The midterm results are in, and the headlines are loud. But what do they actually mean for startups? Steve Lord, Burkland’s COO and Chief Knowledge Officer, joins us for a special episode to separate the signal from the noise.

Steve looks at what a shift in congressional control could mean for startup valuations, interest rates, and the VC ecosystem. He also explains why the bond market tends to react well to a divided government, and why fears that political headwinds will slow down AI and data centers are overblown.

We discuss:

• Why Steve believes the election results will create a more favorable fundraising environment
• What this political reset means for equity markets, IPOs, and M&A 
• Why the next few months could be volatile, and his outlook on inflation
• What increased congressional and SEC oversight could mean for sectors like crypto

Steve’s advice to founders: treat the macro environment as useful information, not as something that determines your outcome. Product-market fit, customer acquisition costs, revenue, and knowing your numbers still matter most.

----Stay connected with our host, Kate Adams, here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kateadams22/

🔗 Learn more about Burkland here: https://burklandassociates.com/

This episode is produced by:

Brenda Hernández Jaimes: Podcast Producer & Talent Coordinator, Ellas Media
Angela R. Chong: Audio Editor & Post-Production Producer, Amplify Podcasts