If you only have one exit opportunity (via one bigco) that's problematic. Is that actually the case?
Think like a board member/advisor who doesn't have to actually do the work. IS the company valuable without bigco?
Consider the emotional aspects to be unrecoverable sunk costs. (And, it doesn't matter to the market if you're pumped or despondent.) Is there a way to extract value from what has been created? Is the value worth the time*labor cost?
we nearly had an exit within 2 years
You might want to reconsider a the nature of an exit to be a series of opportunities that present themselves with increasing frequency as your company creates value. Even a [hair salon | food truck | gardening service] doesn't have a once-in-the-life-of-a-company opportunity to exit. Software companies shouldn't have one chance either.
And a funny thing happens as you create value--you'll become less and less interested in the bigco's and exits that do present themselves.
It sounds like you have created a lot of value. If that's the case, don't let emotions of hopes-dashed weigh you down. Focus on your business and create more value.
Comments
If you only have one exit opportunity (via one bigco) that's problematic. Is that actually the case?
Think like a board member/advisor who doesn't have to actually do the work. IS the company valuable without bigco?
Consider the emotional aspects to be unrecoverable sunk costs. (And, it doesn't matter to the market if you're pumped or despondent.) Is there a way to extract value from what has been created? Is the value worth the time*labor cost?
You might want to reconsider a the nature of an exit to be a series of opportunities that present themselves with increasing frequency as your company creates value. Even a [hair salon | food truck | gardening service] doesn't have a once-in-the-life-of-a-company opportunity to exit. Software companies shouldn't have one chance either.
And a funny thing happens as you create value--you'll become less and less interested in the bigco's and exits that do present themselves.
It sounds like you have created a lot of value. If that's the case, don't let emotions of hopes-dashed weigh you down. Focus on your business and create more value.