#notfinancialadvice You should join every single syndicate that you possibly can. And NOT invest in any of their deals. This probably sounds really weird. Coming from me: Trust me. You’ll come out ahead. Even if you NEVER deploy capital through them. Here’s why. Think about it. Imagine you’ve joined 10 syndicates. And let’s pretend each … Read more
A VC office party taught me this lesson about winning 👇 At the party, I met a founder who’d just taken money from the newest partner at the firm. Always being curious about the how and the why of a deal, I asked them: “What were the things that made them stand out?” I was … Read more
Attending Columbia Business School was a big inflection point for me, and it’s been on my mind a lot lately. Probably because graduation season just passed, and that tends to make one reflective! Some lessons from my time there: B-school was a great place to launch a VC job search, and I think it still … Read more
You hear it constantly in VC. “We just had our first close.” “We’re closing the fund next month.” But what does closing a fund actually mean? What happens, step by step, between “we’re raising” and “we’re closed”? First, what a “close” even is A fund doesn’t usually raise all its money in one dramatic moment. … Read more
I keep hearing people say that media is “the next big thing” in venture capital. Even though I run a media company focused entirely on venture capital … I’m skeptical. You see, the idea that VCs can use content to build an edge isn’t new. This is the content I grew up on. So when … Read more
I was emailing a Benchmark-backed founder about an angel deal. He wasn’t interested, but it wasn’t because he didn’t like the deal. It was for a much more interesting reason: “I don’t really do much angel stuff because I’m an LP in Benchmark’s fund.” This is more common than you might think. You see, a … Read more
If you’re trying to break into venture (or level up once you’re in), almost nothing compounds faster than having a written investment thesis. It’s the single artifact that does the most work for you: Most people never write one because it feels vague and overwhelming. Where do you even start? Which market? How big does … Read more
“Hey, I’m a Venture Partner at XYZ Capital…” Ah, those words. I bet you’ve heard them before. But here’s the thing nobody talks about: That title? It could mean about 5 different things. And if you’re raising money… You NEED to know the difference. Trust me on this one – I’ve been on both sides … Read more
Let’s be honest – when we talk about VC performance, the conversation almost always boils down to one thing: “Can this GP pick winners?” It’s the sexy part of the business. Finding the next unicorn. Backing visionary founders. Nailing the perfect thesis. But here’s what most people miss. Behind the scenes, savvy GPs use specific … Read more
I worked at a VC fund that raised ~$50 million from LPs, but was able to put ~3X that amount (~$150 million) to work. How is that possible?It’s due to the SBIC program run by the U.S. Small Business Administration. Have you heard of it? If you’re raising a VC fund, PE fund, or FoF, you … Read more
