VC Humblebrags
They’re insufferable, omnipresent and hubristic
But >why< do VCs do so much humblebragging?
It’s not just arrogance:
They’re insufferable, omnipresent and hubristic
But >why< do VCs do so much humblebragging?
It’s not just arrogance:
1/ First, understand this is how VCs are taught and raised. The average Monday VC partner meeting is a bunch of subtle and not-too-subtle flexing around who has the hot companies. That’s where the power is. So you sort of learn to do this from Mom and Dad.
2/ As a VC, you yourself are just a number.
Your LPs know the numbers — and view you as a number. Many firms say “we don’t do attribution”, but everyone knows who sourced & closed the top deal(s)
And LPs figure it out and do their attribution analyses
You are just a number
Your LPs know the numbers — and view you as a number. Many firms say “we don’t do attribution”, but everyone knows who sourced & closed the top deal(s)
And LPs figure it out and do their attribution analyses
You are just a number
3/ It’s a game with clear, precise ranking.
It’s not always clear which start-up is “better” than others. Yeah, Zoom is incredible. But there are 1,000 Cloud and SaaS unicorns. Many founders are winners, with no need for a leaderboard
But VCs are all force ranked
You know
It’s not always clear which start-up is “better” than others. Yeah, Zoom is incredible. But there are 1,000 Cloud and SaaS unicorns. Many founders are winners, with no need for a leaderboard
But VCs are all force ranked
You know
4/ Sometimes, you are watching internal battles live on Twitter
VCs age out their networks, & many haven’t had a real hit in decade. But they want to maintain control
Sometimes, there are real battles between ones w/the current decacorns-to-be .. vs ones with unicorns of past
VCs age out their networks, & many haven’t had a real hit in decade. But they want to maintain control
Sometimes, there are real battles between ones w/the current decacorns-to-be .. vs ones with unicorns of past
5/ Finally, VCs often aren’t really that nice to each other
As CEO, you celebrate the wins, & promote your team
VCs sort of do this with their partners, but not nearly as much. There is jealously. Fights over carry and fees. Firms break up
You just don’t get the High Fives
As CEO, you celebrate the wins, & promote your team
VCs sort of do this with their partners, but not nearly as much. There is jealously. Fights over carry and fees. Firms break up
You just don’t get the High Fives
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