Trade-offs and High Benchmarks in Scaling Venture Capital

This week's episode of Turpentine VC features Benchmark GPs Sarah Tavel and Eric Vishria. We discuss ideas that are central to Benchmark's beliefs in firm-building, including why platform teams exist to help the general partners more so than founders themselves. If you’re looking to improve your sourcing, tracking, and due diligence, check out: https://synaptic.com/turpentine

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SPONSORS:

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RELATED SHOWS:

If you like Turpentine VC, check out our show The Limited Partner with David Weisburd, where David talks to the investors behind the investors: https://link.chtbl.com/thelimitedpartner

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X / TWITTER:

@sarahtavel (Sarah)

@ericvishria (Eric)

@eriktorenberg (Erik)

@benchmark (Benchmark)

@TurpentineVC

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TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Episode Preview

(01:29) Benchmark in the history of venture capital

(05:08) The Benchmark DNA

(07:50) Learnings from Benchmark's expansion

(10:53) Sponsor: Synaptic

(11:55) The trade-offs of scaling

(13:00) How Benchmark thinks about macro

(15:08) Comparing the different Benchmark eras

(17:46) Partnership construction and combining skill sets and personalities

(29:38) On the investor and founder relationship

(33:58) Sponsor: Oracle

(39:10) How Benchmark remains one of the most relevant VC firms

(44:30) The right business model for venture scale

(48:24) the hallmark of a Benchmark company

(52:52) Learnings from consumer social

(1:08:43) What types of companies have enduring value or are truly defensible?

(1:15:09) On crypto

(1:23:47) Re-founding Benchmark

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This show is produced by Turpentine: a network of podcasts, newsletters, and more, covering technology, business, and culture — all from the perspective of industry insiders and experts. We’re launching new shows every week, and we’re looking for industry-leading sponsors — if you think that might be you and your company, email us at erik@turpentine.co.