For the final 24 months, Thomvest Ventures recorded headcount information for 150 Sequence A to C enterprise SaaS startups, and we’ve the numbers.

This report ready by Eddie Ackerman, Thomvest’s strategic finance working associate, seems to be at startup hiring velocity since February 2021 by area, firm kind and, notably, how a lot time handed since final fundraise.

Ackerman says he expects to see one other tranche of layoffs in a number of weeks, after startups maintain their This autumn 2022 board conferences.

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That’s not one thing any employee needs to learn a couple of days earlier than Christmas, however forewarned is forearmed.

“For corporations with a robust steadiness sheet, sturdy backers, product-market match or low burn, now could be the perfect time to make essential hires,” says Ackerman.

And if that doesn’t describe your organization, you must already be planning to cut back headcount.

“The robust resolution to freeze hiring must be made early, even when your steadiness sheet is in a very good place,” writes Ackerman.

If you happen to’re a founder who’s studying this: When layoffs are within the playing cards, you may have a ethical and moral duty to let your workers know as quickly as potential. Do the fitting factor.

TechCrunch+ will publish on a light-weight schedule subsequent week, and we’ll resume our standard cadence on Monday, January 2. I’m taking a brief break for the vacations and can ship the subsequent TechCrunch+ publication/roundup on Tuesday, January 3.

Thanks very a lot for studying us in 2022. Have a really pleased new yr!

Walter Thompson
Editorial Supervisor, TechCrunch+
@yourprotagonist

The right way to profit from your investor relationships in 2023

Picture Credit: anisah priyadi (opens in a brand new window) / Getty Photographs

As Santa Claus refactors his record of who’s been naughty and good, it’s additionally a very good time for startup founders to take inventory of their investor relationships.

Vidya Raman, a associate at Sorenson Ventures, has written a TC+ article with dos and don’ts for upcoming board conferences, her ideas about which communication channels are finest for various assist requests and particular information factors you must increase in your discussions.

“Be ruthless about the way you spend your time,” she advises, “particularly along with your traders.”

Vacation transport is less complicated this yr, however the tech remains to be lagging

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World provide traces are in higher form than this time final yr, however that doesn’t bode effectively for the longer term, writes Flexport CEO Ryan Petersen.

“This yr’s enhancements in transport largely replicate a pullback in consumption relatively than any enchancment within the underlying infrastructure,” he says, noting that labor shortages, international instability and excessive gasoline costs have created persistent bottlenecks.

“Thankfully, the information out there as we speak is wealthy past measure, and we even have the instruments to leverage it in methods that may increase effectivity.”

Pitch Deck Teardown: Card Blanch’s $460K deck for its angel spherical

Picture Credit: Card Blanch (opens in a brand new window)

Fintech startup Card Blanch lately closed a $460,000 spherical for its pre-launch service that guarantees to let prospects observe private spending from a centralized app.

To see why this deck was smiled upon by angel traders bearing good tidings, we’re sharing the founders’ non-redacted deck:

• Cowl slide
• Drawback slide
• Market measurement slide
• Answer slide
• Product slide
• “The way it works” slide
• Competitors slide
• Income mannequin slide
• Market alternative slide
• “Subsequent steps” — the ask slide
• “Your entire pockets in a single card” — worth prop slide
• “Full spending analytic in a single place” — abstract slide

Pricey Sophie: What are the professionals and cons of the E-2 and L-1A visas?

Picture Credit: Bryce Durbin/TechCrunch

Pricey Sophie,

We co-founded a startup in Colombia, and we’re occupied with opening a gross sales workplace within the U.S.! I’d be shifting, and my co-founder will proceed to run our engineering crew from Colombia.

I’m at present contemplating each the E-2 investor and L-1A govt visas. What are the professionals and cons of every?

— Brave Colombian

The right way to resolve the monetary shut dilemma: 3 methods that by no means fail

Picture Credit: Flavio Coelho (opens in a brand new window) / Getty Photographs

Be sincere: Did you rush your November month-end shut because of the December holidays?

New 12 months’s resolutions are arduous to stay to, however as a result of that is the slowest time of yr, it’s a very good time to ascertain more healthy accounting habits.

Earlier than working your December numbers, search for methods to automate the month-end shut, advises Shagun Malhotra, a CPA and CIA who’s additionally an skilled auditor.

In a TC+ put up, she shares three methods for digitizing this course of, together with ideas for sub-metrics to trace that provides you with an correct snapshot of your monetary well being.

“The info gathered in these steps will can help you establish your online business’ root points rapidly, which is able to then allow you to assess what to do subsequent.”

3 Black traders discuss what they’re on the lookout for in 2023

Picture Credit: pchyburrs (opens in a brand new window) / Getty Photographs

Buyers are typically optimistic about tech’s long-term potential to get better, however in terms of increasing alternatives for Black founders, Dominic-Madori Davis says they’re largely fatalistic.

She interviewed three Black traders to get their ideas on affect investing, which developments they count on to take off in 2023 and the way they like to be approached by founders:

• Alexis Alston, principal, Lightship Capital
• Richard Kerby, normal associate, Equal Ventures
• Jadyn Bryden, vp, Xfund

Keep away from 3 frequent gross sales errors startups make throughout a downturn

Picture Credit: Anthony Lee (opens in a brand new window) / Getty Photographs

Analysts estimate that IT spending will enhance in 2023, however inform that to SaaS gross sales groups making an attempt to shut contracts with prospects who’ve been instructed to slash spending.

“What each firm wants now could be environment friendly gross sales,” says Anand Shah, CEO and co-founder of Databook, who explains why reactive strikes like rising gross sales quotas or elevating costs received’t transfer the needle.

“Make actual modifications to fulfill your patrons’ wants. Use the macroeconomic backdrop to make the required gross sales productiveness enhancements.”