What do you do when you raise venture money… and then realize it’s not the right path? For Elle Hempen, co-founder of The Atlas, the answer was bold: sell just one year later.
In this episode, we talk about how a Google spreadsheet turned into a tech company, why she decided to skip the long VC grind, and how she negotiated an exit during the chaos of COVID. From pitching at Y Combinator while 8 months pregnant to getting a cold email from the exact company she dreamed of selling to, Elle’s story is packed with twists, hard choices, and the kind of honesty you rarely hear in startup land.
2:11 Why Valuing Early-Stage Tech Companies Is So Critical
5:00 Building the Atlas Platform From a Real-World Problem
6:34 Launching the First Version Back in 2016
9:06 Creating a Strong, Scalable Data Infrastructure
10:54 Deciding It Was Time to Fundraise for Growth
12:29 Applying to Y Combinator to Fuel Expansion
15:06 Fundraising in the Middle of a Market Crash
17:01 Finding the Right Strategic Investor
20:41 Soul-Searching to Determine the Company’s Direction
23:12 Valuing the Business Based on Future Potential
25:47 Celebrating a Rare and Remarkable Tech Achievement
29:02 Reflecting on Five Years of Building and Learning
30:40 Exploring What’s Next After the Exit
32:23 The Unique Energy of Being an Entrepreneur
34:40 Is an MBA Worth It for Founders?
36:57 Aligning Education With Real Business Needs
