The Peel with Turner Novak

Michael Kim @ Cendana | Lessons from the Top VCs, How Cendana Does Diligence, Portfolio Construction Best Practices, the 60x Rule, How Seed Funds Compete vs Multi-stage, Inside Cendana's Early Days

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May 22, 2025
Michael Kim, Founder of Cendana Capital, shares his insights into the world of venture capital. He discusses the critical traits of successful investors and how Cendana conducts due diligence on fund managers. Michael introduces his '60x rule' for returns and explains the competitive dynamics between seed and multi-stage funds. He also reveals how AI is reshaping fund management and why secondaries are crucial for early-stage ventures. Plus, he shares personal stories, including his challenging early days and his surprising hobby as a top gamer in Call of Duty.
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ANECDOTE

Near Death and Awareness Lesson

  • Michael Kim almost died walking into traffic but was saved by a friend pulling him back.
  • The moment taught him the importance of situational awareness, analogous to careful decision-making.
ANECDOTE

Son's Self-Taught Minecraft Venture

  • Michael Kim tells of his son learning Minecraft, building worlds and starting a YouTube channel at age 9.
  • This example shows high agency and self-learning without direct parental guidance, a valued trait.
ADVICE

Leverage Data For Diligence

  • Use structured and unstructured data to track portfolio company metrics in real time.
  • Collect founder updates and tag key data points for granular performance analysis and decision making.
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