The Twenty Minute VC (20VC): Venture Capital | Startup Funding | The Pitch

20VC: Raising $126M Across 3 Rounds in Just 6 Months, Being the Youngest Founder of a Unicorn Company | But Everything Was Not as it Seemed: The Real Story of Vise: The Regrets, Mistakes and Mis-Hires with Vise's Samir Vasavada

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Jun 28, 2024

Samir Vasavada, Co-founder and CEO of Vise, achieved unicorn status at just 20. He candidly shares the crucial hiring mistakes that plagued their growth, stressing the dangers of hiring based on reputation rather than fit. Fundraising insights reveal his regrets about raising $126M so quickly and the unexpected outcomes it led to. Samir reflects on the personal and emotional challenges of rapid success and emphasizes the importance of decisiveness and empathy in leadership as they navigate the fast-paced world of startups.

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ANECDOTE

Early Startup

Samir Vasavada and Runik's entrepreneurial journey started at 12 with app development for small businesses.
They made $30,000 by 14, but their first AI-powered app startup failed due to team and technical challenges.

ANECDOTE

First Big Yes

Vise's first big hires were engineers found through AngelList and LinkedIn who worked for equity.
Nat Turner and Zach Weinberg provided a crucial $100,000 investment that allowed Vise to continue.

ANECDOTE

Sequoia Deal

Vise's Sequoia deal originated from a happy hour at Sequoia's office where Samir and Runik went for free food.
A chance encounter led to a pitch at TechCrunch Disrupt and an eventual seed extension round.

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Samir Vasavada is the Co-Founder & CEO of Vise, a technology-powered asset manager. Samir and his co-founder, Runik founded Vise from the Midwest at 16 years old. They bootstrapped the company before dropping out of high school and raising $128M in just 6 months from some of the best including Sequoia Capital and Founders Fund. The company achieved unicorn status when the pair turned 20 years old, making them the youngest founders of a $BN company at the time.

In Today's Episode with Samir Vasavada We Discuss:

1. The Biggest Hiring Mistakes That Broke Us:

Why is hiring people who come with a playbook one of the most damaging things you can do?
Why is it impossible to build a remote company that performs the same as in person?
Why is it the worst thing to hire people who have a reputation they are obsessed with maintaining?
Why do you never want to hire people who join because of who your investors are?
Why does Samir regret not firing people faster? How much time is enough time to know?
Why is hiring in a hot market one of the most dangerous things you can do?

2. Fundraising: 3 Rounds and $126M in 6 Months:

Does Samir regret raising so much money so soon in the company life?
What did Samir do that he regrets doing, having had so much money so early?
How did the need for free food at an event lead to a term sheet and $50M from Sequoia?
Did Samir feel that he could talk to investors when things were going really badly?
Why does Samir believe that liquidation preference matters more than valuation?

3. The Depression, The Pressure and Wisdom From Jensen Huang:

What did Jensen Huang teach Samir when it comes to wealth and leadership?
How did Samir deal with the pressure of raising $126M in 6 months and being the youngest unicorn founder, ever at the time?
Was Samir hurt when people he thought were his friends, no longer stuck with him when the company was no longer "hot"?
What was Samir's darkest time? How did he overcome and get out of it?
Does Samir blame his parents for the pressure they put on him from such a young age?