Adam Draper - Why is storytelling so important in the world of startups and VC!

👉🏼 About the Guest:

Adam Draper (Managing Director at Boost VC, Board Member at SkyBound) is a legacy in the venture capital world. One of the first VCs to jump into the world of crypto, he has a front-view seat into the future of tech. He's also the author of "Breakfast With Pops", the guide to venture capital for beginners.

👉🏼 About the Host:

Sharath is a founder, creator, and community builder. He is also a serial maker who built and shipped 15+ projects using no-code tools. His SaaS product Shoutout generates $30k ARR which was sold to a UK-based product studio. Prev, Sharath worked for world-changing startups like Product Hunt and On Deck, where he helped build and nurture communities. He also grew his audience on Twitter from 200 to 20,000 using give-first principles and creating high-value content. Currently, he is the Head of Community at Threado and runs a newsletter called Sharath's CliffNotes alongside hosting this podcast.

👉🏼 Description:

Listen in to hear Sharath and Adam talk about the importance of storytelling in startups, building conviction as a founder, and the importance of trust in the world of finance, startups, and VC.

Timestamps:

• 0:00 | Episode highlight
• 01:14 | Intro to Adam Draper - the coolest VC in town
• 7:00 | Boost VC logo - its origin story and meaning
• 11:33 | Adam's book: "Breakfast with Pops" and why we need an intro to venture capital
• 14:30 | Adam's adventures outside of his venture capital legacy
• 21:20 | How Adam's unique venture capital talent helps founders
• 26:35 | Why is storytelling so important in the world of startups and venture capital?
• 28:16 | Non-obvious problems founders face
• 35:05| Founder personality traits Boost VC looks for
• 43:16 | How founders can build conviction in themselves and their work
• 50:09 | Why VC is a service job
• 54:45 | The importance of trust in the startup and VC world
• 57:17 | Common mistakes by early-stage founders
• 1:03:34 | What Adam looks for in a founder pitch
• 1:13:40 | Adam's worst experience in venture capital
• 1:22:08 | Rapid Fire 5: Crazy founder story, biggest miss by Boost VC, favorite investment, and more
• 1:39:13 | Outro

👉🏼 Resources:

• George Shultz, "Trust is the coin of the realm": https://www.hoover.org/research/trust-coin-realm
• Tim Draper: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Draper
• Bill Draper: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Henry_Draper_III
• Mark Andreessen: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marc_Andreessen
• Shamez Kanji (Devonshire Partners):
• Make School: https://makeschool.org/
• Chris Dixon: https://cdixon.org/
• Brian Armstrong: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Armstrong_(businessman)
• Fred Wilson: https://avc.com/
• Launcher: https://www.launcherspace.com/
• Max Haot: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxhaot/
• MeasureX: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Measurex
• Ben Horowitz: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Horowitz
• Radiant: https://www.radiantnuclear.com/
• Brayton Williams: https://www.linkedin.com/in/braytonwilliams

👉🏼 Where to find Adam Draper:

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/AdamDraper
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adraper
• Email: adam@boost.vc
• Boost VC: https://www.boost.vc/
• Book, "Breakfast With Pops": https://www.amazon.com/Breakfast-Pops-Venture-Capital-Handbook/dp/B0C1JHXTQF

👉🏼 Where to find Sharath:

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/5harath
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@5harath
• Website: https://5harath.com/
• Newsletter: https://5harath.substack.com/