June 16, 2022

🎤Debate: Rule of 40 Transparency, ⬆ Self Improvement: Pitch Practice , ‍💼 Jobs: Flat File, Tech Square VC 🎉 Events: Venture Atlanta 🥂 Cheers: Teamworks

E3 | Adpipe, Flatfile, Teamworks, Venture Atlanta

Welcome to Five & Thrive: a weekly podcast highlighting the Southeast’s most interesting news, entrepreneurs, and information of the week, all under 5 minutes.

My name is Jon Birdsong and I’m with Atlanta Ventures

As the macro economy plays out its current hand, abundant layoffs amongst technology companies are sprouting up all over the country and Atlanta is not immune. News of such layoffs at companies include OneTrust, Sonar, and Terminus. For those listening who have been laid off, know in the bleakness of being let go there are healthy amounts of opportunities which is one of the several reasons we highlight companies who are worth applying to. Which brings us to the debate of the week.

Debate of the Week:

Last week a few of you asked about the Rule of 40 and Atlanta Ventures’ Founder, David Cummings wrote a timely piece which we have linked to in the show notes. 15 second recap: the Rule of 40 is the growth rate added to the free cash flow profit or loss margin. For example, if your company is growing 50% a year with a -10% profit margin, then you would be at the Rule of 40. If your company is growing 20% and you have 20% profit margins, again you hit the Rule of 40. This metric is powerful because when a software company maintains the Rule of 40 or above, it can grow forever at that metric and be in great shape. The metric also accounts for how expensive it is to grow the company. Now the debate of the week is should companies share where they stand and trend regarding the Rule of 40. While it is up to each CEO which metrics they decide to share, I am advising people who are applying to new companies to know where each prospective company currently stands in that oh so insightful metric.

Events to Put on the Calendar:

Applications are open for Venture Atlanta. This is the preeminent conference of the year. Shout out Allyson Eman and Knoll Ventures’ Richard Fraim for stewarding the 15th year of the conference. This year it is held on October 19th and 20th. If you are a Growth Stage, Early Stage, or Seed Stage company, apply today.

Improve Your Skills:

An inexpensive way to sharpen your skills is through Pitch Practice every Friday after lunch in the Atlanta Tech Village. Jacey Cadet runs a dynamic show so entrepreneurs of today and tomorrow have a tight and powerful pitch.

Product of Week:

This software for go-to-market teams is currently being built out of Athens, Georgia which is also where the current NCAA College Football Champions reside, and it is called Adpipe. Most companies who leverage video for marketing purposes make a beautiful, compelling video, launch it, and then 30 days later that video sits in the company’s Youtube graveyard of videos. What Andrew and Sam have built with Adpipe is software that takes those videos, splices them into bite-size, compelling gifs that marketers and sales reps can use to increase click through and enhance prospect engagement. If you’re looking to generate more engagement through your existing video library, give them a look.

Companies Worth Applying To:

A fast growing company hiring is Georgia Tech co-founded Flatfile. Eric Crane and team have built a remote-first culture and when we were going back and forth this week he shared they just hired 3 folks in Atlanta and have several roles open in engineering, marketing, and sales. Flatfile is the simplest way to onboard valuable customer data.

Had a great catch up with Blake Patton at Tech Square Ventures. They are doing phenomenal work and hiring a Principal and Associate. This is a very unique and special opportunity to be in the middle of Georgia Tech’s venture ecosystem along with the high power relationships and connectivity Engage creates. If you want to get into venture, here is an ideal opportunity.

Raise Your Glass:

Teamworks, out of Durham, North Carolina is the Operating System for Sports. They just raised $50M led by Delta-v Capital as they transition to a comprehensive platform and if you watch the compelling video, Zach, their CEO is looking to hire and acquire.

Annnnd, that’s 5 minutes.

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