
It’s not exactly a familiar Triangle ecosystem story: German expat who was in on Germany’s Facebook-before-Facebook-was-Facebook co-founds a startup in Durham, which he exits before moving to the VC side.
Tobi Walter is the first guest on Exit Stories, a new program hosted by Kevin Mosley, Partner with Jurassic Capital, that will twice a month offer glimpses inside the deals leading to some of the Triangle’s greatest exit success stories.
First up in the series, Walter shares the story of how he helped launch and run—eventually serving as CEO—Shoeboxed Inc., a SaaS business that digitizes receipts and financial paperwork for small businesses. After more than a decade at Shoeboxed, he led an exit through an acquisition by Texas-based Earth Class Mail, before moving on become a Principal at Cary’s Cofounders Capital.
Three Highlights
— Four words: end of fund lifecycle. The timing was right to exit, but how do you try to get 10 potential deals at the same time to snag the best offer? [11:58]
— “While it is a marathon, you’re probably always running like a sprint.” Hear why Walter took only two vacations in 10 years. [13:30]
— If you’re eager to hear how much money Walter got, don’t hold your breath: He can’t disclose the exact dollar amount. But there’s still plenty to learn throughout the episode—and Walter does share some multiples. [33:03]
Get your fill of Exit Stories below!