“we wanted to get to break even and control our destiny like even though we have raised Venture money we wanted to get to break even and control our destiny so we're not constantly on that Loop.”

Aim for Break-Even to Control Your Destiny Even When You've Raised VC

Monarch raised venture funding but deliberately managed toward break-even — keeping the team small (13 people when the Mint windfall hit) rather than burning toward a raise milestone. That discipline meant they entered the black swan moment from a position of financial stability, not desperation. It also preserved optionality: they could choose to invest in the opportunity rather than being forced to by a runway clock.