The IPO Whisperer Lise Buyer Talks Going Public

The NFX Podcast

In this episode, Pete Flint and guest Lise Buyer discuss the shift from private to public investments, the rise of mega rounds, and the appeal and risks of SPACs. They explore the impact of the Robin Hood generation on IPOs, the importance of transparency for public listings, and share Google's IPO story.

Lise Buyer, known as the IPO whisperer Pete Flint on the NFX Podcast to discuss all things taking a company public via traditional IPOs, Direct Listings, and SPACs.

Lise consulted on Trulia’s IPO in back in 2012 when Pete was CEO and Co-Founder. Previously, Ms Buyer was the Director of Business Optimization for Google Inc. where she was one of the chief architects of the company’s innovative IPO.

Lise shares her expert thoughts on:
- What has changed in public markets
- Why some companies should stay private
- When to make the decision of going public as a company leader
- What stays the same in a company after going public
- Building the infrastructure to go public
- & the differences between traditional IPO vs. Direct Listing vs. SPACs

Read the full NFX Essay here - https://www.nfx.com/post/new-world-of-going-public/

(0:00) Introduction and guest Lise Buyer's insights on public markets (7:36) Shift from private to public investments and rise of mega rounds (12:42) The Fundraising Experience and Investor Engagement in different public offerings (19:10) SPACs: Appeal, suitability, and potential risks (30:15) Sponsor: NFX social channels and website promotion (30:33) Future of public offerings and advice for startup founders (36:12) Impact of Robin Hood generation on IPOs and stock price psychology (41:48) Preparing for public listing: Transparency, disclosures, and building the right metrics (45:11) Google's IPO story: Innovations, challenges, and aftermath (51:35) Lise Buyer's career in IPOs and closing remarks