Gobi Partners’ Post

WOW. When Qi Yang Chan and I started FinKnight (then Beetle Knight) a year ago, we knew we were onto something big. But having Joel Neoh, Audra Pakalnyte, and Thomas G. Tsao (Tom) join us? That was beyond anything we could’ve predicted. This past year? Non-stop action. We've leaned on our diverse experiences and the exceptional team we've built to tackle everything from cleaning up messy accounts to analytics, budgeting, fundraising, acquisitions and restructuring. But here's the thing - we’re always asking, HOW DO WE PUSH THE LIMITS? How do we deliver more value? Expand our offerings? Stay ultra-competitive? Build stronger capabilities? And create a team that’s unstoppable? Then came KL20 Summit and the Raya open houses - pivotal moments. Joel and Tom were on stage at KL20, crushing it during MyStartup's Single Window launch. Afterward, I sat down with Tom – whom I worked with during my EasyParcel days - and we had an epic conversation about the future of the startup ecosystem. Soon after, at a Raya open house, an intro from our VC legend Kwee Bee Chok led Qi Yang and me to meet Joel and Audra. We clicked instantly. And that connection? It launched something much bigger. The question we kept asking ourselves: CAN WE DO MORE? The answer? YES. That drive led us to fundraise, rebrand to FinKnight, and roll out new services. The new services - 🩺 Financial Health Checks and 🧮 Accounting & Bookkeeping - combined with our existing offerings, create a seamless, integrated support system that’s like having a robust in-house finance team, empowering startups to scale with confidence. Big shoutout to First Move, Joel Neoh, Audra Pakalnyte, and Thomas G. Tsao (Gobi Partners). Every meeting with you is like a jam session - bursting with insights, clarity, and a sharpened focus. And to Ser Yeen Wong, Yee Shin Chia, BFP ACA CIA, and Delia Teo, BFP ACA- thanks for laying the rock-solid foundation we’re building on. Founders, Angels, VCs, and PEs:   DM us if you or your portfolio companies are looking to:- … DIAGNOSE FINANCIAL ISSUES that could screw up your fundraising - our Financial Health Check has you covered. … GET SERIOUS about Accounting and Bookkeeping - tailored for startups, complete with dashboards and investor updates. … GET A GRIP on your financial metrics—profitability, unit economics, cash flow, burn rate, runway. … SET BUDGETS AND FORECASTS that align your team on the right goals. … GET CFO-LEVEL SUPPORT on fundraising, acquisitions, divestments or restructuring   We’re offering a complimentary Financial Health Check to 10 select companies. This is a unique chance to uncover and address hidden financial challenges before they impact your fundraising journey. DM us. If selected, we’ll reach out to you. Let’s take your startup to the next level. To my partner in crime, Qi Yang Chan — LFG!

🚀 FinKnight Secures Strategic Investment from First Move and Gobi Partners Affiliate! We’ve secured a strategic investment led by First Move, along with a Gobi Partners affiliate. This investment propels us further in our mission to empower startups and scaleups across Southeast Asia. 🌏 FinKnight was created to be the finance function that startups and scaleups can truly rely on - from growth strategies and fundraising to meticulous bookkeeping and data analytics. Founded by two former startup CFOs, our journey is driven by a deep understanding of the unique challenges faced by high-growth ventures. This investment is a testament to our incredible progress in just one year, impacting over 15 startups and scaleups. And we're just getting started. A heartfelt thank you to Joel Neoh, Audra Pakalnyte, and Thomas G. Tsao - your belief in our vision has been a powerful source of inspiration. We're truly grateful to have you on this journey with us. Your support will help us reach new heights, explore new markets, and deliver exceptional value to our clients. 💪 Stay tuned as we continue to unlock value, where startup financial expertise meets cost optimisation. 🔗 Full announcement: https://lnkd.in/gZSEtfq4 💎 Exclusive Access: Ready to take your startup to the next level? - FinKnight is offering a 🎁 complimentary Financial Health Check for 10 select startups. - We’ll help you uncover hidden financial challenges that could slow down your fundraising journey. By addressing these early, you’ll be ready to stand out and move forward with confidence. - 💬 DM us with your name, company, contact number, and email address. If chosen, we’ll be in touch. Founding Team: Lih Yen Chang, CFA, FCCA Qi Yang Chan Ser Yeen Wong Yee Shin Chia, BFP ACA CIA Delia Teo, BFP ACA

I've co-founded 2 startups, sold 1 and raised £millions in VC funding, but neither of them were my idea! You don't need an idea to be a founder ... but you do need to know what skill set you bring to the table! Pouch was Ben Corrigan's idea, developed from working in affiliate marketing sales for 4 years. YASO was James Campbell 甘吉 and Adam Knight's idea, developed from Launching 120 brands in China over a 10 year period. In both scenarios, I didn't come up with the idea, but I knew what I could add to the team... a background in finance and the ability to execute. If you want to start a company in 2024 but don't have an idea, here is what I would do. 1. A personal skills assessment which will allow you to find your Edge - read more about finding your edge here - https://lnkd.in/dnJ4jYaq 2. Network with people the exact opposite of your skill set and join startup groups that encourage the sharing of ideas. 3. Once you meet someone with an idea you like, spend 4-6 weeks working on it with them to see if you are a good fit to commit to 7 years of your life together. There are also amazing programs like Entrepreneur First and Antler that match you up with other people looking to start a business

Very excited to announce that Sales Primer has officially certified RedwoodRISE Ventures (Virginia Beach, United States) as an affiliate consulting partner. RedwoodRISE Ventures is a business development consultancy that provides sales and marketing support for early-stage startups and scaling ventures across multiple markets in the United States.  Managing Partners, Sara Brown and Amber Hamilton (she/her), have a combined 30+ years of experience in the field, delivering a wide range of coaching, workshops, and dedicated fractional services to Founders positioned for growth.  They immediately recognized the value of Sales Primer’s proprietary application and methodology and are using it to increase their clients' sales results. “Amber and Sara totally understood the essential benefits of the Sales Primer application the moment they saw it. We’re thrilled they asked to be our first certified Sales Primer specialists in the United States.  But we’re equally excited to be able to lean on both Amber and Sara for their own expertise and business development specializations.  They add complementary skill sets to the Sales Primer team.  Most important of all, we anticipate clients of both Sales Primer and RedwoodRISE Ventures will leverage our cross-border relations in ways that will help their ventures drive sales growth in both countries.”                                                      – Chris Stairs, Co-Founder, Sales Primer “We are thrilled to officially announce our partnership with Sales Primer. They have developed an amazing sales tool that has become a fundamental part of our process when working with founders and investors. Our partnership with Sales Primer equips us to offer invaluable insights into the effort and costs tied to realistic growth and revenue projections for our founder and investor community. By swiftly providing clarity and direction amidst the noise of the startup ecosystem, we empower our clients to navigate their path to success with confidence.                                                    -- Sara Brown, Co-CEO, RedwoodRISE Ventures #startup #sales #innovation #entrepreneurship #immigrants #impact #socialimpact #investorready #salesready

[Day 15 of _____] Cowboy Ventures, known for coining the term "unicorn," recently released an interesting report. What caught my eye is that, as of 2023, the majority of unicorn companies are B2B businesses. They account for 80% of the total valuation of unicorn companies ($1.2T), a significant increase from 20% a decade ago. It's truly the era of B2B. Lately, I've been meeting with founders of B2B startups and having enlightening conversations. An interesting observation is their extreme frugality in marketing expenses until they reach PMF. They focus on securing a handful of Ideal Customer Profiles (ICPs), then concentrate on refining their products based on these customers' feedback. They believe that creating a sharp, customer-focused product is the best path to achieving PMF. However, with the rise in B2B startups, finding even a few ICPs is becoming increasingly difficult, and retaining them is not guaranteed. This means, even if one wishes to focus solely on the product, proactive marketing and sales efforts from the outset are essential. I want to solve this paradoxical(?) situation. It may involve various attempts and possibly pivots, but I'm determined to tackle this problem. If you have any great ideas, I'd appreciate a DM or a chance to have a coffee chat with you.

Ever wonder why some startups get sky-high valuations, while others don’t? I learned this the hard way... At Affiliate Traction, I made a $25M mistake because my customer base didn’t align with my potential acquirer’s. That misalignment? It cost me big time, resulting in a much lower valuation than expected. Valuation isn’t just about what your startup is worth today, it’s about FUTURE potential. Investors and acquirers care about two things: Risk and Uncertainty. The higher the uncertainty, the lower your valuation. The more you reduce risk and increase predictability, the more your valuation rises. So, what should you focus on? It comes down to 3 key valuation drivers: 1) Growth – Are people loving and using your product? This shows you’re hitting the right market. 2) Margin – Can you scale profitably? Solid margins mean sustainable growth. 3) Retention – Are customers sticking around? If so, your product has "stickiness" and long-term value. But here’s the kicker: If these drivers don’t align with your acquirer’s ideal customer profile (ICP), you’re leaving serious money on the table. Know what your acquirers care about, align your business metrics with their goals, and watch your valuation skyrocket. Are you focusing on the right valuation drivers? If not, it’s time to start.

This partnership represents both of our company's commitment to providing the best expertise and resources to our startups. #startup #sales #innovation #entrepreneurship #immigrants #impact #socialimpact #investorready #salesready

Digital used car dealers will use dealcar as their system of records in the future! Used car dealers or Dealers as a Service (Sales management - A growing market)

📣 We’re excited to share the most disruptive pattern we’ve seen in Vertical SaaS since the introduction of embedded payments: a new control point pattern we call “Formation and Access.” Formation refers to helping entrepreneurs start a business in a new field or spin out of large existing organizations to create their own standalone ventures. Access is about solving key constraints in the new business by providing access to key resources and relationships. This includes giving these new startups an advantageous position from which to reach customers, suppliers, and licensors. We see that Formation and Access Vertical SaaS Vendors (VSVs) are earning 10x the take rates of traditional VSVs and quickly taking market share. They level the playing field for Davids to slay Goliaths. At the same time, they need to be thoughtful about how to sustain value propositions (and thus take rates) over time. Read more about why we’re excited about this idea and the potential pitfalls that founders pursuing it should be wary of: https://lnkd.in/gmBqMjUY

📣 We’re excited to share the most disruptive pattern we’ve seen in Vertical SaaS since the introduction of embedded payments: a new control point pattern we call “Formation and Access.” Formation refers to helping entrepreneurs start a business in a new field or spin out of large existing organizations to create their own standalone ventures. Access is about solving key constraints in the new business by providing access to key resources and relationships. This includes giving these new startups an advantageous position from which to reach customers, suppliers, and licensors. We see that Formation and Access Vertical SaaS Vendors (VSVs) are earning 10x the take rates of traditional VSVs and quickly taking market share. They level the playing field for Davids to slay Goliaths. At the same time, they need to be thoughtful about how to sustain value propositions (and thus take rates) over time. Read more about why we’re excited about this idea and the potential pitfalls that founders pursuing it should be wary of: https://lnkd.in/g2GSkdVM