Founder vs Investor: The Honest Truth About Venture Capital from Startup to IPO

Elizabeth Joy Zalman · Jerry Neumann

Sep 2023 · Sold by HarperCollins Leadership

About this ebook

“The rarest of business books, one that provides genuinely actionable counsel delivered without empty cliches.” – KIRKUS

How many world-changing startups will fail because the founders and investors never figure out how to work together? Founder Elizabeth Zalman and Investor Jerry Neumann square off in this one-of-a-kind book, exposing how startups are built, broken, and fought over.

Every iconic tech company was once a startup. And while these companies like to paint an origin story full of surefooted confidence, the truth is usually something different: the early life of most startups is pure chaos.

This chaos comes from the vastly different motivations and incentives between those with the vision and those with the money. From fundraising paranoia to boardroom coups, Zalman and Neumann train their inimitable voices on the gulf between what founders and investors promise to do and what they end up actually doing.

Founder vs Investor is the brutal truth, from each side’s perspective, of the pitfalls of this tenuous relationship—where bad blood can turn sure things into shattered dreams. It is the only book written by insiders with the temerity to pull back the curtain on the world of high growth venture-backed startups.

Ratings and reviews

I discovered this book by accident (Wondery Business Mover's interview after their Cisco story)... and glad I did. This should be required reading for every business school across the nation or anyone looking to create a venture backed start-up. On a side note, I've never read a better Dedication than the one Liz wrote: To all founders: Whether the knife stabs you in the front or back, this book is here for you. 😆

About the author

Elizabeth Zalman is an infrastructure and information security expert. She is a two-time founder and CEO of venture-backed companies, building the first to a successful exit and the second to a multi-hundred-million-dollar business. Elizabeth has raised more than $100 million in venture capital from the most renowned investors in the world. She is a frequent speaker and guest at industry events and tech podcasts, in addition to being an investor and advisor herself.

Jerry Neumann is a twenty-five-year veteran of venture capital. He has invested in some of the most successful venture-funded companies of the past three decades, including Datadog and Trade Desk, and has worked alongside dozens of entrepreneurs as investor, board member, and advisor. Jerry also teaches entrepreneurship at Columbia University, and authors articles on his popular blog, ReactionWheel.net.