The Knowledge Project #113 Sarah Tavel: The Value of Intellectual Rigor
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Jun 15, 2021 
Sarah Tavel, a general partner at Benchmark and former Pinterest product manager, shares her insights on applying intellectual rigor in venture capital. She connects her philosophical training to better investment analysis, emphasizing evidence-based reasoning. The conversation dives into talent acquisition in fast-growing firms, the importance of meaningful metrics over vanity metrics, and the influence of company culture on founder integration. Tavel also reflects on the transformative effects of the pandemic on startups and the dynamics of competition in the tech landscape.
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Maintaining Board Trust
- Share bad news with your board promptly, and ensure board members act in the best interest of the company.
- This builds trust and allows for open communication and effective problem-solving.
Structured Thinking and Decision-Making
- Build mental models to understand the world with higher resolution.
- Frameworks, like a hierarchy of engagement, provide structure and an edge in decision-making.
Opportunity Cost in Investing
- Consider opportunity cost when making investment decisions, focusing on areas with the highest potential impact.
- Benchmark's model prioritizes deep involvement and high impact over scaling the number of investments.