1/ I often say @stride_vc is "proudly anti-thematic" -- here's why.
2/ Fact: founders are much better at finding white space and developing unique insights than all of VC put together.

Our job is to be mentally plastic and be open to unusual ideas.
3/ Being thematic as an investor is powerful in developing a prepared mind but it can also be quite limiting.

There's nothing more boring than asking VCs "what are the hot trends" - we all say the same 😂

At seed I find it more constraining than I find it effective.
4/ I am constantly surprised by the large underserved markets we discover that yield large opportunities.

Many segments that are unloved by VC actually offer the opportunity to build real market leaders that end up reshaping their industry meaningfully.
5/ If you go after obvious themes you end up competing with a bunch of venture backed companies and fighting each other with $$$$.

Really hard to outcompete the Americans and increasingly Asians.

In enterprise -- local champions are mostly dead.
6/ This is why we say "Dissenters Welcome".

We love people who challenge established thinking, eschew obvious themes and takes us down unexplored paths.

• • •

Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to force a refresh
 

Keep Current with Fred Destin

Fred Destin Profile picture

Stay in touch and get notified when new unrolls are available from this author!

Read all threads

This Thread may be Removed Anytime!

PDF

Twitter may remove this content at anytime! Save it as PDF for later use!

Try unrolling a thread yourself!

how to unroll video
  1. Follow @ThreadReaderApp to mention us!

  2. From a Twitter thread mention us with a keyword "unroll"
@threadreaderapp unroll

Practice here first or read more on our help page!

More from @fdestin

14 Jan
1/ By definition, VC partnership are only as good a their decision making.

Let’s explore 👇
2/ In venture as in startups, there are only decisions, never any certainties. It is the nature of our game that good decisions combined with good execution can lead to poor outcomes. In other words, a poor outcome does not mean you took the wrong decision. What to do?
3/ The first step is to collectively get as close to the truth as you can.

This means gathering opinions and facts until you have built a mental model of the decision you are taking and assessing the nature of the risks you are taking.
Read 13 tweets
30 Dec 20
1/ Are we finally seeing the disaggregation of venture capital ?
2/ This was part of @naval 's original vision when starting @AngelList - the separation of capital / board / specialist advice / network intros
3/ @HarryStebbings is in trenches in SV with @twentyminutevc fund - seeing more rounds with 10x $200K checks from rolling funds and superangels
Read 8 tweets
16 Dec 20
1/ Beware the tail wagging the dog.

Numbers you committed to your board are not your strategy.

Numbers you think next round investors want to see are not your strategy.
2/ You produce objectives because it's good to have measurable targets, usually ambitious ones. You know it's really hard to forecast so early ... but suddenly your fairly random attempt at predicting the future because the yardstick against which you are measured.
3/ Once these numbers are communicated to the board and across the company, these become the goal everyone is working towards. This many paying customers, suppliers on the platform, whatever the KPI may be.

Your wise investors tell you "disciplined companies hit their numbers"!
Read 9 tweets
18 Oct 20
1/ Let me distill the Stride investment strategy in fifteen tweets. Yes, fifteen 😘.
2/ To be able to make money, you need some form of edge. The edge does not need to be complex of over-intellectualised, but it needs to be real and drive returns.
3/ Some funds are vertical specialists (say @anthemis ), some leverage network assets (say @ycombinator ) or build large portfolios (say @seedcamp), some funds leverage dominant execution capability (say @sequoia or @IndexVentures ) etc.
Read 15 tweets
24 Sep 20
1/ A CEO’s number one job is to define the mission, communicate that mission relentlessly, and keep everyone focused on the mission.

That’s how you move the ball down the field everyday.
2/ That communication is to team members, clients, partners, investors, the market at large.

It’s got to be simple, consistent, and consistently repeatable by others. Your second layer SDR needs to be able to deliver almost as well as you do.
3/ this is why founder / CEOs can’t spend their entire time doing.

Systems, processes, culture and people must align to collectively help define the right mission, amplify it and execute it.
Read 6 tweets
2 Sep 20
How to get your hands on pre-seed funding 👇
1/ First principle - THE PICK.

Make sure you’ve picked your idea well!

A problem you feel is really worth solving, or an opportunity you’re willing to commit a good chunk of your life to. Validate hard before you commit.

Fact: Too many founders rush into average ideas.
2/ Find a co-founder

It’s harder to get funded solo. It's also lonely.

Whether you can attract one more person is a first, important point of validation. Trustmark #1.
Read 14 tweets

Did Thread Reader help you today?

Support us! We are indie developers!


This site is made by just two indie developers on a laptop doing marketing, support and development! Read more about the story.

Become a Premium Member ($3/month or $30/year) and get exclusive features!

Become Premium

Too expensive? Make a small donation by buying us coffee ($5) or help with server cost ($10)

Donate via Paypal Become our Patreon

Thank you for your support!

Follow Us on Twitter!