Elevate with Robert Glazer

Brad Feld on Entrepreneurial Excellence and Giving First

Nov 18, 2025
Brad Feld, a veteran investor and co-founder of Techstars, shares his insights on entrepreneurship and mentorship. He discusses the importance of 'Give First' principles and how they foster community dynamics in startup ecosystems. Feld emphasizes the need for long-term partnerships with founders and reveals traits that predict their success. He advises mentors to adopt a Socratic approach and highlights the power of peer mentorship. Additionally, Feld reflects on his personal challenges and business regrets, offering valuable lessons for aspiring entrepreneurs.
Ask episode
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
ANECDOTE

Early Founder Story

  • Brad Feld started Feld Technologies in his early 20s and grew it to a profitable multi-million dollar business.
  • He learned entrepreneurship by building software, iterating, and figuring things out on the fly.
INSIGHT

Invest By Product And Founder Fit

  • Feld evaluates investments primarily on product affinity and founder fit rather than raw TAM.
  • He prefers founders who are uniquely suited to the problem and willing to partner with him.
ADVICE

Invest Within Your Competence

  • Do constrain investments to areas where you have competence and genuine interest.
  • Avoid chasing deals where you are a commodity and prefer founders who want you as a partner.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
Get the app