Brex in the Black

A lot of the excitement and lure of startups falls on the equity component. This episode breakdown how founders should think about their stock when starting out, what to do after raising your round, and how to grant options to early employees. Sign up for Brex by visiting brex.com

Transparency is popular in tech and it's something people value in their employer. In this episode of Brex in the Black, Michael (CFO) shares his thoughts on transparency about finances and where to draw the line. You can sign up for Brex by visiting: brex.com

Brex's CFO Michael Tannenbaum addresses the topic of venture debt, one that often comes up as a question in panels and conversations with startup founders. We cover how venture debt is unique in the startup ecosystem, typical terms, rates, and what to watch out for in the process. You can sign up for Brex by visiting: brex.com

This episode of Brex in the Black covers Michael Tannebaum's playbook for running board of director meetings. The playbook covers everything from Scheduling Material to send out Who should attend Post-meeting This was also recently outlined in our Building Brex blog online including a good template, so make sure to give that a read. You can sign up for Brex by visiting: brex.com

This episode of Brex in the Black is all about budgets and navigating conflicts they may bring. It's important to note that budgeting conflicts happen and it’s hard to budget at startups. The important thing is accountability and review. Learn how Michael Tannenbaum, Brex's CFO, guides the company in this process and internalizes it. You can sign up for Brex by visiting: brex.com

We've already covered the future of offices and rethinking the office strategy, in this episode of Brex in the Black, we discuss remote work benefits like utility stipends, meal stipend, at home office benefits for furniture, shared office space in new cities, etc. You'll hear Michael's recommendation to offer remote benefits to build loyalty. You can sign up for Brex by visiting: brex.com

In this episode of Brex in the Black we talk about the healthy tension your finance team should have with the rest of your company. Topics: The Finance team's ultimate task How does a CFO lose their job? Maintaining respectful relationships with teams across the org. Focus on the business - frame everything as what is right for the business, do not get into what other groups can or cannot do You can sign up for Brex by visiting: brex.com

In this episode of Brex in the Black Michael Tannenbaum and Arthur Levy give us their thoughts on how to approach acquihires. Why companies do Acquihires and how to know if yours should Proactive vs. Passive Build pipeline around key properties Building your buckets with your Product team Build brand within the community How to structure your Corp Dev team to “know” what to look for How to objection handle How to speak to VC’s and let them know what to look for You can sign up for Brex by visiting: brex.com

In this episode of Brex in the Black Michael Tannenbaum answers a common question he gets from early-stage founders. "How do I actually go ahead and reimburse myself after I've been spending money on my personal card because I haven't had my business set up and I've incurred all these expenses? You can sign up for Brex here brex.com

In this episode of Brex in the Black Michael breaks down how he's been rethinking the office strategy after a prolonged period of remote work. You can sign up for Brex here brex.com

In this episode of Brex in the Black we go over closing a round of funding and the actual mechanics you need, including legal docs, wires, investor confirmations, diligence, and more. Topics covered: Post diligence and agreement - what do you What are the docs: Articles - the most critical stuff, especially anti dilution and drag along IRA - co sale , ROFR SPA - actual documents Disclosures schedule Funding / closing - Pick a date Wire instructions Confirmations / Update your cap table Get the episode transcription here: brex.com/brexintheblack/episode-18/ You can sign up for Brex here brex.com

In this episode of Brex in the Black, we go over basic budgeting at a startup. Some of the points we cover are: What are budgets? When should you do them? Why does your startup need a budget? Who should be involved in startup budgeting? In beginning just finance person and founders, small group How does it progress? How are budgets affected when you introduce OKRs and OKR planning Then roll out full budget templates Income statement and key revenue metrics - actual, expected, variance, explanation of variance Get the episode transcription here: brex.com/brexintheblack/episode-17/ You can sign up for Brex here brex.com

In this episode of Brex in The Black, we talk about Growing a Finance Department, person by person. Episode overview: A framework to solve for what you need day one to cover what you may not understand or have time for. Key roles you need to staff a Finance Department : Accounts Payable Staff Accountant Controller Technical Accountant FP&A Strategic Finance / Corp Dev Get the episode transcription here: brex.com/brexintheblack/episode-16/ You can sign up for Brex here brex.com

In this episode of Brex in the Black we talk about startup valuations and how they work for the different stages of a startup. Get the episode transcription here: brex.com/brexintheblack/episode-15/ You can sign up for Brex here brex.com

We host special guest Scott Orn, COO of Kruze Consulting, to discuss how to best handle startup acquisition offers. Get the episode transcription here: brex.com/brexintheblack/episode-14/ You can sign up for Brex here brex.com

On this episode of Brex in the Black, we host special guest Kevin Busque, Founder & CEO of Guideline, to discuss 401(k)s, IRAs, HSAs, and how to effectively provision tax advantaged structures for employees. Get the episode transcription here: brex.com/brexintheblack/episode-13/ You can sign up for Brex here brex.com

We discuss stock options versus RSUs, vesting schedules, strike prices, the 490a valuation, ISOs v NSOs - and how to get it all right. Get the episode transcription here: brex.com/brexintheblack/episode-12/ You can sign up for Brex here brex.com

In which Michael talks about the importance of filing, reporting requirements, local taxes, and delaware incorporation - even if you’re not making a profit. Get the episode transcription here: brex.com/brexintheblack/episode-11/ You can sign up for Brex here brex.com

We review the concept of accruals, the difference between accrual and cash accounting, and a few examples of the use of accrual accounting in business. Get the episode transcription here: brex.com/brexintheblack/episode-10/ You can sign up for Brex here brex.com

Michael reviews how to think about keeping clean books, along with how to properly finalize your financial activities at the end of each month. Get the episode transcription here: brex.com/brexintheblack/episode-9/ You can sign up for Brex here brex.com

Michael goes over the difficulties of payroll, how to implement an orderly payroll process (a surprisingly difficult task). We also discuss whether Finance or HR should own payroll, and what most companies get wrong about this key function. Get the episode transcription here: brex.com/brexintheblack/episode-8/ You can sign up for Brex here brex.com

This week, Michael answers questions on the critical topic of startup benefits. We go over what healthcare plans — and how many — a startup should choose, what employees have come to expect from their benefits, and how startups can go about shopping for a plan. Get the episode transcription here: brex.com/brexintheblack/episode-7/ You can sign up for Brex here brex.com

This week, Michael discusses whether a startup should outsource accounting, what the relevant options are, and how to search out who would be a good fit for this roll. Get the episode transcription here: brex.com/brexintheblack/episode-6/ You can sign up for Brex here brex.com

Michael reviews Quickbooks, Xero, and Netsuite on what differentiates them, and which is right for your stage company. Get the episode transcription here: brex.com/brexintheblack/episode-5/ You can sign up for Brex here brex.com

Michael discusses when your startup should be audited, and whether it is important. We go on to talk about what firm is best to work with, and what financial processes to setup to make sure you pass. Get the episode transcription here: brex.com/brexintheblack/episode-4/ You can sign up for Brex here brex.com

Michael regales us about raising capital while at his previous role at SoFi — a stint that included a billion-dollar deal with Masayoshi Son, Founder & CEO of Softbank, before it became fashionable. Get the episode transcription here: brex.com/brexintheblack/episode-3/ You can sign up for Brex here brex.com

We talk to Michael this week about what the role of the CFO is in the fundraising process, and how it interacts with the role of the CEO. We also discuss how this dynamic changes as the company scales. Get the episode transcription here: brex.com/brexintheblack/episode-2/ You can sign up for Brex here brex.com

We talk to Michael about all things Fundraising: when to start the process, how you should conceptualize this slice of startup life, how to approach investors, and what to prepare for your initial meetings. Get the episode transcription here: brex.com/brexintheblack/episode-1/ You can sign up for Brex here brex.com