SAFE notes are meant to make early-stage fundraising easy.

And they do. But most founders and angels don’t fully understand what they’re signing up for.

In this episode of Angels Decoded, Cheryl Kellond and Andy Walsh unpack how SAFEs actually work, why they’re the default at early stage, and where they can catch people out.

They’re fast, flexible, and let founders raise money over time without stopping to run a full round.

But under the surface…Valuations are mostly signal. Ownership gets unclear. And stacked SAFEs can quietly eat into founder equity. At the same time, what many angels miss is that SAFEs can work in their favor, with non-dilutive upside as the company grows.

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What We Break Down

SAFE ≠ simple: Easy to use, hard to fully understand.
Valuation is still a signal: You’re not pricing the company… but you kind of are.
Rolling capital wins: Raise as you build, not all at once.
Stacked SAFEs = hidden dilution: Founders take the hit, not early investors.
Angels benefit more than they think: Early checks can compound without dilution.

The Big Idea

SAFE notes make fundraising faster. But if you don’t understand them…you won’t know what you own until it’s too late.

Andy Walsh

2x exited founder and host of Startups Decoded (Top 2% globally). Andy helps founders sharpen judgment and build companies through practical experience and operator insight.

Cheryl Kellond

Founder of Play Money and active angel investor. Cheryl focuses on democratizing angel investing and helping new investors build diversified portfolios while supporting founders with practical guidance and community.

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Resources

Startups Decoded Podcast: https://startupsdecoded.com

Ep#6: SAFE Notes — Simple, Fast… and Fuzzy