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Reflections > Learnings > Guiding Principles

TMTeam MVDecember 7, 20209 minute read

Reflections > Learnings > Guiding Principles

This is a post by our associate Siddharth Shah. It originally appeared here.

2020 has been a 180 degree for me personally & professionally since I moved from a public equity profile to an early-stage VC profile. The two worlds are connected, yet poles apart. I believe my professional and investing career is an extension of my personal self because it is impossible to have two different faces.

And it is only useful if: Reflections => Learnings => Guiding principles

  • Relationships > Returns This is my overarching theme for this year Every episode in life (investing or otherwise) can be one to strengthen relationships Good episodes mean you can strengthen relationships, bad episodes mean you can fall back on relationships
    • This is my overarching theme for this year
    • Every episode in life (investing or otherwise) can be one to strengthen relationships
    • Good episodes mean you can strengthen relationships, bad episodes mean you can fall back on relationships
  • Human being first Being an analyst in VC, one is permanently in the crosshairs since the position is one of gatekeeper without authority Hence empathy, transparency, and communication becomes even more important I have found that founders become much more appreciative the moment you start sharing your internal notes and memos with them highlighting how you are thinking A few times despite us passing up on investments, founders have reached out for inputs, feedback & also provided references/introductions. This cant happen if you operate like a machine Special mentions: Shiv, Divyanshu, Armaan, Niranjan
    • Being an analyst in VC, one is permanently in the crosshairs since the position is one of gatekeeper without authority
    • Hence empathy, transparency, and communication becomes even more important
    • I have found that founders become much more appreciative the moment you start sharing your internal notes and memos with them highlighting how you are thinking
    • A few times despite us passing up on investments, founders have reached out for inputs, feedback & also provided references/introductions. This cant happen if you operate like a machine
    • Special mentions: Shiv, Divyanshu, Armaan, Niranjan
  • Jockey >/= Horse The jockey is equally, if not more, important than the horse Few times in the past year we have passed opportunities because we were not comfortable with the jockey. This reiterates #1 (Relationships > Returns) This also means that you are the jockey for someone else: They will prioritize your ethics more than your track record
    • The jockey is equally, if not more, important than the horse
    • Few times in the past year we have passed opportunities because we were not comfortable with the jockey. This reiterates #1 (Relationships > Returns)
    • This also means that you are the jockey for someone else: They will prioritize your ethics more than your track record
      • They will prioritize your ethics more than your track record
    • They will prioritize your ethics more than your track record
  • Simplify & organize Simplification might be time-consuming in the short run, but highly productive in the long run Getting your affairs in order saves precious time during emergencies (i.e. a sudden event in a portfolio company, lest we forget COVID) Ian Cassel @iancassel Many in finance like to sound smart by making things complex. These people usually work for other people. Successful people simplify things. June 13th 2020 267 Retweets 1,747 Likes
  • Writing always helps Speaking is easy since you use gap fillers Writing is difficult, but highly effective if done right This always reminds me of the quote below by Marcus Cicero/Blaise Pascal (attribution unclear, messaging is loud and clear nonetheless)
    • Speaking is easy since you use gap fillers
    • Writing is difficult, but highly effective if done right
    • This always reminds me of the quote below by Marcus Cicero/Blaise Pascal (attribution unclear, messaging is loud and clear nonetheless)
  • Purpose + Passion, not Purpose/Passion Quote by Valerie J Coleman: "Passion without purpose leads to frustration. Purpose without passion leads to procrastination. Passion with purpose leads to success"
    • Quote by Valerie J Coleman: "Passion without purpose leads to frustration. Purpose without passion leads to procrastination. Passion with purpose leads to success"
  • Humility goes a long way Ian Cassel @iancassel "True humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less." - C.S. Lewis October 31st 2019 44 Retweets 306 Likes We work with people who are far brighter than we might ever aspire to be And at times, it is very easy to confuse positional power for personal power Rather have someone respect you for the person than for your position Positions can be altered, or made redundant: you can not be
    • We work with people who are far brighter than we might ever aspire to be
    • And at times, it is very easy to confuse positional power for personal power Rather have someone respect you for the person than for your position Positions can be altered, or made redundant: you can not be
      • Rather have someone respect you for the person than for your position
      • Positions can be altered, or made redundant: you can not be
    • Rather have someone respect you for the person than for your position
    • Positions can be altered, or made redundant: you can not be
  • Long term > Short term "Many people look for incremental opportunities when there are compounding benefits for staying where they are" karl yang (chiefofstuffs) @chiefofstuffs it's interesting that many people tend to move for incremental opportunities when it seems like there's compounding benefits to staying somewhere for 10+ years of course wherever you stay has to not suck December 6th 2020 1 Retweet 41 Likes This goes for personal & professional relationships, and investments Of course, with a caveat that staying where you are should not be grossly disadvantageous to you
  • Words are precious Choose and use wisely, or not at all
    • Choose and use wisely, or not at all
  • Subjective > Objective Going out on a limb here, and disagreeing with a vast majority of people who prefer Objective > Subjective. Even robots & machines can be objective Being subjective is to take into consideration your surroundings, experiences, and episodes This is where you and your learnings come into the picture I am sharing a quote on this by Heraclitus: "No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man." It is vital to let your experiences, successes, failures, and learnings shape your decisions going forward. Stagnant water becomes putrid Subjectivity embraces the grey areas in life
    • Going out on a limb here, and disagreeing with a vast majority of people who prefer Objective > Subjective.
    • Even robots & machines can be objective
    • Being subjective is to take into consideration your surroundings, experiences, and episodes
    • This is where you and your learnings come into the picture
    • I am sharing a quote on this by Heraclitus: "No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man."
    • It is vital to let your experiences, successes, failures, and learnings shape your decisions going forward. Stagnant water becomes putrid
    • Subjectivity embraces the grey areas in life