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It took me 10 years from the time I thought about becoming a venture capital investor to the time I actually became one.
Ten long years hanging on hoops, trying to get in, VC disappointing.
It’s a very common story: I studied books and articles, listened to podcasts about the greats, built spreadsheets of mock portfolios and learned a lot of VC lingo (series, val caps, SAFEs…).
And somewhere along the way I switched to flat shoes (all birds of course!), branded t-shirts and bags.
What a VC-wannabee! I still can’t find Guernsey. Because I had everything wrong…
If I had my time again, now that I’ve been in a venture firm for many years, boy would I do things differently.
Here’s what I understand about Ventures today that I didn’t at the time:
- The check is the least important thing A venture investor brings the founder. The most valuable and limited resources to invest in are your time, your network, and your emotional strength.
- Building a venture is a craft. Education is in progress. You can only learn so much second hand. The best way to get good results in building businesses is to build businesses.
- When a company starts aAnd there are only 1 or 2 people, practically any help is helpful, you generally don’t need to be an expert in something to bring value.
- The best way to destroy the best founders It’s on advice from other great founders, and it takes years (and rightfully so) to earn that kind of trust.
- Venture is serving, supporting, helping.G. You’re singing backup and you better hit the high notes because you’re lucky enough to be on stage working with an amazing founder.
- Investors listen to smart people. In the ecosystem – angels, consultants, advisors, managers of accelerator programs and many others. You don’t need a checkbook to get our attention, we’d love to read your thoughts on the blog or grab a coffee. If we are learning from you, we need you.
- When evaluating candidates for employment From a venture fund, you can tell the experience of people building a real company a mile away. It shines through their application
With all of this in mind, if you’re reading this and looking to become a venture investor, I recommend don’t wait for my approval. You don’t need a job at a venture fund to be a brilliant company builder. You can shave off ten years and decide to start today.
Find an electrifying founder you can’t work with. Maybe the whole company is just her now. Offer a hand. There is nothing to begin with. Just help out with whatever spare time you can manage. And believe in her. Be a deep well of unproven faith, especially when things feel shaky early on.
Expand yourself from small tasks to strategic ones, effortlessly and without ego.
In other words, go do the investor’s gruff, unglamorous, actual job, and don’t worry too much about job applications, we’ll get you.
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