Jonathan Libov has spent a couple years at USV in our two year analyst program and is about to move on to his next thing.
He took the time this week to write down some thoughts on what he has learned as a “junior VC” and it’s worth reading for both investors and entrepreneurs.
I particularly like where he ends the post, talking about “messing around on the fringes”:
But more importantly, talk to people who are building things. Don’t just talk to founders of investible companies, but also talk to people who are experts in their field or following modes of thought that contravene mainstream thinking. Play with their API’s and go deep in forums, even if there’s no investment in sight. Mess around in the corners of the internet.
Just as wading in the muck of cap tables and share purchase agreements is the best way for an analyst to learn the mechanics of venture investing, wading in code and API’s and forums is the best way to discover the things that others have not discovered yet. To frame it more practically: This will help you identify the opportunities that others don’t appreciate yet, and that will help you to invest at attractive prices.
Lastly, it is important to emphasize who this post is aimed at: Junior VC’s. The partners at your firm benefit from having established networks that will pass along interesting, valuable opportunities. Your job is to complement those investments with the ones they and their network would not see because they’re don’t fit the patterns they’re accustomed to. You have more freedom than they do to mess around on the fringe. Don’t waste it.
I try to hang out on the fringe as much as I can and also try to avoid being pulled into the mainstream as much as I can. I think Jonathan’s advice, while aimed at “junior VCs”, is great advice for entrepreneurs and investors alike. The next big thing is almost certainly a fringe thing today. That’s how it always is.
