More Than Money: A Tech Startup Story with Enten
Edward Goold, founder and CEO of Enten, joins us for episode 14 of Tech Startup Stories to talk about his journey building a revenue sharing platform designed to help founders and teams collaborate more flexibly. From starting his career in Law, Ed shares how his background in law and operations for tech businesses led to the idea behind Enten, why he believes revenue sharing is the future for startups to do more with less.
Listen to the Podcast
Available on Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.
From Legal Ops to Startup Founder
Ed’s started his career as a lawyer before moving into operations at a fast-growing scale-up. There, he experienced first-hand the constant struggle of resource allocation, particularly in hiring technical talent. No matter the size of the dev team, there were always more priorities than capacity, this identified that the real issue wasn’t just a lack of resources, but how relationships between companies and collaborators were structured.
The Spark Behind Enten
Looking for ways to deliver more flexible, motivated working relationships, Ed developed the idea of using revenue sharing as a legal and financial framework. Instead of traditional cash contracts or rigid equity models, Enten helps businesses to share future revenues with partners, freelancers, and collaborators. This opens the door to creating partnerships that might otherwise be out of reach, particularly for startups with limited budgets.
Doing More with Less
For early-stage startups, budget constraints often limit the ability to move quickly. Enten helps address that by allowing founders to offer a slice of future upside in exchange for work today. Ed explains how this approach is not just about saving money, but about aligning incentives and building deeper, more motivated partnerships. The platform handles the negotiation, legal formation, and ongoing management of these agreements, giving founders one less headache to worry about.
Lessons from the Founder’s Journey
Ed is refreshingly honest about the challenges of starting a company, especially when pioneering a new way of working. Some of his key lessons include:
Big ideas often come from specific, real-world pain points.
You don’t have to start with a perfect product, but it needs to solve a real problem.
Incentives matter. Aligning them early can lead to better outcomes for everyone.
Legal innovation is just as powerful as technological innovation.
Building trust with users is crucial when working with financial relationships.
Advice for Founders Exploring Alternative Models
For founders looking to build flexible teams or attract talent they can’t yet afford, Ed suggests thinking differently about compensation. Revenue sharing offers a way to unlock new relationships and increase what’s possible without burning through limited cash. As Enten continues to grow, it’s clear the platform is tapping into a broader shift in how work, risk, and reward are shared.
Listen to the Podcast
Available on Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.
Connect with Ed Goould or learn more about Enten.
