Episode #91: AI Rocketship or Left for Dead, The Worst VC Introduction, To Be or To Do
This week on The Learning Corner, an observation from investor Matt Turck that startups today are either AI-native rocketships or left for dead opens up a real conversation about what that binary actually means for founders building outside the hype cycle. Michelle Volz's essay "To Be or To Do" uses military legend John Boyd's framework to argue that Silicon Valley has quietly shifted from rewarding builders to rewarding the performance of building, and why discipline is the actual path to the biggest outcomes. We finally close with Vinnie Lauria, Founding Partner at Golden Gate Ventures, who breaks down why a VC who already passed on your company is one of the worst people to introduce you to another investor and why credible signal matters far more than access in fundraising.
Key Points
- Venture capital is increasingly focused on companies in trending sectors like AI, leaving many good companies without funding opportunities.
- Introductions from VCs who have already passed on your company can carry negative signals, making founder or peer introductions more valuable.
- The current startup ecosystem often rewards the appearance of success over actual progress, pressuring founders to chase high valuations and visibility rather than building sustainable businesses.
Chapters
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Transcript
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