The author emphasizes the importance of celebrating small wins in the long journey of venture capital. While aiming for higher goals is essential, recognizing each step along the way is crucial. Each action contributes significantly to the overall success, highlighting the value of incremental progress over time.
[This is one of the first 'Tactical Notes' - short-format observations that I jotted down some time ago, where I feel that this snippet is enough and no long format essay is necessary] The presence of capital events (funding rounds, M&A, fund strategy) can sometimes be over-ascribed to individual influence unless the narrative shows how … Continue reading Tactical Notes: The Weight of Capital Alone is not Proof of Superior Judgement
[This is one of the first 'Tactical Notes' - short-format observations that I jotted down some time ago, where I feel that this snippet is enough and no long format essay is necessary] We are not entitled to capital. Or conviction. LPs operate under uncertainty just as we do. In a world of competitive convergence, … Continue reading Tactical Notes: Access is Earned, Not Expected
I just recently heard the interview with Meghan Reynolds, Partner and Head of Capital Formation & Talent at Altimeter Capital. Meghan acknowledges that venture capital is hard, driven by outliers, and rarely do we have a home run, but often many failures (large and small). She has a pretty simple and brilliant framework for communicating … Continue reading Communication, Easy as PIE: Problem, Impact, Exposure
Concept: If your deck can’t clarify conviction, cadence, and character in one slide, don’t raise yet. Startups founders aren't the only ones with bad pitch slides. Over the years, I’ve written about how a cluttered team slide in a founder deck often betrays deeper issues—misaligned roles, unclear value, or a résumé-driven identity crisis. But fund … Continue reading Fund Managers: Your Fund Slide Sucks, Too
[This is one of the first 'Tactical Notes' - short-format observations that I jotted down some time ago, where I feel that this snippet is enough and no long format essay is necessary] Exceptional managers demonstrate process discipline and high-touch relationship crafting. The myth of institutional vs. personal is a false binary. Sophistication in process … Continue reading Tactical Notes: Institutional is Personal
What are your actions? And what is the narrative you are telling LPs around your actions and processes? Why that story, and no other story? What are implicit assumptions that have to be true so that this story is true? What ethos are you implying, or even requiring, that is reflected in that action a … Continue reading Actions + Stories = Who You Are
There is a fundamental truth: Almost all ideas are wrong. It doesn't matter if they are your ideas or someone else's ideas. They are probably wrong. And even if they strike you with the force of brilliance, your job is to assume, first of all, that they're probably wrong, and then to assault them with … Continue reading Almost All Ideas are Wrong.
[There are countless obvious lessons from Jocko's books and podcasts that apply to all people and all companies. Here are some insights that might be less obvious from the last #muster.] As board members and VC investors, we often get asked: "What are your other companies and CEOs doing? Am I a good leader?" Most … Continue reading Jocko and Startups: Am I a good Leader?
