Dr. Siva introduces himself, offers a glimpse into his entrepreneurship journey to being part of a VC fund, and provides an overview of what he will cover in the course.

Dr. Siva has a unique perspective as both an entrepreneur and an investor. He introduces several valuation methods and talks about the preliminary matters to consider before you proceed to do a proper valuation.

“How much is my business worth?” is a question entrepreneurs often find challenging to answer right from the start. Instead, Dr. Siva believes entrepreneurs should first focus on understanding what increases or decreases valuation. 

From investment specifics, governance to financial terms, Dr. Siva describes what they are, how they are being applied and provides insights on what needs to be in order to maximize your business valuation.

Learning how to navigate share dilution is equally as important in ensuring your business continues to grow. In this lesson, Dr. Siva shares examples on share dilution implications that are critical to consider and explains the importance of Internal Rate of Return.

Dr. Siva list out valuation methods for businesses that are at the earliest stage where there is little to no revenue. Here, he introduces the Berkus Method and defines the five key areas that attribute to the valuation of the company.

Slightly more complex but similar to the Berkus Method, Dr. Siva teaches how to use the Scorecard Method to determine the valuation of early-stage startups.

The Comparables Method takes one step further in early-stage valuation. In this lesson, Dr. Siva shows how to use this method wisely in order to enhance valuation.

For later-stage companies with revenue, Dr. Siva explains how to best use financial data of the company to do a valuation. He draws on his experience working with his investees and talks about the pros and cons of each element using this model.

As companies mature and start to show profits, Dr. Siva instructs you on how to use a simple method to calculate the valuation of your business. 

Dr. Siva explains the key elements used in this model and shares insights into what mature companies must take into consideration when using the Discounted Cash Flow Method.

Dr. Siva describes a valuation approach used by sophisticated investors so that they can arrive at a valuation that balances out their risks. By understanding this method, founders learn how to increase their valuation and likelihood of fundraising success. 

In this lesson, Dr. Siva uses examples to illustrate and introduces a unique metric that all businesses have in order for you to do a valuation. 

Having a full understanding of how VCs do valuation will give you an edge in securing a deal. Find out what VCs are looking for, how to best sell your vision and key considerations when they justify the value of your company.

There are a number of ways to determine the true value of a company. Dr. Siva sums up his preferred method according to the stage of the business you are in and shares his philosophy from advising thousands of entrepreneurs and investors about valuation.