DeepSummary
In this episode of The Full Ratchet podcast, host Nick Moran interviews three venture capitalists: Michael Jones, Jules Schwerin, and John Keaton. Each guest shares their most important piece of advice for young, new investors in the venture capital industry.
Michael Jones from Science emphasizes the importance of gaining deep, sector-specific knowledge and expertise. He advises embedding oneself deeply into the sectors of interest and learning the intricacies of those domains. This approach often reveals unexpected opportunities and insights that others may overlook.
Jules Schwerin from RTP Global and John Keaton from Torch Capital both stress the value of mentorship and patience in the venture capital industry. Schwerin advises finding experienced mentors who can guide newcomers through the nuances of the VC world, while Keaton reminds listeners that building successful companies is a long-term endeavor that requires perseverance, hustle, and support for founders through good and bad times.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- Gain deep, sector-specific knowledge and expertise to uncover hidden opportunities and insights within industries of interest.
- Seek out mentorship from experienced professionals to navigate the complexities and nuances of the venture capital industry.
- Exercise patience and perseverance, as building successful companies is a long-term endeavor that requires dedication and hard work.
- Surround yourself with a supportive network and be willing to seek help from others to aid the companies in your portfolio, even in areas outside your expertise.
- Be prepared to roll up your sleeves and provide hands-on support to founders, helping them overcome challenges and seize opportunities along the way.
- Approach venture capital with a long-term mindset, focusing on building sustainable companies rather than chasing quick wins or hype.
- Understand that even seemingly "overnight successes" require countless details to be executed correctly and numerous hurdles to be overcome.
- Continuously seek out new opportunities and insights within the sectors you operate, as deep domain knowledge often reveals unexpected avenues for investment and growth.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “Remember, it's a mentorship game. Venture is really complicated, and I'd say the answer most often to any question as well, it depends, followed by tons and tons of nuance. So finding someone who's been doing this for a long time is going to be your biggest asset.“ by Jules Schwerin
- “And one of the things we say at Torch internally is hits aren't found. You know, hit companies aren't found, but built. And what that means is you find the right founder in the right space and all that, like Tia being a great example. There are so many things, millions of things that have to go right and things that have to be fixed or things that have to be figured out or hurdles that have to be overcome to have that, quote, overnight success.“ by John Keaton
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Episode Information
The Full Ratchet (TFR): Venture Capital and Startup Investing Demystified
Nick Moran | Angel Investor | Startup Advisor | Venture Capitalist
3/28/24
On this special segment of The Full Ratchet, the following Investors are featured:
- Michael Jones
- Jules Schwerin
- Jon Keidan
We asked guests for the most important piece of advice that they'd share with folks early in their venture career.
The hosts of The Full Ratchet are Nick Moran and Nate Pierotti of New Stack Ventures, a venture capital firm committed to investing in founders outside of the Bay Area.
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