This is my best Walt Disney impression. Here's where I hope The Generalist goes.
- Play w boundaries of "audience" + "creator"
- Multiplayer by default
- Build, invest, write in public
- Decentralize decision-making to community
- Be the platform for smart ppl to share thoughts
Since I'm not a very good artist, I can't compete with Disney's amazing original.
But I've done my best...
Meet some characters below ;)
First, the "Blue Whiskered Job Fox."
He just wants to get people into careers they really like.
The more people he helps find a job, the longer his whiskers grow.
Next, the "Green Inexplicably Incandescent Fox." He handles the briefings that go out every week.
His incandescence is powered primarily by espresso.
Ok, next.
Designed to withstand the sudden changes in pressure of companies going public is the "Rare Nebula To-The-Moon S-1 Fox."
She captains the ship for all IPOs, DPOs, and (in the future) SPACs.
The "Pink Glasses Community Rave Fox" just wants people to have a nice time.
She tries to do that by introducing people, organizing events, and stoking conversation.
No one has confirmed whether or not she is candy-flipping.
Hiding between the lines is the slightly smaller "Purple-Happy-Inferno Fund Fox."
Permanently on fire but feeling great about it. This fox likes to back companies worth writing about.
Portfolio companies have their stories told and shared with The Generalist's readers.
This fox is hard to find.
They're a little shy.
Introducing the "Yellow Modest Idea Fox" who runs RFS. This fox scurries around collecting ideas, then gives them away as soon as possible because he doesn't like the pressure of hanging onto them.
Hearing of more founders selling secondary shares.
Some really interesting new incentives to think about:
- Founders don't have to sell to get rich
- Can 'swing for the fences' more
- Less downside in raising beyond means
- Upside in constant raising to 🔼 secondary prices
If I were an employee of a company where the CEO was aggressive at selling secondaries...I'd have a lot of questions.
- Should I be trying to sell my shares?
- Does the CEO believe in this long-term?
- What kind of signal does this put out to the market?
I think we're going to see a class of mega-wealthy founders that built...a fundraising company.
Folks that understand VC dynamics well enough to exploit them.
The result may be something like a "VC Ponzi Scheme."
A co that looks unbelievable on paper, but doesn't do much.
Howard Schultz had 2 months to get the money to buy it.
With a month left, one of Schultz's own business partners tried to snipe the deal.
One of my favorite business stories ever 👇
1/
So, first things first:
Howard Schultz did not found Starbucks.
It was started by three college friends who set out to make a great coffee *roaster.* No drinks, no places to sit. Just great beans.
They opened their first location in 1971.
2/
In 1981, Schultz was a young salesman.
He worked for Hammarplast, a co that sold coffee machines & filters. On a business trip to Seattle he discovered Starbucks and became so obsessed, he told the founders he wanted to work there.
There's a fun story about the first money the company raised.
Marcos Galperin was a student at Stanford GSB at the time. One day, the famous investor John Muse came to give a lecture...
2/
To make sure he had a chance to pitch him on his idea for an "eBay in Latin America" Galperin asked if he could drive him back to his private plane after the lecture.