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Real stories. Actual control.
Startup Tea is all about founders who know their numbers and own their outcomes. We’re spotlighting the ones who aren’t guessing their runway, dodging taxes, or letting QuickBooks run the show.
Tactical wins. No fluff.
QuickBooks isn’t your CFO. We are.
Founder Win of the Week
A SaaS founder told us they had 13 months of runway left. Their model assumed flat headcount, constant revenue growth, and zero variance in collections. Of course the model was wrong.
We rebuilt their burn forecast using trailing 13-week actuals—real spend, not wishful budgets.
Turns out they had 8 months, not 13. But they made the hard calls early, and now they’re tracking better than plan.
Lesson: You don’t get optionality from your forecast. You get it from knowing your actuals—and reacting early.
And when it comes to lack of visibility on software expenses billed monthly vs billed annually… Let’s not go there this time.
One Insight That Changed Everything
Most startup “burn rates” are based on spreadsheet fantasy. Here’s how to get a number that actually matters:
1. Ditch the monthly average. Use trailing 13-week actual burn.
2. Subtract inflows (revenue, funding, etc.).
3. Update every week. Not every quarter.
4. Forecast three scenarios: baseline, stretch, and oh no.
Your real burn is what you spent, not what you planned.
The Shopify agency behind some of the best-performing stores on the internet
This week's Startup Tea is special. We have a partner spotlight!
We're talking about Platter, the agency behind 150+ Shopify stores like Neuro, Gainful, and Every Man Jack.
We wouldn't just shout out anyone. We wanted to bring someone special for those of you who are serious about making your e-commerce brand stand out.
Platter operates differently than other agencies. Every store is built on their own theme and app—so brands get a store that's fully custom, fast, without the typical agency price tag.
They just launched a brand new content series showing how they're creating amazing Shopify stores and how to build one yourself. Delivered to your inbox, weekly.
Help Us Help More Founders
If you’re fundraising—or just scared of your burn math—send us your model. We’ll break it down, rebuild it, and send you back something that makes sense.
TL;DR
Most founders are overestimating their runway by 3–6 months. Your spreadsheet isn’t your savior. Your historicals are. Track weekly, not quarterly. And don’t wait for the board meeting to find out you’re in trouble.
QuickBooks isn’t your CFO. We are.