David Cummings
davidcummings.org · Personal blog · on HN since 2010
David Cummings, an Atlanta entrepreneur who bootstrapped Pardot, writes about startups, SaaS, fundraising, and investing.
What HN saysHN links it for startup and SaaS advice, including his notes on the Twilio S-1, and commenters point to his background building Pardot.
48HN people shared it
7linked it in comments
58stories submitted
124story points
3 years agolast shared
2010people per year2026
Most-shared posts
- 1Private Equity as the SaaS Savior2 people · 3 points · first shared 2017 · discussion on HN
- 2When Raising Money Makes Sense2 people · 1 points · first shared 2010 · discussion on HN
- 3Notes from Twilio S-1 IPO Filing2 people · 1 points · first shared 2016 · discussion on HN
- 4Quick Specifics on a Newly Formed Startup1 people · 11 points · first shared 2010 · 2 comments on HN
- 5How Much is Enough1 people · 7 points · first shared 2013 · discussion on HN
- 6Startups Should Say No to Most Opportunities1 people · 6 points · first shared 2010 · discussion on HN
- 750 Things Every Startup Should Know1 people · 5 points · first shared 2010 · 1 comments on HN
- 8Death to the $700k Seed Round1 people · 4 points · first shared 2012 · discussion on HN
- 9Metrics Spreadsheet for Every SaaS Company1 people · 4 points · first shared 2016 · discussion on HN
- 10When a Competitor Raises Money1 people · 4 points · first shared 2016 · 1 comments on HN
- 1115 First-Time Entrepreneur Misconceptions1 people · 3 points · first shared 2014 · discussion on HN
- 12Evaluating an Early Stage Startup to Join1 people · 3 points · first shared 2014 · discussion on HN
- 13Arriving at the Pardot Acquisition Price1 people · 3 points · first shared 2016 · discussion on HN
- 14Most Employees aren’t Focused on Startups1 people · 3 points · first shared 2011 · 1 comments on HN
- 15Post Mortem on a Failed Product - Lessons.1 people · 3 points · first shared 2010 · discussion on HN
What HN people wrote when they linked it
mikewilt · 2010-09-14
Is your company profitable now? Are you selling your product now? If not, you're just gonna burn an extra $15K out of the gate. I can think of MANY better uses for $15K than on a domain. Can't you?
I am a perfectionist so in theory I love the idea of getting the perfect domain name. In practice, I would urge you to register an original domain name (unless money is no object for you). The perfect domain is nice, but not essential. Do you really need pizza.com (sold $2.6 million in 2008) to sell pizza?
Two final comments:
- You will have leverage with investors when you're making money.
- Helpful guidelines for choosing a domain: see http://davidcummings.org/2010/05/29/the-domain-name-challenge/ and http://davidcummings.org/2010/08/07/more-domain-name-searching-tips/
aresant · 2018-02-20
Outstanding summary Patrick, was prepared for a piece of dry content marketing but many gold nuggets as usual!
I would add a couple of supplementals unique to 2018 for those of us raising capital in a SAAS or looking to liquidate:
1) The "SAAS Napkin" for 2018, a survey of ~50 Series A / Series B funded companies that have shared with regard to growth / churn / etc. Links here https://www.producthunt.com/posts/saas-funding-napkin-3 and explanation here https://medium.com/point-nine-news/what-does-it-take-to-raise-capital-…
2) The fascinating rise of Private Equity companies as a liquidity / funding option outside of larger co Acquisition / VC money as observed by the founder of Pardot (~$100m exit to SalesForce) - https://davidcummings.org/2017/10/03/private-equity-as-the-saas-savior…
PKop · 2016-06-23
JSeymourATL · 2014-04-24
Check out David Cummings blog, based in Atlanta-- bootstrapped Pardot, sold to ExactTarget> http://davidcummings.org/about/
mindcrime · 2013-07-17
Working on answering my own question here, in the hopes that this may help someone else down the road. Here's one article that argues against startups going down the "white label" path:
http://www.startupcfo.ca/2012/06/why-i-hate-white-labeling-for-startup…
And another that takes a dim view of pure "white labeling" but suggests co-branding as a valid option:
http://davidcummings.org/2011/08/11/white-labeled-software-strategies-…
melonakos · 2012-12-10
Costs are low enough in Atlanta that you can actually start your business without raising capital. Unthinkable, at least for an extended period of time, in most other cities.
Most businesses shouldn't raise money either because they're not going to grow fast enough to fit the VC model or they're going to dilute the founders so much that the wind gets sucked out of the sails. For example, learn from an Atlantan that just sold his Pardot no-investor-raised-money business for $95 million, http://davidcummings.org/2010/05/08/when-raising-money-makes-sense/.
vrikhter · 2011-09-04
Entrepreneurship:
http://cdixon.org/
http://derekandersen.me/
http://davidcummings.org/
http://viniciusvacanti.com/
http://www.steveblank.com/
http://37signals.com/svn
Startup/Tech Marketing:
http://www.responsys.com/blogs/nsm/
http://startup-marketing.com/
http://blog.kissmetrics.com/
http://unbounce.com/blog/
Venture Capital:
http://bhorowitz.com/
http://www.bothsidesofthetable.com/
http://www.feld.com/wp/
http://www.avc.com/
http://vcinjerusalem.typepad.com/vcinjerusalem/
http://sixkidsandafulltimejob.blogspot.com/
http://redeye.firstround.com/
http://informationarbitrage.com/