David Yin: Random Walk to Career (Journalist to VC Partner), Finding Yourself at Stanford & Harvard, & Drinking From Firehoses Startups

“Writing a story similar to writing an investment memo, and finding a good story, is figuring out what’s not being reported. You try to dig for information where there's no information. You talk to people in the ecosystem, you talk to CEOs and founders, and then we ultimately put everything together. It all goes back into a storyline at the end of the day when people say that investing is both an art and a science.” - David Yin

“It's a bit weird that I'm not doing something in early-stage tech. The other part that I realized was that I liked the aspect of a job where I got to work with people and grow with people. That's something that I didn't really find in public equity. So as I thought about what I wanted to do, what I'm relatively excited by, I thought that venture capital was a good combination or it allowed me to do investing in early-stage companies, but also allow me to work with many interesting folks.” - David Yin

In this episode of BRAVE, David Yin and Jeremy Au discussed several key themes related to career growth and personal development. One of the main themes was the unpredictable nature of career paths. David shared his journey from journalism to venture capital, highlighting the similarities and differences between the two fields, including the importance of crafting compelling stories, learning about diverse industries, and building strong networks. Another topic they explored was the value of attending a prestigious institution like Harvard, where one has the opportunity to discover and develop their interests and potential. The conversation also touched on coping with the challenges of working in venture capital, including the need to make ambiguous choices and learn quickly. They discussed different investment styles and the importance of being brave and taking risks in this field.

Throughout the conversation, David emphasized his desire to make a positive impact and help others in the ecosystem become better investors and founders over the next decade. He shared his personal experience of backpacking around the world and attempting a challenging land crossing between Jordan and Israel as examples of his own courage and willingness to take risks. 

Read the transcript at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/david-yin

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