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

Seba Kanovich, CEO of DLocal, shares his remarkable journey from a dinner at his mother-in-law’s to leading an $8BN payments powerhouse. He discusses the importance of execution speed in startups and how it influences leadership effectiveness. Seba reveals his biggest leadership insecurities and the painful lessons learned along the way. He emphasizes the balance between hiring for cultural fit versus prestigious backgrounds and offers insights into navigating market expansion while managing remote teams. A must-listen for aspiring leaders!

Eleanor Dorfman, a Sales Leader at Retool, shares her incredible journey from the NYC Department of Education to scaling successful sales teams in tech. She discusses the importance of emotional intelligence in hiring and the critical role of customer success experience. Eleanor highlights when to develop a sales playbook, adapting sales strategies to market changes, and the significance of efficient onboarding for new hires. She also dives into effective discounting strategies and the need for strong relationship-building in sales.

Will Quist, a Partner at Slow Ventures, brings a wealth of experience from investing in over 500 startups including Robinhood and Airtable. He challenges the notion of what defines venture capital, claiming 95% is misclassified. The conversation delves into the critical questions investors should ask to evaluate potential success. Will also shares insights on the evolving landscape of venture capital, the balance between risk and opportunity, and how organizational mindsets must adapt as startups shift from growth to capital efficiency.

In this discussion, Mike Mignano, a Partner at Lightspeed and co-founder of Anchor, shares his insights on the evolving landscape of social media. He believes we are on the brink of a new social media giant and discusses the shift from the traditional social graph to recommendation media. Clubhouse's rise and fall is analyzed, and Mignano argues that BeReal has a defensible position in today’s market. He also reflects on investment strategies and the challenges faced by platforms in monetizing creative content.

Rene Haas, CEO of Arm, shares his journey from Eastman Kodak to leading one of the tech industry's giants. He reflects on crucial lessons from seven years at Nvidia, emphasizing the importance of curiosity and continuous learning. Haas discusses decision-making, revealing common pitfalls leaders face in balancing speed and quality. He also shares insights on scaling organizations while retaining agility and ambition, underlining the need for a culture of urgency and accountability to drive innovation in a large tech company.

Annie Pearl, Chief Product Officer at Calendly, shares her journey from consulting to product leadership, highlighting key insights from her time at Box and Glassdoor. She discusses the necessity for product-led growth companies to eventually embrace enterprise strategies and the challenges involved in that transition. Annie emphasizes the importance of hiring the right product leaders and structuring effective teams to scale. She also explores how Calendly is evolving from a broad scheduling tool to vertical-specific solutions to better address customer needs.

Logan Bartlett, Managing Director at Redpoint, delves into the current venture capital landscape, discussing why some believe this is a remarkable time for investing. He shares insights on the contrasting dynamics between consumer and B2B sectors, emphasizing the recent decline in later-stage financings. Logan also critiques the laziness he's observed among VCs over the past two years, pondering the implications of shifting public market valuations on investment strategies. His personal journey through investing highlights lessons learned from both successes and misses.

Whitney Wolfe Herd, founder and CEO of Bumble, shares her inspiring journey from co-founding Tinder to building a dating app that empowers women. She discusses the pressures of leadership, revealing her highest-pressure moments and how they've shaped her decision-making. Transparency is a key theme, as Whitney highlights its benefits and pitfalls in effective leadership. She also emphasizes the importance of truly listening to teams and maintaining a balance between risk and reward, all while navigating her role as a mother and entrepreneur.

Discover the secrets behind scaling a media brand to over 100 million downloads. Learn how persistence and smart platform selection can drive success. Emphasize consistency and niche focus to engage your audience effectively. Unveil the art of multi-channel content creation and the importance of robust distribution strategies. Explore the dynamics of building a community of dedicated fans, while also gaining insights into equity management for startups and tools designed to sharpen cognitive performance.

Wes Chan, Co-founder and Managing Partner at FPV Ventures, shares insights from his impressive journey at Google and in venture capital. He argues that market dynamics often overshadow the vision of founders, emphasizing that successful entrepreneurs should think in 100-year plans. Wes critiques traditional market sizing and scenario planning, believing they miss the real potential of a product. He also discusses raising funds in uncertain times, advocating for timeless investments and a fresh approach to venture capital that prioritizes true innovation over fleeting trends.