UGLY TALK: STARTUP VALUATION (WHAT IS YOUR COMPANY REALLY WORTH)

Startup valuation is one of the most misunderstood parts of building and funding an early-stage company.

Founders are often told that valuation reflects what their company is “worth.” But at the early stage, there may be limited revenue, incomplete data, and no reliable forecast to support a precise number. The result can feel like a random guess—or simply the number an investor and founder are willing to accept.

The truth is more complicated. Valuation is part analysis, part market signal, and part negotiation. It affects how much of the company founders give up, how future rounds are structured, and how different outcomes are distributed among shareholders.

This Ugly Talk goes beyond the headline number to unpack what valuation actually represents, how investors assess it, and what founders are really agreeing to when they sign a term sheet.

🎯 Why you should be in this room.

• Understand what valuation means for an early-stage company with limited financial history.

• Learn how investors assess opportunity, risk, traction, team, market size, and future return potential.

• Learn why the highest valuation is not always the best financing offer.

• Understand how pre-money and post-money valuation affect ownership and dilution.

• Walk away better prepared to evaluate and negotiate a term sheet.

🎤 Featured speakers.

Victoria Yampolsky - President, The Startup Station

Victoria Yampolsky is the Founder and President of The Startup Station, a strategic CFO advisory firm and financial education platform for startups. She partners with founders on financial strategy, modeling, and fundraising, having supported over 150 companies across 15 industries in raising more than $50M in venture capital. Victoria is also an advocate for female founders and access to capital, and has taught finance to more than 20,000 entrepreneurs through programs including the Bank of America Institute for Women’s Entrepreneurship at Cornell. She began her career at Deutsche Bank and Capgemini, and holds a BS in Computer Science from Cornell University and an MBA from Columbia Business School.

🙋 Who's getting in.

• Pre-seed and seed-stage founders raising their first institutional round.

• Bootstrapped founders deciding whether outside capital makes sense.

• Startup operators who want to understand cap tables, dilution, and financing mechanics.

• Angel investors and emerging fund managers evaluating early-stage opportunities.

• Advisors, attorneys, and finance professionals supporting venture-backed companies.

• Founders who have received a SAFE, convertible note, or priced-round term sheet and want to understand what it really means.

⭐ About Ugly Talk

Started in 2019, Ugly Talk has been transforming business setbacks into breakthrough "aha!" moments by hosting unfiltered, no-nonsense events where battle-tested entrepreneurs share their raw lessons and insights.

With a growing presence in cities like New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and Miami, we've built a vibrant community of thousands of founders and industry leaders making a profound impact on the entrepreneurial landscape.

Official Website: UglyTalk.com

📢 Important Notice for Ugly Talk Attendees

Admission & Confirmation

Attendance is by approval only. Approved guests will receive a confirmation email along with a calendar invite. Invitations are non-transferable. Additional event details will be shared as the event approaches.

Code of Conduct

By attending, you agree to:

• Maintain respect and professionalism, adhering to all venue rules, policies, and applicable laws.

• Refrain from harassment, discrimination, unwelcome sexual advances (verbal or physical), intimidation, or inappropriate photography/recording.

• Report any violations to the event hosts immediately.

Violations may result in immediate removal from the event and exclusion from future invitations.

Liability & Risk

Participation is voluntary and at your own risk. The event organizers, hosts, sponsors, and venue are not liable for personal injury, lost or stolen belongings, or any other damages incurred during the event.

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If you do not agree to this Code of Conduct, please refrain from attending the event.

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