0/ Such a fun AMA w/ @IterativeVC 's first batch - thought some of the Q&A might be helpful to others: 
1/
Q: What separates good founders from GREAT founders?
A: The pace of learning. Ultimately, the ceiling on any startup (all things being equal) is the collective capacity of the team. This can only increase when the team is able to grow themselves in multiple dimensions.
Q: What separates good founders from GREAT founders?
A: The pace of learning. Ultimately, the ceiling on any startup (all things being equal) is the collective capacity of the team. This can only increase when the team is able to grow themselves in multiple dimensions.
2/
They must learn: about their market faster and deeper than the incumbents and competitions; to manage their emotions effectively when challenged with new and complex situations; to hire for roles they have never done themselves and teach others to do the same.
They must learn: about their market faster and deeper than the incumbents and competitions; to manage their emotions effectively when challenged with new and complex situations; to hire for roles they have never done themselves and teach others to do the same.
3/
They must learn how to coordinate a rapidly growing organization with new team members in a dynamic market situation. Startuplife learning and growth is relentless - some find it exhausting, others exhilarating. Those are the folks that grow faster than others.
They must learn how to coordinate a rapidly growing organization with new team members in a dynamic market situation. Startuplife learning and growth is relentless - some find it exhausting, others exhilarating. Those are the folks that grow faster than others.
4/
Q:What are some common pitching mistakes?
A: Not spending enough time thinking about what the investor's existing mental models / reference points are.
- Have they been burned before on this business model? - Are they attracted to specific founder personas?
Q:What are some common pitching mistakes?
A: Not spending enough time thinking about what the investor's existing mental models / reference points are.
- Have they been burned before on this business model? - Are they attracted to specific founder personas?
5/
Q: How do you think about large (>2) founding teams?
A: Well-functioning team? AMAZING asset to have folks who are strong in multiple dimensions - back to the point above about the growth of companies largely being driven by the collective capacity of the team.
Q: How do you think about large (>2) founding teams?
A: Well-functioning team? AMAZING asset to have folks who are strong in multiple dimensions - back to the point above about the growth of companies largely being driven by the collective capacity of the team.
6/
Dysfunctional team? DISASTER (no clear leader, no ability to disagree and commit, no broad alignment of values and vision) spend all their time disagreeing and no one has enough shares/power to make things right
Dysfunctional team? DISASTER (no clear leader, no ability to disagree and commit, no broad alignment of values and vision) spend all their time disagreeing and no one has enough shares/power to make things right
7/
Q: How do you think about valuation?
A: Early stage valuation is largely a function of supply and demand for the deal; demand driven by: how large one thinks the potential addressable market is, how good the team is (or appears to be), other signals of deal desirability
Q: How do you think about valuation?
A: Early stage valuation is largely a function of supply and demand for the deal; demand driven by: how large one thinks the potential addressable market is, how good the team is (or appears to be), other signals of deal desirability
8/
Q: Differences between US and SEA early stage markets
A: - A lot of Business founders; not enough Prod/Tech Founders
- Fewer funding sources, less competitive rounds, more collaborative
- Lots more CVC, FO, in the mix
- Strange proliferation of middlemen
Q: Differences between US and SEA early stage markets
A: - A lot of Business founders; not enough Prod/Tech Founders
- Fewer funding sources, less competitive rounds, more collaborative
- Lots more CVC, FO, in the mix
- Strange proliferation of middlemen
9/ Hope this was helpful! If there are other questions you'd like me to answer, let me know
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