Funding 101 - Fundraising Resources for Founders

FD Ep. 67 David Hauser

Written by Jason Kirby | Dec 19, 2024 4:15:00 PM

One Founder, Two Journeys: Bootstrap Vs VC

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How David Hauser Went From Bootstrapping Grasshopper To A $175M Exit

                                   

In the last episode for 2025, I chatted with David Hauser, serial founder turned investment adviser. He shares some insight on how he built and sold businesses and personal insight on the pressures of being a founder, including the post-exit identity struggle.

What you can expect:

  • 01:23 Early days: From a Dell computer to Return Path
  • 06:02 Bootstrapping Grasshopper to a $175M exit
  • 18:26 Vanilla and the decision to raise $42M in venture capital
  • 25:34 Navigating post-exit identity shifts and finding fulfillment
  • 39:00 Durable Capital: Buying and scaling profitable businesses
  • 41:28 Mentoring the next generation of founders

Watch it Now

ABOUT DAVID HAUSER

David Hauser is a serial entrepreneur, investor, and speaker known for founding and scaling successful companies like Grasshopper (bootstrapped to $30M+ ARR, acquired by Citrix), Chargify (profitable, Mark Cuban-backed, acquired by Battery Ventures), and Vanilla (raised $42M from Venrock and Insight Partners).

A founding member of National Entrepreneurs’ Day, he has also invested in over 50 startups, including Intercom and Unbounce. David’s insights have been featured in major outlets like CNN, Fox, and The Wall Street Journal, and he has spoken at renowned events such as SaaSFest and Big Omaha. Now leading Durable Capital from Las Vegas, he focuses on acquiring profitable businesses and mentoring the next generation of founders.

Connect with David on:


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Free Fundraising Resources

🗓️ This one is hot off the press, get the 12-month fundraising plan that worked for me.

This guide outlines what you should be doing over the calendar year to get you access to capital. Download it here.

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Premium Resources

🗓️ - Book a one-hour private capital strategy call - Book Now

💫 - Pitch deck design services for founders by VCs - Decko

💼 - Startup Legal Services - Bowery Legal

📚 - Startup Friendly Accounting Services - Chelsea Capital

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Upgrade to Thunder Premium to Unlock:

  • Access to VC firms' team tabs to see active partners of the fund & their LinkedIn
  • Navigate a VC's portfolio to see relevant portcos or competitors, quickly find their founders on LinkedIn to connect with them, and request warm intros 
    A downloadable CSV with the investor emails & LinkedIn URLs
  • Ability to filter your matches and adjust your profile
  • LiteCRM to track your progress
  • Request intros to VCs directly through the platform
  • Get our fundraising guide on how to increase your odds of getting a meeting
  • Upgrade to lifetime access (one-time fee of $497) and get a free coaching session

Upgrade Now

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Let's Connect:

  • Hosted by Jason Kirby - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonrkirby/
  • Subscribe to our weekly newsletter for market and industry news and tips when it comes to raising capital and growing your business - https://join.thunder.vc
  • Seeking to raise capital? Get your list of target VCs by creating a free profile here - https://web.thunder.vc
  • Looking to raise debt? Explore tailored debt options for free by completing a profile at https://debt.thunder.vc
  • Thank you for being a loyal subscriber to Fundraising Demystified. We appreciate your support, and we're excited to continue bringing you more inspiring stories from successful founders.
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