7 Tactical Fundraising Lessons I Learned after Raising $10M+ Dollars For A VC Firm
An account of seven of the many tactical lessons I’ve learned (and unlearned) in fundraising over ten million dollars. Helpful for emerging managers.
Fresh Red Snapper, Snorkeling, and Sun: A Turks and Caicos Travelogue
The way to know if the red snapper is fresh is to look them in the eyes. If their eyes are clear, they’re fresh.
shared stories: the wood line
A few months ago, I saved Andy Goldsworthy’s Wood Line on my “want to go spots.” It’s an art sculpture of eucalyptus branches laid down in a 1,200 zigzag on the southwest corner of the Presidio. This morning, my friend Ariana and I walked the Wood Line. Ariana had visited SF before, but mostly for …
fred again…and again and again
Last week, I found myself dancing in the grass of Stanford’s Frost Amphitheater on a scorching 87-degree afternoon to Fred Again… along with 8,000 other people. When I woke up this morning still buzzing with happiness, I started wondering why his music is so infectious. My journey with Fred Again.. began in April 2021, when …
rediscovering the magic of reading
One of my favorite activities in elementary school was visiting our local public library, a five minute drive from our house. Getting my own library card felt like freedom. I ventured from the short stack children’s section to the taller shelves of mystery, young adult fiction, romance and fantasy along the east side of the …
tidal trials
I’d learned to surf on this San Jose del Cabo wave, convinced of my familiarity with its rhythm and temper. Yet, the ocean held secrets I had yet to uncover. As I paddled out, the gentle breeze whispered tales of the sea, mingling with the tang of salt in the air. A pristine three-foot wave …
dear mr allen wrench,
I am such a huge fan of your work. I’ve put together no fewer than a dozen pieces of furniture with your help, and I’ve learned the intricacies of jiggling, shaking, and angling that make you sing. I have a drawer that slowly fills with different versions of you, sure to cause great confusion at …
does my neighbor have a sorolla?
A few nights ago on a walk, I stopped to admire an organic-style New England shingled cottage with curvy living room beams that would look at home on the bow of a ship. Peering in, I was struck by a painting with dramatically lit billowing sails. Seeing those sails brought me back to a sunny …
the pitch podcast process: sharing notes as a solo general partner
As a solo general partner of a venture fund, I rarely share notes when making an investment decision. That changed when I filmed my first season of the Pitch in June 2023. The Pitch is like Shark Tank if all the judges on Shark Tank were venture capitalists investing their & others’ capital instead of …
the pitch podcast process: sharing notes as a solo general partner Read More »
thoughts on link rot and frailty
And even though the internet has become the de facto record of recent society’s activities, there is no one with the dedicated role of helping maintain and preserve these records. Already, the problem known as link rot is beginning to affect everyone from the Harvard Law Review, where, according to Jonathan Zittrain, three quarters of …