Invest Like the Best with Patrick O'Shaughnessy

Josh Kopelman - The Past, Present, And Future Of Seed Investing - [Invest Like the Best, EP.170]


Listen Later

My guest today is Josh Kopelman, the founder of famed venture capital firm First Round Capital. Prior to starting First Round, which has invested at the earliest stages in companies like Square, Uber, and Roblox, Josh was a three-time entrepreneur, so our conversation spans early-stage investing, business building, and entrepreneurship. I’ll not sure forget his analogy distinguishing between navigators and cartographers, nor the rest of the interesting ideas he shared after seeing and investing in so many great businesses. We also discuss how First Round has bucked the trend to build what I’d call a platform adjacent to the core investing business which does a lot for their entrepreneurs and is a model for other professional investing firms, both in venture and elsewhere. Please enjoy my conversation with Josh Kopelman. 

This episode is brought to by Koyfin.

For more episodes go to InvestorFieldGuide.com/podcast.

Sign up for the book club, where you’ll get a full investor curriculum and then 3-4 suggestions every month at InvestorFieldGuide.com/bookclub.

Follow Patrick on Twitter at @patrick_oshag

 

Show Notes

(2:05) – (First question) – How pandemic has impacted their investing strategies

(3:54) – How this stressful environment impacts founders

(6:23) – His early career as a founder and how startup culture has changed

(10:15) – Most important lessons from his entrepreneurial career and building from just an idea

(11:50) – How to analyze a founder

(14:05) – Common disagreements when it comes to deciding on an investment

(15:33) – How many opportunities they evaluate in a meeting

(16:16) – The curvy road to their investment in Roadblox

(17:52) – Whether the concept for a platform is overused

(19:36) – Founders asking what google search they should build on

(20:46) – Solving existing or forecasted problems

(25:39) – How the startup scene is impacted by the huge legacy tech companies

(30:28) – What makes a great early stage investor

(32:19) – Do they focus on founders or themes

(33:19) – Where will valuations and returns come back to after the pandemic

(36:30) – How are business models evolving in technology entrepreneurship

            (36:31) – Matt Clifford Podcast Episode

(39:40) – The Dorm Room Fund

(43:02) – Whether investment funds should have their own platform

(47:31) – Product mistakes in software building

(51:52) – What he’s most excited about for the future

(54:05) – The kindest thing anyone has done for him 

Learn More

For more episodes go to InvestorFieldGuide.com/podcast

Sign up for the book club, where you’ll get a full investor curriculum and then 3-4 suggestions every month at InvestorFieldGuide.com/bookclub

Follow Patrick on Twitter at @patrick_oshag

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Invest Like the Best with Patrick O'ShaughnessyBy Colossus | Investing & Business Podcasts

  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7

4.7

2,212 ratings


More shows like Invest Like the Best with Patrick O'Shaughnessy

View all
Masters in Business by Bloomberg

Masters in Business

2,174 Listeners

a16z Podcast by Andreessen Horowitz

a16z Podcast

1,036 Listeners

The Twenty Minute VC (20VC): Venture Capital | Startup Funding | The Pitch by Harry Stebbings

The Twenty Minute VC (20VC): Venture Capital | Startup Funding | The Pitch

519 Listeners

Odd Lots by Bloomberg

Odd Lots

1,789 Listeners

The Meb Faber Show - Better Investing by The Idea Farm

The Meb Faber Show - Better Investing

938 Listeners

Founders by David Senra

Founders

1,906 Listeners

Capital Allocators – Inside the Institutional Investment Industry by Ted Seides – Allocator and Asset Management Expert

Capital Allocators – Inside the Institutional Investment Industry

804 Listeners

Value Investing with Legends by Columbia Business School

Value Investing with Legends

196 Listeners

All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg by All-In Podcast, LLC

All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg

9,207 Listeners

The Memo by Howard Marks by Oaktree Capital Management

The Memo by Howard Marks

416 Listeners

Yet Another Value Podcast by Andrew Walker

Yet Another Value Podcast

107 Listeners

Business Breakdowns by Colossus | Investing & Business Podcasts

Business Breakdowns

353 Listeners

Making Markets by Colossus | Investing & Business Podcasts

Making Markets

64 Listeners

ACQ2 by Acquired by Ben Gilbert and David Rosenthal

ACQ2 by Acquired

212 Listeners

50X by Colossus

50X

86 Listeners

Return on India by Colossus | Investing & Business Podcasts

Return on India

16 Listeners

Making Media by Colossus | Investing & Business Podcasts

Making Media

21 Listeners

Joys of Compounding by Colossus | Investing & Business Podcasts

Joys of Compounding

98 Listeners

BG2Pod with Brad Gerstner and Bill Gurley by BG2Pod

BG2Pod with Brad Gerstner and Bill Gurley

461 Listeners