Читать книгу The Business of Venture Capital - Mahendra Ramsinghani - Страница 18

Most good beginnings in this land of venture capital careers involve some planning, some luck, and not taking yourself too seriously. How does this business work — what does an average day look like — how do you get in and how do you grow — and what are the pitfalls? Is it just about making money — multiplying green pieces of paper and filthy lucre?

Should you try to keep improving every day? “If you are under the impression you have already perfected yourself, you will never rise to the heights you are no doubt capable of,” Kazuo Ishiguro, wrote in his book, The Remains of the Day. It is no wonder that Jeff Bezos, founder and CEO of Amazon, refers to this book as one of his favorites.

What makes a good VC? Is it skill, tenacity, or that mysterious stroke of luck? Is it a network of relationships, or is it market timing? And who decides what is good? If you follow the industry standards, then it's largely returns — cash-on-cash multiples you can generate as fast as you can. That will get you a place on the vanity charts of Forbes Midas List of Venture Capitalists, which can elevate your brand and career prospectus. How do you grow as a person? Should VCs think about their role in society — to support and enhance systems of governance, better education, role of arts, and a healthier environment? Or should we pretend that those problems do not belong to us nor affect us?

As my mama said, never trust anyone who tells you how to get in but does not show you how to get out — be it a swimming pool, a dark cave with supposedly hidden treasures, or the business of venture capital. Hanging out with cool founders every day, discussing the latest bleeding-edge trends, can be fun, even addictive. You need to know how to get out of this business. Alcoholics Anonymous has a 12-step program to recovery — but for investors addicted to the adrenalin rush of cool-tech and exit-highs, there are no support groups. On that note, I have added a chapter on your own exit strategies — just as you get in, you should know how to graciously find your way out of the maze.