I’m hoping to surround myself with people who challenge me, teach me and inspire me every day to become the next better version of myself.
Mission
I look to partner with people with an equally strong sense of purpose. I get energy from interacting with people who are contagiously passionate about what they do. I’m looking for people who dream big and are risking everything to make their vision a reality.
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
I like folks that are sharp and clear thinkers—people who tend to be simplifiers (vs. complexifiers).
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 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.