Venture Prose

Venture Prose shares insights from a venture capital perspective, focusing on the intricacies of pitching, investment strategies, entrepreneurial challenges, and personal development within the tech space. It discusses leadership, communication, decision-making, the French tech ecosystem, investor-entrepreneur dynamics, and the importance of balance in professional and personal life.

Venture Capital Entrepreneurship Leadership and Communication Investment Strategies Personal Development Tech Ecosystems Work-Life Balance Startup Culture Decision-Making

The hottest Substack posts of Venture Prose

And their main takeaways

Crowd

299 implied HN points • 09 Apr 23
🎭️ Culture Personal Stories Social Interactions Entrepreneurship
  1. The author finds large gatherings exhausting and prefers solitude, as they feel overwhelmed by noise and crowds.
  2. They describe themselves as direct, intense, and easily bored, with a strong passion for working with entrepreneurs and hearing their stories.
  3. Despite struggling with social situations, the author thrives when engaging with individuals who deeply share their passions and beliefs, especially entrepreneurs.

Entourage

359 implied HN points • 26 Feb 23
💼 Business Entrepreneurship Relationships Communication Bias Self-Improvement
  1. Entrepreneurs need a variety of support and feedback from different types of people in their circle, including friends, family, collaborators, and external contacts.
  2. Effective communication with one's circle involves sharing, confiding, and receiving feedback authentically and purposefully.
  3. Being aware of biases in interactions and being open to feedback and self-reflection can help entrepreneurs navigate their relationships and improve their decision-making.

Double-Edged Founders

339 implied HN points • 05 Mar 23
💼 Business Entrepreneurship Leadership Startups Technology Innovation
  1. Successful founders often balance paradoxical tensions like clear vision with strong optimism, learning from others while taking unconventional paths, and balancing excellence with speed in execution.
  2. Best founders exhibit double-edged abilities, managing complementary or opposite fields effectively, such as combining strong technical skills with solid business acumen.
  3. The importance of focusing not only on product development but also on effective go-to-market strategies and execution to build a commercially successful product.

Doing Fast & Slow

279 implied HN points • 07 May 23
💼 Business Leadership Management Work-life balance Achievement Execution
  1. Set a pace of execution that matches ambition and expectations to avoid subpar efforts and performance from your team.
  2. Find a balance between being fast and slow in your thinking and actions, while being intentional about setting expectations and goals.
  3. Work-life balance is like a rope that tightens and loosens, finding equilibrium between being super busy and not, rather than aiming for a perfect balance.

Artisan

299 implied HN points • 26 Mar 23
💼 Business Investing Venture Capital Startups Entrepreneurship Relationships
  1. To survive as a generalist seed investor, understand founders' emotions and engage with genuine care and support.
  2. When interacting with founders, focus on understanding, asking thought-provoking questions, and articulating key issues to help them progress.
  3. In the world of seed investing, competitiveness matters, but it's crucial to prioritize meaningful connections over unnecessary competition.
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Velocity & Excellence

399 implied HN points • 02 Jan 23
💼 Business Entrepreneurship Productivity Self-Improvement
  1. Optimism is important for entrepreneurs, but clarity of vision helps avoid delusion.
  2. Balancing learning from others with making unique decisions is key for success.
  3. Balancing velocity and excellence is crucial - don't be too fast or too slow, aim for a blend of speed and quality.

My First Ironman 70.3

219 implied HN points • 21 May 23
🎾 Sports Athletics Training Mindset Endurance
  1. The struggle in a challenge helps you grow and reach new levels of achievement.
  2. Facing constraints can actually push you to achieve more than you thought possible.
  3. It's important for entrepreneurs to spend wisely and maintain a high rhythm, even when they have a large budget.

It's not new, it's time !

259 implied HN points • 17 Nov 22
🕹 Technology Artificial Intelligence Machine Learning
  1. Technological advancements like artificial intelligence take time to become mainstream.
  2. Entrepreneurs focusing on artificial intelligence should aim to benefit millions of people in a meaningful way.
  3. Companies like Nabla, Gladia, and Wave are utilizing artificial intelligence to improve various industries and provide innovative solutions.

On The Go

99 implied HN points • 09 Jul 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Self-care Routine Discipline Healthy Habits Travel
  1. Managing a change of schedule or unexpected events requires discipline and awareness of your routines.
  2. Prioritize rest and recovery to maintain focus and productivity throughout busy weeks.
  3. Establish healthy habits and routines, even when on the go, to prevent getting lost in the chaos.

A Burger Story

599 implied HN points • 28 Jul 21
🍲 Food & Drink Hospitality Dining Fast Food
  1. Simple acts of kindness, like waiting to finish one's own meal before getting another for someone else, can show genuine care and humility.
  2. Genuine intentions are reflected not just in actions but also in the way they are delivered - with care and humility.
  3. Humility and kindness are valuable qualities that can elevate a person to great heights in life.

Under The Hood Of Kima Ventures

1058 implied HN points • 03 Jul 20
💼 Business Venture Capital Investment strategy Startup funding Portfolio Management Performance
  1. Kima Ventures, led by Xavier Niel, focuses on investing in French tech founders worldwide.
  2. Their investment strategy involves making $150k investments in 100 new startups annually, with a particular focus on French tech founders.
  3. Kima Ventures aims to stay with companies for the long haul, providing support through their portfolio management platform and maintaining steady returns.

Zenly & BeReal : What Do They Have In Common ?

339 implied HN points • 30 Mar 22
💼 Business Entrepreneurship Startups Investing Leadership Innovation
  1. Successful mobile social consumer apps like Zenly and BeReal have deeply invested Founding Product CEOs who are intentional and growth-minded in their execution.
  2. The CEOs of Zenly and BeReal are deeply rooted in their narratives and are obsessed with realizing their aspirations, even through challenges and discouragements.
  3. Both Antoine and Alexis prioritize principled obsession regarding their mission, leading with honest and caring principles that inspire those around them.

Join New Wave

519 implied HN points • 11 Jan 21
💼 Business Venture Capital Investing Entrepreneurship Startup funding
  1. Seed investments are taking on the role of traditional Series A funding, leading to a shift in investment strategies.
  2. Collaboration and partnerships with angel investors and operators are crucial for the success of seed funds like New Wave, focusing on founder-centric approaches.
  3. Teamwork and partnerships are emphasized in the journey of launching and growing an initiative like New Wave, highlighting the importance of collective effort for long-term success.

Next 40 & French Tech 120: Sale histoire

778 implied HN points • 19 Jan 20
💼 Business Entrepreneurship Startups Tech industry Government Policies Economy
  1. The French Tech rankings like Next 40 and French Tech 120 can be controversial and unfair in their selection process, often favoring hyper-growth companies with large funding over sustainable, profitable ones.
  2. Historically, stock markets for small to medium-sized companies have shown limited success, revealing the challenges of creating liquidity, building reputation, and accessing funding through such platforms.
  3. The government's initiatives for startups, like employee incentive plans and hiring foreign talent, have a positive impact on the development of French tech companies, despite the controversies surrounding certain rankings.

Absurd Seed Rounds Arguments

359 implied HN points • 05 Jan 21
💼 Business Venture Capital Entrepreneurs Investment Startups
  1. Ownership percentage isn't everything. What matters is belief in your venture and ambition from investors.
  2. As a founder, maintain control of your cap table. Choose investors based on their value, not just their reputation.
  3. When raising a large seed round, consider working with multiple institutional investors to manage risks and dynamics effectively.

The Trillion Dollar Question

259 implied HN points • 04 Feb 21
💼 Business Venture Capital Market Analysis Technology Companies Revenue Generation Value Creation
  1. Demand can only be served if there is supply. Market issues arise when the supply can't meet the artificial demand.
  2. Venture capital-backed companies in the US needed around $3 trillion in capital to sustain growth, questioning the sustainability of valuations and cash requirements in the tech industry.
  3. The rapid growth of non-profitable tech companies raises concerns about whether the market can support the increasing cash requirements, potentially indicating an unsustainable pace.

Mechanics over Mindset

199 implied HN points • 01 Mar 21
🏥 Health & Wellness Mindset Self-Improvement Personal Development
  1. Understanding the mechanics of your actions and reactions is like understanding how a machine works - tangible and rational.
  2. It's more effective to focus on working with the dynamics of the machine (the actions) before tackling the mindset (emotions).
  3. Instead of doing what you love, focus on doing what you're great at, as this often leads to more satisfaction and success.

New Wave 🌊 One Year In 🎂 Hiring 🔥

99 implied HN points • 28 Feb 22
💼 Business Investments Venture Capital Hiring Founders Startups
  1. New Wave venture firm achieved impressive results in just one year: 10 investments, 22M€ deployed, 6 rounds announced, and 265M€ raised by portfolio companies. Their IRR stands at 500% and TVPI at 3x.
  2. New Wave focuses on seed deals and carefully selects companies on the critical path between Seed and Series A, emphasizing building strong equity stories with founders.
  3. New Wave is looking to hire individuals with key attributes such as the ability to sift through data effectively, form and defend opinions thoughtfully, and cultivate strong relationships.

VC Recipe

199 implied HN points • 13 Oct 20
💼 Business Venture Capital Startup funding Investing Entrepreneurship
  1. Success in cooking and venture capital requires time, experience, and the ability to adapt.
  2. Venture capital involves dealing with chaos and uncertainty, but principles and a long-term horizon can guide decisions.
  3. To succeed in venture capital, focus on timing, biases, competition, specialization, and building capacity and capability.

👻 Fight 💥

219 implied HN points • 29 Apr 20
💼 Business Venture Capital Entrepreneurship Leadership Conflict resolution Team Dynamics
  1. The importance of defending against disrespectful behavior and engaging in constructive conflicts to potentially change one's own perspective.
  2. Having a growth mindset involves welcoming different views and understanding others' feelings for fruitful discussions.
  3. Emphasizing positive honesty and the need for respectful engagement in discussions, negotiations, and conflicts.

Ambition

239 implied HN points • 10 Feb 20
💼 Business Entrepreneurship Ambition Leadership Networking Motivation
  1. Ambition is within reach of all people and is mostly tied to the limits we set or think exist.
  2. Traveling abroad and interacting with successful entrepreneurs can inspire and broaden ambition.
  3. Successful entrepreneurship requires qualities like obsession, hard work, continuous learning, risk-taking, and the willingness to make radical decisions.

Social Regression

239 implied HN points • 30 Dec 19
🕹 Technology Social media Privacy Information Technology Digital detox Personal Development
  1. Modernization can lead to excess and intellectual regression, causing a cycle of abuse and confinement in technology.
  2. Balancing digital consumption and real-life experiences can lead to a happier and more focused lifestyle.
  3. Cutting distractions and focusing on what truly matters can lead to a more fulfilled and purposeful life, while still enjoying the benefits of technology.

Cash, Culture, Creativity

219 implied HN points • 13 Mar 20
💼 Business Startups Management Culture Creativity
  1. Speed of reaction is crucial under tough circumstances. Act now as every step matters for the future. Be extra-rational about managing cash.
  2. Maintain a strong culture by reinforcing trust, commitment, and results. Regular communication and active listening are key during challenging times.
  3. Challenging situations can spark creativity. Encourage your team to think innovatively and explore new ideas when faced with adverse conditions.

Your Way

199 implied HN points • 14 Jan 20
💼 Business Entrepreneurship Investing Strategy Startups Management
  1. Successful companies often build on the strongest aspects of their industry and work backwards. This approach can lead to innovative solutions that address user needs in unique ways.
  2. When evaluating a team for investment, consider their vision (people), timing (time to market), and long-term commitment (built to last). These factors are crucial for sustainable success.
  3. Companies can excel by focusing on building innovative products, strong infrastructure, and effective distribution strategies. It's essential to adapt and evolve these elements while keeping clarity of vision.

Regressions

179 implied HN points • 03 Jan 20
💼 Business Startups Technology Management Entrepreneurship Leadership
  1. Regressions happen when services fall below our standards or expectations. It's important to address and prevent them.
  2. As organizations grow, handling regressions becomes more challenging. It's crucial to manage engineering complexities and customer expectations.
  3. Preventing regressions requires setting high standards, holding people accountable, and remaining true to values. Prevention is key to maintaining a trustworthy product and service.

Why I Moved to Substack

139 implied HN points • 22 Dec 19
🕹 Technology Platform Blogging Community Podcasts
  1. Consider moving to a new platform for better community engagement, filtering systems, and writer support.
  2. Choosing a platform like Substack can lead to more regular content creation and better conversations with readers.
  3. Encourage readers to subscribe for updates without any fear of getting spammed.

You have tout compris

79 implied HN points • 07 Sep 20
🕹 Technology Internet Equipment Network Security Connectivity
  1. In rural areas with poor wired connections, consider coupling your Free.fr Internet subscription with an unlimited 4G plan for better coverage and speed.
  2. Invest in necessary equipment like a 4G router, antenna, loadbalancer, and mesh network to optimize and distribute your 4G connection throughout your home effectively.
  3. Despite the initial investment in equipment, once set up, the cost for an unlimited 4G plan is relatively affordable at 15.99€, offering improved Internet speed and reliability.

Signals

99 implied HN points • 16 Dec 19
💼 Business Venture Capital Entrepreneurship Investing Startup Culture Decision-making
  1. Detecting signals of success or failure from founders is crucial for making investment decisions.
  2. Introverted nature can be an asset in quickly spotting subtle signals and making informed choices.
  3. Simple observations can reveal important clues about founders and their potential for success, such as behaviors or communication styles.

How things work at Kima Ventures

79 implied HN points • 01 Feb 19
💼 Business Venture Capital Investment Workflow Portfolio Management Communication
  1. Kima Ventures tracks dealflow opportunities using in-house tools, not CRM platforms, and follows a weekly workflow for managing new opportunities.
  2. They manage meetings and communication by logging them on Google Calendar and Airtable, aiming to keep to-do lists short and manageable.
  3. The team has efficient processes for decision-making, investing, and portfolio management, utilizing various tools and software for tracking deals and progress.

Facing Ignorance, Emptiness & Loneliness

39 implied HN points • 27 Mar 19
💼 Business Entrepreneurship Networking Mental health
  1. Entrepreneurs must face feelings of ignorance, emptiness, and loneliness in their journey.
  2. To combat ignorance, surround yourself with experienced individuals who can provide knowledge, resources, and insights.
  3. To address emptiness and loneliness, entrepreneurs need supportive relationships within their field and outside their immediate circle.