Podcast

Entrepreneur and investor David Sacks, who serves as a Spearhead mentor, recently published a popular blog post, “BlitzFail: How Not to Go Off the Rails.” We’re going to discuss the article and ways that scaling companies go off the rails. More

With first-time founders, you must test their ability to learn. Are they fast learners? Will they learn how to run a company? Will they adapt and grow? This is different than asking: “Are they coachable?” I believe coachability is overrated. More

There’s a running debate among investors about which is best: first-time founders or repeat founders. There’s no hard and fast answer. More

Angel investing is a game of exceptional outcomes; it’s not a game of averages. You’re better off with a portfolio in which nine out of 10 investments go to zero and the 10th one goes 1,000x, than a portfolio where all of them are 2x or 3x. More

Some angels insist on checking references of founders. This can work if you know what you’re doing, but reference checking is an art that most people haven’t mastered. More

Angel investors tend to be on the tough side when they get started, especially when investing a lot of their own money. More

There’s a meme among venture capitalists—especially inexperienced ones—that a good founder should be coachable. These investors rely too much on their own abilities, thinking they’re right and founders are wrong. More

I use Warren Buffett’s three-part test for qualities you want in a partner: high energy, high intelligence and high integrity. More

Let’s discuss how judgment applies to evaluating teams, product and market, traction, and social proof. This is the technology business; you want to invest in technology teams. More

There are many ways to build good judgment. The timeless kind of judgment—good decision-making and the ability to size people up—comes with experience. More