How to Sell Yourself Right: Negotiation Dos & Don'ts for Founders – Benjamin Günther, Alasco

About this episode

As a founder, you're constantly in negotiation situations: whether in hiring interviews, funding rounds, or sales. Benjamin Günther, founder of Alasco and previously Stylight (exit to Pro7), has systematically developed his negotiation skills throughout his entrepreneurial career. He shares his most important learnings and battle-tested hacks in this conversation.

Why negotiation skills are essential for founders

Negotiation skills aren't optional – they're a core competency. Many founders make the mistake of immediately accepting a VC's first offer without negotiating. It's not just about better terms, but also about respect and establishing equal footing in the business relationship.

Benjamin emphasizes: "You're not just negotiating about money, but about the foundation of your future collaboration." Those who don't negotiate may signal insecurity or lack of professionalism.

Proper preparation: Strategy first

Good negotiation preparation starts long before the actual conversation. First, you should clearly define your own position:

• –What are your must-haves?
• –Where can you compromise?
• –What alternatives do you have?

Especially important: Research your counterpart thoroughly. For VCs, this means analyzing their portfolio companies, understanding their investment theses, and knowing their typical deal structures.

Tactical negotiation: When keeping cards close makes sense

Tactics yes, but in moderation. Benjamin recommends a balanced approach: "Be transparent about your goals, but keep strategic information back until the right moment comes."

A classic example: When multiple VCs show interest, you share this information strategically to achieve better terms. But be careful – transparency and fairness should always be paramount.

Controlling the timeline: How to structure funding rounds

One of the most important insights from Benjamin's experience: As a founder, you should control the timeline of the funding round, not the VC. This means:

• –Setting clear deadlines
• –Speaking with multiple potential investors in parallel
• –Organizing the process tightly to build momentum

"At Stylight, our exit stretched over several months. In today's market environment, that would be more difficult – speed has become even more important."

Best case: Multiple VCs are interested – how do you communicate fairly?

When multiple VCs show interest, transparent communication is key:

1. –Inform all parties about the process and timeline
2. –Give everyone the same information
3. –Clearly communicate your decision criteria
4. –Give constructive feedback to the non-selected VCs

"Fairness pays off long-term. The startup world is small, and reputation is everything."

From Stylight to Alasco: Applied learnings

The experiences at Stylight significantly influenced the founding of Alasco. A central point: Acting as a VC case from the beginning and creating corresponding structures.

"We built scalable processes and structures from the start, instead of having to painfully restructure later."

The switch from fashion to real estate was strategically motivated: "Real estate is a huge but under-digitized market with enormous potential."

Team building: External recruitment vs. internal promotion

Regarding when to recruit externally versus promote internally, Benjamin recommends a pragmatic approach:

• –Internal promotion when basic competencies and development potential exist
• –External recruitment for specific expertise or when rapid scaling is required

"The mix is what matters. You need both loyal, grown employees and fresh expertise from outside."

Quick wins: Immediately applicable negotiation hacks

For founders who want to improve quickly, Benjamin recommends these practical hacks:

• –Active listening: Understand your counterpart's motivation
• –Use pauses: Not every question needs to be answered immediately
• –Think win-win: Look for solutions that benefit both sides
• –Control emotions: Stay factual, even when things get emotional
• –Prepare alternatives: Never go into a negotiation without a Plan B

The continuous improvement process

Negotiation skills don't develop overnight. Benjamin recommends a systematic approach:

1. –Reflect after every negotiation: What went well? What could be better?
2. –Get feedback from trusted people
3. –Learn about best practices and adapt them
4. –Start small and work up to more important negotiations

"Every negotiation is a learning opportunity. Use it consciously to develop yourself further."

The most important insight: Negotiating is a craft that can be learned. With proper preparation, strategy, and continuous development, even founders without negotiation experience can become convincing negotiation partners.