Book excerpt: Your complete startup downturn survival guide During a market boom, startup funding is in abundance. But when a financial crisis hits, investments dry up, making it difficult for newer, smaller outfits to survive. During a period of economic instability, that task might seem even harder. However, a crisis doesn’t have to mean it’s time to shut up shop. Restartup shows how it’s possible—by choosing to embrace instability and seizing the new opportunities it provides—to stay afloat, and even to thrive. Arunkumar Krishnakumar and Maxson Tee —tech investor, influencer, blogger, and podcaster— use case studies and in-depth interviews with VCs, CEOs, and academics to flesh-out anecdotal crisis-survival frameworks. They introduce you to the concepts, tools and techniques to help you sail through an economic storm. The money pyramid—understand your crisis financing options Mental Health – drop the societal taboo for the wellbeing of the company and the founders Fundraising psychology—go beyond the deck and the proposition to get inside your investor’s head Operational efficiencies—know how to cut back but still hold onto your top people Embrace the suck—see how a crisis can open up unexpected opportunities Don’t let a crisis go to waste: stop worrying and use the proven ideas in this book to turn instability into opportunity—and embrace the wild ride to survival and success.