In my 40 years of experience, I've never called myself a venture capitalist; I prefer to see myself as a venture assistant, helping startups navigate their challenges.

I shouldn't be here as a venture capitalist; I don't have a formal education or traditional background, yet I've invested in over 200 startups, with seven valued over a billion dollars each.

We realized that venture capital is a mediocre product for entrepreneurs, offering little more than money and occasional advice, which diminishes quickly over time.

I've been involved in startups for about 20 years and investing for the past 12 years, during which I've invested in hundreds of companies and interviewed thousands of founders.

In venture capital, understanding people is more important than just focusing on numbers. My background in sales helps me relate to founders better.

Venture capitalists can offer substantial capital, assist with hiring executives, and provide operational support, but they require significant equity and expect rapid growth to generate returns.

I help startups with hard projects, often related to funding or M&A transactions, leveraging my network to bootstrap their growth. Founders often make the mistake of not focusing enough on finding investors who can add significant value to their company, prioritizing valuation and dilution instead.

Venture Capitalists (VCs) invest small amounts of money to acquire equity in startups, hoping that a few will grow large enough to cover the losses from unsuccessful investments.

The essence of venture capital lies not just in picking winners but in building relationships and supporting entrepreneurs throughout their journey.