Cloud Stocks: Analysis of Zscaler’s Avalor Acquisition

Cloud security provider Zscaler (NASDAQ: ZS) recently reported its quarterly performance that outpaced market expectations. The company is focusing on AI as its growth engine and recently announced an acquisition in the space as well.

Featured Videos

Best of Bootstrapping: EdTech Unicorn Bootstrapped First from Canada

If you haven’t already, please study our free Bootstrapping Course and Investor Introductions page. 

In 2020, D2L Founder CEO John Baker shared this terrific story of bootstrapped entrepreneurship in EdTech.

Sramana Mitra: Let’s go to the very beginning of your journey. Where are you from? Where were you born, raised, and in what kind of background?

John Baker: I’m based in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. I was born in a fishing village on the northeast coast of Newfoundland. When I was 22 years and in my third year of engineering at the University of Waterloo, I started a company with the mission of transforming the way the world learns. 

>>>

Cloud Stocks: Adobe Monetizing its Generative AI Tools

Adobe (NASDAQ: ADBE) recently reported its quarterly results that were ahead of market expectations. However, it provided a weak outlook that sent the stock tumbling 11% in the after-hours trading session.

Video FAQs

Catching Up On Readings: AI Impact at GDC 2024

This feature from The Guardian examines the impact of AI on the gaming industry and the Gaming Developers Conference held in San Francisco last week. For this week’s posts, click on the paragraph links.

Colors: La Maison dans les Bois III

I’m publishing this series on LinkedIn called Colors to explore a topic that I care deeply about: the Renaissance Mind. I am just as passionate about entrepreneurship, technology, and business, as I am about art and culture. In this series, I will typically publish a piece of art – one of my paintings – and I request you to spend a minute or two deeply meditating on it. I urge you to watch your feelings, thoughts, reactions to the piece, and write what comes to you, what thoughts it triggers, in the dialog area. Let us see what stimulation this interaction yields. For today – La Maison dans les Bois III

La Maison dans les Bois III | Sramana Mitra, 2021 | Watercolor, Pastel, Ink | 8  x 8, On Paper

Colors: La Maison dans les Bois II

I’m publishing this series on LinkedIn called Colors to explore a topic that I care deeply about: the Renaissance Mind. I am just as passionate about entrepreneurship, technology, and business, as I am about art and culture. In this series, I will typically publish a piece of art – one of my paintings – and I request you to spend a minute or two deeply meditating on it. I urge you to watch your feelings, thoughts, reactions to the piece, and write what comes to you, what thoughts it triggers, in the dialog area. Let us see what stimulation this interaction yields. For today – La Maison dans les Bois II

La Maison dans les Bois II | Sramana Mitra, 2021 | Watercolor, Pastel, Ink | 8  x 8, On Paper

Best of Bootstrapping: What Should Tech Startups Do to Raise Seed Capital in 2024?

If you haven’t already, please study our free Bootstrapping Course and Investor Introductions page.

In general, Bootstrap First, Raise Money Later is still the best strategy. You need to be ready to raise money.

If you decide to raise money, I strongly suggest you read the Seed Capital series of interviews on our blog ASAP. We’ve profiled investor after investor to understand their investment thesis. You need to get in their heads and get a sense of what they’re looking for, especially if you’ve never raised money before.

Remember, Investors are looking to multiply the money that they put into startups.

A bit more sophisticated way to think about it is to ask the question: Multiply by how much? 2X? 3X? 5X? 10X? 20X?

>>>

Best of Bootstrapping: Bootstrapped with Services from Sweden

If you haven’t already, please study our free Bootstrapping Course and Investor Introductions page. 

European entrepreneurs often bootstrap using services successfully. The chasing of investors from the get go is less prevalent on the other side of the Atlantic, although this obsession from Silicon Valley has traveled to all corners of the world now. Dapresy Founder Tobi Andersson and CEO Rudy Nadilo shared their journey in 2016, when they had crossed $7 million in annual revenue with minimal outside financing. Forsta acquired Dapresy in 2021.

Sramana Mitra: Let’s start at the very beginning of your personal journey. It sounds like, Tobi, you’re the founder. Maybe, we’ll start with you and let’s go back to the very beginning of your journey. Where are you from? Where were you born, raised, and in what kind of background?

Tobi Andersson: I was born in Sweden, in the Swedish countryside. Very early on in my life, I decided that one day I would like to earn the money to have the opportunity to buy a really big farm. That has always been my vision – to create something that, on one hand, can give me money but on the other hand, I can create opportunities for people to develop. I’m very much like HR focused on life. I would like everyone an opportunity to feel that they have a good life.

>>>