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Henry made a point that really resonated with me: shutting down a company can feel like the biggest failure of your life. He’s been through it himself and that experience ultimately led him to build Carta. What felt like an ending became the start of something remarkable. I felt the same when I had to prepare a shut down for my previous company, Earny. It was incredibly difficult, but it became the catalyst for starting SimpleClosure. As we approach the end of the year, I know many founders are sitting with these decisions. This season can make an already heavy moment feel even heavier. If you’re in that place, you’re not alone. And if you decide now is the right time, reach out to SimpleClosure. We can help you wrap things up before year-end. Henry Ward Ollie Forsyth NEW ECONOMIES

Most people misunderstand what “failure” means in tech & startups They seem to think the founders who succeed are the ones who get it right on the first try But if you look closely, the OPPOSITE is true. The founders who eventually build something massive are usually the ones who have taken the most swings Some data that surprised me: 1. The average age of a first-time founder who has hired at least 1 employee is 42 2. For the fastest-growing startups (top 0.1%), the average founding age is 45 3. Nearly 60% of founders worldwide are over 40 4. Multiple studies show that founders with prior attempts (including failures) have higher odds of success in their next company By definition, if you take more swings, you accumulate more misses A more accurate predictor of success isn't the outcome of any single attempt, but the number of attempts A common mistake that founders make is treating shutting down their company like a shameful ending instead of an essential iteration. There's nothing shameful about closing a startup that didn't work! Learning to shut down properly increases your chance of succeeding next time - it preserves your reputation, protects your investors, and makes it more likely that people will support you again My friend Dori is building SimpleClosure They've helped over 1,000 startups wind down, returned over $146M to investors, and cut the process from months to weeks Founders - If you’re winding down Investors - If your portfolio is SimpleClosure is a clean way to do it

Thinking about shutting down your startup before the end of the year? Join SimpleClosure’s Product Counsel, Nick Trimis, for our End-of-Year Startup Dissolution Office Hours and a live Q&A. We’ll discuss why timing matters and what to expect during the shutdown process. 🗓️ Wednesday, November 12th at 10 AM PST Registration link in the comments below.

If you are starting to think about winding down, the process is rarely straightforward. Each step depends on the next: payroll, bank accounts, reconciliations, taxes. On average, there are 95 steps, and missing one can mean penalties or personal liability. This is why so many shutdowns drag out for months. It is also why we built SimpleClosure—to manage the complexity for you. See if SimpleClosure is right for you.

Many founders think they can run the account down to zero and then shut down. By then, there is no money left for payroll, severance, taxes, or state fees. This leads to difficult conversations with investors, or worse, paying out of pocket just to close. If you are already seeing the signs that it is time to wind down, planning early will save you stress and cost.

The average founder spends 9 to 12 months winding down. If you are already weighing this decision, you know how much time and energy is at stake. That is a year you could spend building your next idea instead of chasing filings and paperwork. With SimpleClosure, most shutdowns are completed in weeks, not years. Let us help you move on to what's next.