How do you make chess both accessible and engaging for a global audience? That's the challenge Take Take Take took on when they launched in April 2023. With the support of strong owners like Magnus Carlsen and an ambitious team behind them, they are working to revolutionize how the world views chess. Amidst this journey, Unlisted has played an important role in ensuring the overview, structure and professionalization of the company's ownership.
Lucas, Head of Operations at Take Take Take, has been responsible for the company's ownership structure since its inception. He describes his role as versatile: – "I work with finance, board work, processes, growth and product."
The company has grown rapidly and now has 12 employees, based in Oslo and Stavanger. With three investment rounds behind them – two large and one angel round – it was clear that a more professional solution than Excel was needed.
“It felt unprofessional and unscalable. You don’t get any visual insights, and it was difficult to connect shareholder data, incentive programs, and funding rounds,” Lucas explains.
The decision to use Unlisted came after a recommendation from the chairman of the board. Lucas was immediately convinced after testing the solution: "It was simple, clear, and we could set up everything with a preview before we had to pay."
The most important benefit? The ability to have a live and official shareholder ledger that could be easily shared with investors and employees. Previously, this information was stored in an Excel sheet that had to be updated and sent manually.
With Unlisted, Take Take Take has gained better overview and control:
"It's easier to be open with investors now. We just give them access to Unlisted, and then they see everything," says Lucas.
Lucas emphasizes that Unlisted not only saves time, but also provides security for future growth. "I came across a lot of potential issues around scaling, which Unlisted just solved. And that's what's so great about it – I don't have to think about it."
He particularly highlights the functionality of being able to switch between “fully diluted” and not, which is important when you have option programs. “It’s difficult to get an overview without that feature, especially for employees.”
Even though employees are mostly focused on their daily lives, Unlisted has made it easier to understand stock value. "Most people just want to know how much their shares are worth, and now it's very easy to find out."
Lucas also believes that having a structured share program has made it easier to attract good people. Unlisted makes this program clear and transparent.
"I recommend Unlisted to all companies in our phase. It's really useful to get it into the system and not have to think about it. Especially for unlisted companies in the early phase."
As Take Take Take enters future investment rounds, Lucas is confident that Unlisted will be an important tool. "We thought that the more complicated the structure became, the less control we would have. But we don't have to think about that now."
With Unlisted, Take Take Take has gained a tool that not only solves today's challenges, but also supports the company's growth and professionalization in the years to come.
