Successful founders often have a deep internal belief that they will make their company work, even when faced with challenges.

Hard tech founders possess a high clarity of vision for the future of their companies, despite facing tactical risks.

I encourage all founders to define what kind of leader they want to be, especially during tough times, and to do so with absolute and unapologetic confidence.

Successful founders are those who can consistently engage in focused work, which is a key differentiator in their performance.

Entrepreneurs need to invent the future they want, rather than just extrapolating the past; this requires conviction and a strong team.

The best hard tech founders possess a clear vision of the future and understand how to compress timelines to prove commercial viability.

Founders with a proven track record of building valuable products should feel confident in their instincts and trust their gut more than they think.

To succeed, founders should be optimistic but remain grounded in reality, avoiding magical thinking that detaches them from the actual challenges and dynamics of their business environment.

To be a great founder, you should possess some superpowers, such as being a good product person and having strong leadership and persuasion skills, while also balancing belief in your vision with a healthy paranoia about whether you're tracking against your investment thesis.