TOFI March 2, 2015 Team: Young

8/9/2019 TOFI March 2, 2015 Team: Young

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1© 2013 Architelos and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.

Michael Young, CTO

Architelos

“Partners”

Rom-com or Art Film?



© 2013 Architelos and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. 2

Hollywood Ending or Greek Tragedy?

•

Why and when I need a partner (s),…

• How do I select a partner?

• Due Diligence on a partner,…..

• Good beginnings ensure the happy ending

• When the going gets tough

•

Corny, but Rom-coms do have happy endingsBut first, a bit about Architelos:




• Founded in 2011 with Locations in CA, VA, Toronto and Dublin

•

Over 60 years of combined experience in DNS market

• Alexa Raad – former CEO of .org & CMO .mobi

• Michael Young – former VP Development Afilias

• Norbert Grey – former CFO .mobi

•

John Matson – former EY & KPMG Consulting Partner

• Greg Aaron – Abuse Detection & Mitigation Expert

•

Provide Strategy Consulting and Software Services

Market Leading Abuse Management Software NameSentry




Some of Our Clients




Why and when I need a partner (s)

•

My goals exceed my capabilities and/or thecredibility required to sell my service/product

• I want to or need to share the risk, and not just

the monetary risk but the personal invesment• I feel I need deep subject matter experts

committed to the endeavor

•

I believe the power of teams exceed the power ofthe individual

• I really want someone watching my back




How do I select a partner?Harder than picking a spouse,…..

• Start by identifying what you are missing, and what’s crucialto your objectives:

I. Skills

II.

Money

III.

Relationships/connections to buyers

IV. Personality traits

• Short-listing candidates

I.

Candidates you worked with before (not just know!) friends vs colleagues

II. Referrals, that people you trust have worked with before

III. Open searches are the most risky, but can be fruitful with strong filteringand due diligence


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How do I select a partner? Con’t

So now I have a match on skills, reputation, referrals orpersonal past relationships, what next?

Now we date:

• Most importantly: explore common values:

I.

Decision making under crisis is most driven by core personal values

II. These values will become the essence of your company culture.

At Architelos, our mission is to enable collective wisdom in the

service of the Internet. This has been our mission from the verystart and it reflects not only what we do, but why we do it. A desireto serve a greater good underpins our business and work style,and is reflected in the products and services we provide.



How do I select a partner? Con’t

Don’t forget about Polygamy:

•

Multiple partners

• Spouses of partners

• Family members with influence

•

Their family responsibilities can often become yours tosome degree as well

You are marrying into a family, not just a Partner.



Due Diligence on a partner: here come the lawyers:

• Good agreements balance the interests of the Partnersand the company reasonably.

•

Formal agreements have to anticipate possibilities

• Divorces and separations

•

Partners breaking rules

• Partners wanting to leave

•

Fundamental changes in the business leading to a Partner leaving orwanting to change terms

A good agreement is key to long term success.

•

Don’t rush the process, use temporary term sheets to get going whileworking through the full agreement

•

Cut a lasting deal. Balance between your interests and inciting the

partnership with a motivating deal for all. You don’t want to have

resentments form down the line during critical moments.



My Partners:



My Partners Con’t:

• Alexa Raad, role: CEO and initial founder.

• John Matson, role: COO and 2nd founder.

•

Michael Young, role: CTO and founder.

• Norbert Grey, role: CFO and founder.

All of us subject matter experts. All of us with

senior management experience andentrepreneurial backgrounds. All of us with

COMMON VALUES



Good beginnings ensure a happy ending: layout the plot

Take the time to get on the same page, and keep checkingin regularly:

• Product Roadmaps

•

Financial reporting and focus (i.e. flash cash reports)

• Partner compensation: have a plan if cash gets tight

•

Support and behavior if legal action ensues against thecompany and/or select partners

•

Success criteria, KPMs, and when you cut losses on a product,service or even the business in totality

•

Approaches to selecting staff, resources, vendors

• Approaches to selecting, managing and firing customers



When the going gets tough,….•

Up the communication level during challenging times

• Retreats and brainstorming, do not “turtle” into you area ofexpertise or responsibility or let your partners do the same

• Reference the principles and approaches you agreed to use in

difficult situations• Honor your commitments: the world is a small place

•

Advisors/Board members still have a vital role, use themtogether as a group – don’t let one partner be the sole

interface.• Help each other through personal hardship as well as business

hardship – this is one of the key benefits of partnership

Everyone falls down sometimes and needs a hand back up




Corny, but Rom-coms do have happy endings

• Good structure and preparation help create a predictableoutcome in a partnership

•

Business can fail, while relationships continue

successfully• A strong network of successful relationships allows you to

“try, try, try again”. A series of burnt relationship bridgesleads you a place where no one wants to work with you

again.•

Strength in teams, requires clarity and clearunderstanding in relationships.

TOFI March 2, 2015 Team: Young

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