The Twenty Minute VC (20VC): Venture Capital | Startup Funding | The Pitch

20VC: Are the Best CEOs the Best Fundraisers, Are the Best Founders Insiders or Outsiders to a Problem, Why Ownership Should Not Be a Focus in VC & The Biggest Lessons Scaling MongoDB to $26BN Market Cap with Kevin Ryan, Founder @ AlleyCorp

13 snips
Apr 10, 2024
Guest
Kevin Ryan
Kevin Ryan, a serial entrepreneur and founder of AlleyCorp, dives into the essence of leadership and entrepreneurship. He reflects on early signs of successful entrepreneurs, distinguishing luck from skill. Ryan shares valuable lessons from scaling companies like MongoDB and DoubleClick, emphasizing that the best CEOs aren't just fundraisers. He discusses the significance of being an outsider for innovation and explores investment strategies, all while highlighting New York's ascent as a tech powerhouse. Tune in for insights from a tech visionary!
Ask episode
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
ANECDOTE

Gilt Groupe's Challenges

  • Kevin Ryan's Gilt Groupe reached $500M revenue in 4 years but faced unforeseen competition.
  • Increased discounting by other brands impacted profitability, leading to a sale for $250M instead of the expected $2-3B.
ADVICE

Move Fast and Aggressively

  • Move faster than the competition and raise capital aggressively.
  • Expand quickly to establish global presence and secure market share, as DoubleClick did.
INSIGHT

CEOs and Fundraising

  • Great CEOs often possess strong fundraising abilities.
  • Raising capital effectively increases a company's chances of success and provides room for error.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
Get the app