My Startup Principles
People
I love work with people:
- who don’t chase trends or hot sectors
- who work from first principles, evaluating each idea, company and market on its independent merits
- who avoid overfunded areas and prefer companies taking idiosyncratic approaches to solving big problems. Simplicity
- who are sharp and clear thinkers—people who tend to be simplifiers (vs. complexifiers).
- who dream big and are taking risk to make their vision a reality.
- who are contagiously passionate about what they do
A company is not a deal / bet
I believe a company is not just a deal or transaction, but a long-term journey that requires a deep investment from both parties.
A key process of attracting great partners(employees, investors…) is relationship-building. Founders are raising the capital and are asking the investors to join them on a five-to-ten-year journey to help build a great company. No great investor will engage if they are viewed as a commodity.
It’s not about the formal exchange we have; it’s all about the informal exchange. It’s not about today or tomorrow, but what will transpire over time.
It’s fucking personal
VCs have always said, “Don’t take it personally.” But here’s the thing: it’s fucking personal.
The magnitude of a startup’s success requires the founder to be deeply invested in their company. When a founder starts a company, they put in a lot of hard work, time, and energy to make it successful. The company becomes an extension of themselves, and its success or failure can feel like a personal reflection of their abilities and character.
If you want to be an outlier, what you are building only exists because of you. Your idea is personal. Your vision is personal.