Kyle Harrison, GP at Contrary on Techno-Optimism, Talent Vortexes, & Writing “Investing 101”

In this episode, Molly O'Shea interviews Kyle Harrison, General Partner at Contrary and writer of the popular Investing 101 substack, discusses his career in venture capital and the focus of Contrary. Contrary is a VC fund that backs companies from seed to scale with an emphasis on talent and research. They aim to identify the smartest people early on and support them throughout their careers.

Contrary has a very impressive research arm that produces reports, memos, and conversations to provide insights into private tech companies. Kyle shares his approach to writing and the importance of putting his thoughts into words. The conversation explores the themes of hard work, ambition, and the divide between different work philosophies. It also touches on the power of storytelling and the influence of narratives on shaping reality.

The discussion highlights the importance of nuance and individual beliefs, as well as the cycles of hype and deflation in the tech industry. Overall, the conversation provides insights into the dynamics of the startup ecosystem and the evolving perspectives on work and success.

Follow us on Twitter

• https://twitter.com/MollySOShea
• https://twitter.com/kwharrison13

Resources

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-harrison-9274b278/
• Investing 101: https://investing1012dot0.substack.com/

Popular Investing 101 Pieces

• The Blackstone of Innovation: https://investing1012dot0.substack.com/p/the-blackstone-of-innovation
• Institutionalized Belief in The Greater Fool: https://investing1012dot0.substack.com/p/institutionalized-belief-in-the-greater
• Puritans of Venture Capital: https://investing1012dot0.substack.com/p/the-puritans-of-venture-capital
• Historical Futurism: https://investing1012dot0.substack.com/p/historical-futurism
• Renaissance of Rise & Grind: https://investing1012dot0.substack.com/p/the-renaissance-of-rise-and-grind

Check out

• Contrary: https://www.contrary.com
• Contrary Research: https://research.contrary.com

Trending Reports:

• SpaceX: https://research.contrary.com/company/spacex
• Notion: https://research.contrary.com/reports/notion
• SHEIN: https://research.contrary.com/company/shein
• Midjourney: https://research.contrary.com/company/midjourney
• Ramp: https://research.contrary.com/company/ramp
• Anduril: https://research.contrary.com/company/anduril

Deep Dive:

• The Openness of AI: https://research.contrary.com/reports/the-openness-of-AI
• The Great Bank Unbundling: https://research.contrary.com/reports/great-bank-unbundling

Subscribe to Sourcery: https://www.sourcery.vc/

Companies Mentioned

• Lyft: https://www.lyft.com/
• TVC: https://www.tcv.com/

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Preview and Intro

(00:56) Kyle Harrison: A Journey from Filmmaker to Venture Capitalist

(06:16) The Evolution and Strategy of Contrary VC

(09:35) Open Source Research in Venture Capital

(15:37) Finding And Helping The Greatest People On The Planet

(17:47) Investing 101: The Art of Writing and Reflection

(21:00) Reflecting on Personal Writing: Hits and Misses

(23:17) Exploring the Impact of Social Media and Work Culture

(23:57) The Philosophical Divide in Work Ethic and Ambition

(27:30) Techno Optimism and the Power of Positive Narratives

(28:52) Reflections on Storytelling and Reality

(34:20) The Influence of Location on Perspective and Innovation

(39:07) Looking Forward: The Age of Acquisition and Hype Cycles

(45:56) Wrap