Don Valentine and Matt Coler: Knowing the Future and Unfair Advantages

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Don Valentine and Matt Coler had a unique advantage in the tech industry. Don's experience in national semiconductor and working with traders gave him foresight, while Matt's background in LinkedIn and Facebook gave him insider knowledge. They had an unfair advantage over others. Matt's expertise was evident when negotiating with Facebook to sell Kevin's Syndrome. He understood Mark Zuckerberg's psychology better than anyone. Matt also has a favorite line stating that venture capitalists need to see the present clearly, not predict the future.

Benchmark Capital. We tell the tale of the legendary equal partnership that accomplished something no other venture firm can claim: twice it has produced the highest returning fund of its cycle, each time with a 100% different GP lineup. If ever there were a playbook for successful generational transfer of a generational-defining venture firm, this is it. We spend 3.5+ hours digging into how the dotcom “eBay eBoys” transformed into the rockstar Fab Four of the Uber, Instagram and Snap mobile gold rush (spoiler: not by a straight line!), and what the future holds for Benchmark’s next GP generation. If you’re a student of the venture game from any angle — founder, GP, LP, etc — this is a story you need to tune in for!

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