The Full Ratchet (TFR): Venture Capital and Startup Investing Demystified

197. The DNA of Startup Success (John Vrionis)


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John Vrionis of Unusual Ventures joins Nick to discuss The DNA of Startup Success. In this episode, we cover:

  • Backstory/path to venture.
  • Talk about your experience at Lightspeed and your decision to leave.
  • Where/when did you first meet Jyoti Bansal, the founder, AppDynamics?
  • What's unusual about what you do?
  • 'Unusual Academy' and 'Get Ahead Platform' -- what are they and what's the difference?
  • You’ve spoken about your team at Unusual being focused on redesign the early-stage VC market and giving founders a distinct advantage. What about your approach gives founders a distinct advantage?
  • You've spoken about founder focus on "How it works" vs. "Why it matters" -- what's the disconnect you've observed with early-stage founders?
  • You've covered your own experience of learning through suffering -- is that also a quality/characteristic you look for in founders?
  • Arrogance vs. Humility -- have you invested in founders displaying these traits? What's been your experience?
  • 3 must-haves that you look for in a new investment?
  • If there's one common theme in failed investments -- what is it?
  • Is there anything unusual about your approach to sourcing? If so, what is it?
  • What are some best practices for founders when picking a VC?
  • Over the past year or so the percentage of total VC dollars invested in early-stage deals fell to the lowest levels the industry has seen in five years. Why do you think this is the case?
  • You've talked a lot about the seed funding gap and challenges to get to Series A. I'd love to get your thoughts on what's required to raise an A?
  • Do you focus on product-market-fit prior to the A round -- if so, how do you define it?
  • What's the problem with Sovereign Wealth in Silicon Valley?
  • Do you have specific examples of unintended consequences or challenges with certain types of LPs behind a VC fund?
  • Re. founders -- You've said that "the biggest mistake you can make is taking an investment from a mega-fund" Why?
  • How has the early-stage venture landscape shifted from previous years? What do you expect to see in the future?

To listen more, please visit http://fullratchet.net/podcast-episodes/ for all of our other episodes.

Also, follow us on twitter @TheFullRatchet for updates and more information.

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The Full Ratchet (TFR): Venture Capital and Startup Investing DemystifiedBy Nick Moran | Angel Investor | Startup Advisor | Venture Capitalist

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