Key Insights

Scaling a startup is hard. From recruiting to fundraising, marketing to sales, everything is a priority. And let’s not forget building the product itself.

That’s during normal times. Now add a global pandemic that has upended every one of these processes, practically overnight.

And yet, many companies didn’t just take their foot off the gas. They floored it. 2020 set a new record for venture capital funding, with over $156 billion invested into US startups.

How did they do it?

In 2020, M1 Finance raised over $75 million in two separate rounds and more than tripled employee headcount. In 2021, headcount is likely to double again. Founder and CEO Brian Barnes shares his experiences from the rollercoaster.