The Knowledge Project with Shane Parrish #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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Philosophy's Unexpected Benefits
- Studying philosophy teaches valuable intellectual rigor, useful in various fields.
- It involves breaking down arguments, considering corner cases, and preempting objections, similar to product development and investing.
Acquiring Founder Talent
- Inject founder DNA throughout a company's life cycle.
- Recruit founders via talent acquisitions to constantly bring in risk-loving, action-oriented individuals.
The Importance of Meaningful Metrics
- Choose your metrics carefully, as they directly influence your actions.
- Avoid vanity metrics and focus on those that truly reflect long-term value and user engagement, like weekly active users instead of monthly active users.