The $20K Valuation Dilemma | SRV

For early-stage startups, a professional valuation can be a game-changer — but it can also be a budget killer.

Traditional valuation exercises cost between $15K–$20K, and much more from top advisory firms.  Done right, a professional valuation can help raise more money with less dilution, faster.

But that same $20K could also fund:

• A proof of concept
• A client pilot
• A patent or trademark filing
• A month of focused sales effort

So what should a founder do?  Invest in valuation — or in traction?  That’s the dilemma.

And here’s the twist: even with a solid valuation report in hand, founders often face a second barrier — execution. Convincing a lead investor. Getting credibility. Closing the round.

The value of valuation is real — but it’s only realized when a deal happens. And deals don’t close on spreadsheets alone.

This is the problem we’ll explore over the next few posts. Because if the need is real, and the cost is high, then perhaps what’s broken is the model.

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