Deconstructor of Fun 293. Walking Away from Venture Capital with Sophie Vo
Jun 30, 2025
Sophie Vo, a studio founder and podcast host known for creating Orin Retreats, shares her journey from the startup grind to crafting soul-aligned ventures. She discusses her redefined version of success, emphasizing depth over scale. Sophie critiques the venture capital model and its pitfalls, highlighting the importance of community and meaningful connections. The conversation also delves into female relationships in the workplace and the role of self-awareness in leadership, offering insightful advice for those questioning their career paths.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Redefining Personal Success
- Success used to mean being a CEO, making billions, and exiting.
- Now success means owning my time and making a meaningful impact on individuals.
The VC Model's Harsh Reality
- Venture capital aims for hyper-scaling, not building good businesses.
- Many founders misunderstand VC, causing misalignment and failure.
Value of Bootstrapping First
- Not all businesses are meant to scale and that's not failure.
- Bootstrapping forces founder discipline and ownership before raising money.