Code Story episode
What Founders Need to Know - with Dan Eyman of Meld Valuation
Aug 27, 2025 · Season 11 · 25 min
The things founders need to know... about valuations.
Today, I'm talking with Dan Eyman, the Managing Director at Meld Valuation, specializing in independent, audit ready valuations for VC backed startups and VC firms. He is an expert in the valuation of complex instruments such as convertible debt and SAFEs. Dan is going to illuminate the common mistakes of founders, how valuations differ, and what founders should understand about dilution and how fundraising affects their cap table.
Questions
What are the most common mistakes you see founders make when it comes to valuations or equity structuring?Can you break down how SAFEs and convertible debt actually work—and how do they impact ownership over time?At what point should a startup bring in a valuation firm, and what are the risks of waiting too long?How do 409A and ASC 820 valuations differ, and why do they matter for venture-backed companies?What should founders understand about dilution and how fundraising rounds affect their cap table long-term?What are your general observations around venture capital investing, and the market for investment right now?You’ve worked with thousands of startups—what separates those who scale successfully from those who stall?Links
https://meldvaluation.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/danieleyman
Checkout our episode stacks on Stacklist! https://stacks.codestory.co/
Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
More episodes
Keep listening
S11 Bonus: The 77% Token Tax: Why Fixed-Token Chunking is Poisoning Your Enterprise RAG Pipelines and How to Fix the Ingestion Layer with Dr. Alex Kihm, Founder & CEO of POMA AI
Aug 28, 2025
S11 E14: Dismantling the "Data Team Bottleneck" with Watsonx-Powered Generative Business Intelligence (GenBI) with Avi Perez, Co-Founder & CTO of Pyramid Analytics
Aug 26, 2025
Topics
Explore related conversations
When to hire a CTO for your startup
When to hire a startup CTO: the signals that you are ready, what the role should own, realistic salary and equity ranges, and how to interview for technical leadership.
Technical due diligence checklist for startups
A technical due diligence checklist for founders and investors: what reviewers examine across architecture, security, team and process, and how to prepare before a raise.
Fractional CTO vs full-time CTO: which does your startup need?
A practical comparison of a fractional CTO and a full-time CTO: cost, scope, when each makes sense, and the questions to ask before you hire either one.