Were investors rejected 70 times, the technology company valuations have exceeded US $ 1 billion venture, venture-IT information

In recent months, people have been talking about the venture capital environment is cooling. However, Adaptive Luobu·Heer, founder of Insights (Rob Hull) advice for startup founders is always the same: ignore the noise and focus on your own business.

If anyone knows what he is saying, then this one has to belong to himself. In the early days of the company, he was rejected by venture capitalists 70 times, and after the baptism of the 2008 financial crisis. Eventually, he built a $ 1 billion worth of financial software company. The company has so far financed more than $ 170 million.

"In the beginning, investors there are a lot of concerns to us. "HAL said," people often say to us we are doomed to fail. ”

Hull prove they are wrong. Since since its inception in 2003, Adaptive Insights has become a financial planning software (often referred to as enterprise performance management software) is one of the leaders in the market. It now has more than 3,000 customers in 85 countries worldwide. In this year, market research firm Gartner Magic Quadrant (Magic Quadrant) survey, it was even named as one by one the whole cloud-only software.

"The investment market in the event of cyclical change. Therefore, you have to focus on things you can control, to build your own business. "Hull said.

Salary was not

Hull's success has not been easy.

He predicted that Chief financial officers and the financial sector will eventually put their data stored in the cloud. In this regard, investors expressed doubts. They did not believe that his company can fight the big companies, such as Oracle and Microsoft. Also, they don't know Adaptive Customer Insights company focusing on medium-scale enterprise approach is to ensure that company profits.

Especially during the 2000 to 2005 period, Adaptive Insights company is undertaking its first financing, but investor sentiment has fallen to the bottom. The industry has just emerged from the economic decline that followed the bursting of the Internet bubble, everyone was wary, fearing that start-up companies make money.

In fact, the hull was once stopped his wages, and to consider selling the company, because of its second round of financing fundamental investors cannot be found. Later, he met VCs Monitor Ventur investor, the former Chief Financial Officer, jierui·engeer (Jerry Engel), things finally changed. He financed the $ 7 million, and allow companies to continue to operate.

"It is important to find people who really believe you are trying to solve the problem of enterprise investors. "Hull said.

Hull also ingenious use of the 2008 financial crisis. Marketing slogan is Adaptive Insights of his company's software can help companies better manage their finances, control costs more effectively. By 2012, his message finally got the recognition. Since then, the company has financed more than $ 130 million.

Conservation and focus on

Hull no longer served as the company's CEO, he shifted most of the day-to-day operations to the incumbent CEO tangmu·Bogan (Tom Bogan). However, he remains the company's Chairman, to help promote his company.

Hull acknowledged that the current financing environment is very like this 2003 raised seed money scene. Today some of the startup's founder, this kind of environment they were living very difficult. However, hull advised they stick to your instincts, don't give up on beginner's mind.

"Make sure you can really solve the problem, to get people to trust your instincts and be willing to pay you. "Hull said.

He is founder of struggling start-ups offers the following valuable suggestions:

1. believe what you believe. When everybody says when you fail, you might feel bones alone. However, you have to believe in the power of faith. "You have to think, figure out what you really believe and what you are really interested in, and consistently adhere to the end. "He said.

2. the ground. Thrifty, pragmatic and serious about your outgoings. Truly understand your business and cost structure and how you can finally turn a profit. "Make sure you really focus on your cash flow, in order to take control of their own destiny. "He said.

3. concentration. To find out what you're trying to solve problems and put your heart into it. Adaptive Insights company, it initially did the SMB financial planning software. But for now, its business has been expanded to the data analysis, and business services. "Don't want to solve the problem at the outset, this will distract you. Until you prove they can really do one thing when, again trying to solve more problems. "He said.

曾被投资者拒绝70次，这家科技公司估值已超10亿美元 - 创业,风投 - IT资讯

在最近几个月，人们一直在谈论正在降温的风险投资环境。但是，Adaptive Insights公司创始人罗布·赫尔（Rob Hull）对于初创公司创始人的建议始终不变：忽略一切杂音，专注于你自己的业务。

如果有人知道他在说什么，那么这个人非他本人莫属。在该公司的创业初期，他被风险资本家拒绝了70次，并经过了2008年金融危机的洗礼。最终，他打造出了一个价值10亿美元的财务软件公司。这个公司迄今为止已融资了逾1.7亿美元。

“在刚开始，投资者对我们存在很多疑虑。”赫尔说，“经常有人对我们说我们注定会失败。”

赫尔证明了这些投资者是错的。自从2003年创立以来，Adaptive Insights公司已成为了财务规划软件（通常被称为企业绩效管理软件）市场上的领导者之一。现在，它已在全球85个国家拥有了3000多个客户。在市场研究公司Gartner今年的魔力象限（Magic Quadrant）调查报告中，它甚至被命名为唯一一款全云端的软件。

“投资市场总是在发生周期性的变化。因此，你要专注于你有把握控制的东西，打造你自己的业务。”赫尔说。

曾一度不领薪水

赫尔的成功来得并不容易。

他预计，首席财务官和财务部门最终将会把他们的数据存储在云端。对此，投资者表示怀疑。他们不相信，他的公司能够拼得过大公司，例如甲骨文和微软。而且，他们也不清楚Adaptive Insights公司只专注于中等规模企业客户的做法是否能够确保公司实现盈利。

特别是在2000年到2005年期间，Adaptive Insights公司正在进行它的头两次融资，但是投资者们的情绪跌到了谷底。整个行业刚刚从互联网泡沫破灭后的经济衰败中走出，每个人都很警惕，担心初创公司赚不到钱。

事实上，赫尔曾一度停发了自己的工资，并考虑出售公司，因为它的第二轮融资根本找不到投资者。后来，他遇到了风投公司Monitor Ventur的投资人、前首席财务官杰瑞·恩格尔（Jerry Engel），事情总算有了转机。他终于融资到了700万美元，让公司得以继续运转。

“重要的是找到那些真正认同你正在努力解决的企业问题的投资者。”赫尔说。

赫尔还巧妙利用了2008年的金融危机。他的营销口号就是Adaptive Insights公司的软件可以帮助企业更好地管理其财务，更有效地控制成本。到2012年，他传递的信息终于得到了人们的认可。从那时候起，该公司融资了逾1.3亿美元。

节约和专注

赫尔现在已不再担任该公司的CEO，他将大多数日常经营工作转移到了现任CEO汤姆·波甘（Tom Bogan）身上。然而，他仍然担任着该公司的董事长，帮助宣传他的公司。

赫尔承认，当前的融资环境很像2003年他筹集种子资金时的情景。对于今天的某些初创公司的创始人来说，这样的环境让他们的日子过得很艰难。但是，赫尔劝告他们坚持自己的直觉，不要放弃初心。

“确保你能够真正解决问题，从而让人们相信你的直觉，并心甘情愿地付钱给你。”赫尔说。

他还给正在苦苦挣扎中的初创公司的创始人提供了如下宝贵的建议：

1.相信你的信念。当每个人都说你将会失败的时候，你可能会感到彻骨的孤独。但是，你要相信信念的力量。“你要深入思考，弄清楚你真正相信的是什么，你真正感兴趣的是什么，并始终如一地坚持到底。”他说。

2.脚踏实地。节俭，务实，认真对待你的每一笔支出。真正弄清楚你的业务和成本结构以及你如何最终实现盈利。“确保你真正专注于保持你的现金流，以便掌控自己的命运。”他说。

3.全神贯注。要弄清楚你想要解决什么问题，并全身心地投入。对于Adaptive Insights公司来说，它最初做的是SMB财务规划软件。但是现在，它的业务已拓展到了数据分析和企业服务。“不要一开始就想解决大问题，这样会让你分心。等到你证明自己能够真正做好一件事情的时候，再去想解决更多的问题。”他说。