. It uses data analytics to analyse user behaviour, preferences and content consumption patterns to personalise recommendations and optimise content production. On the other hand, Instacart employs data to optimise grocery delivery routes, enhance supply chain efficiency and provide personalised shopping recommendations for users.
In both cases, making sense of the data available and allowing it to be an integral part of their decision-making allows these companies to smartly allocate capital to initiatives that can provide the highest probable upside.
#Five: Synergise partnerships
Strategic alliances with complementary partners can amplify your business’s impact and potential for growth. Outsourcing a part of your operations early on can result in cost savings of up to 80%. Collaborative partnerships allow for a seamless allocation of resources, enabling a swift market capture without the challenges of growing your team at the expense of your runway.
Shopify, an e-commerce platform, offers an app store that integrates third-party tools to enhance its functionalities versus developing them in-house. By partnering with external developers, Shopify has extended its capabilities and catered to diverse merchant needs without investing heavily in homegrown feature development, which requires major investments.
Data analytics company Aumni started its footprint in the Philippines by working with my company, FullSuite, during its earlier days before spinning off its own separate company in the Philippines and being acquired by JP Morgan this year.
Practicing these principles
In the intricate landscape of capital allocation, startups hold the brush to paint their path to success. Each decision shapes its trajectory, driven by a clear vision and strategic direction. Taking note of these five pillars, startups can adeptly navigate the intricacies of capital allocation, sculpting their path to growth and achievement.
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