Ben

Founder in Tel Aviv
Sharing my journey to building a Unicorn

[Ben @benashke]

@nico_laqua All good, bar that I was really impressed

[Ben @benashke]

Finally caved in and got Corgi Insurance. Onboarding and buying experience was top tier

Since buying I’ve been bombarded by 3 diff SDR’s

None aware I’d already bought. All said they’d get me off their list

Pls improve post sales motion @nico_laqua

[Ben @benashke]

@OisinO What is the #1 achievement to aim for in the early days?

[Ben @benashke]

Europe is so e/acc that Waymo’s have drivers

[Ben @benashke]

Investing in AI but not knowing to remove em dashes—is wild.

[Alfred Lin @Alfred_Lin]

The latest on Outlier's Path - Our Sequoia

--

This is Our Sequoia. It has always been Our Sequoia.

It was never Don’s Sequoia, nor Michael’s, Doug’s, Jim’s, or Roelof’s. From the very beginning—when Don chose to build a partnership and name it after the longest-living tree on Earth—Sequoia was meant to endure not through individuals, but through us—the collective strength, integrity, and vision of the partnership.

And just as it was not theirs alone, it will not be Pat and Alfred’s Sequoia. It will always be Our Sequoia.

We are responsible for something enduring—privileged to stand on the foundation built by those who came before us, and responsible for making it stronger for those who will come after. Together, we have the opportunity to do our life’s work, to make a dent in the universe, to leave our fingerprints on the partnership, and to shape Sequoia into the place we want it to be for the future.

Principles guide us—anchored in purpose and mission. Beyond that, we want to trust and empower one another.

Our purpose and mission remain to help the daring build legendary companies.

Our guiding principles are:
* Founders > LPs > Sequoia > Team > Self
* We’re only as good as our next investment
* Always do the right thing—and do it the right way
* When we fall short (because we are all human), apologize, fix it, and move on
* Influence comes from expertise and reason, not from hierarchy or tenure

If you see something that needs to change, speak up. Lead the change. Sequoia thrives when every voice, every insight, and every act of courage helps us grow stronger together.

Some people have asked if we will continue to make new investments and lead the investment teams. The answer is an unequivocal yes. We will source and lead new investments and will remain co-leads of the Early and Growth teams. Externally, we will all be referred to simply as Partners. Although everyone may know that we are Sequoia’s stewards due to last week’s news cycle, our LinkedIn profiles and external bios will still list us as Partners of Sequoia.

This is not just a partnership—it is a living, breathing legacy. It is Our Sequoia. Always has been. Always will be.

Pat and Alfred, on behalf of Our Sequoia

[Ben @benashke]

Had a developer fundamentally object to using vibe coding apps.

Went so far to say that's not coding.

If you share this perspective, you will never make it.

Get with the times or get left behind, it's the same for every new technology.

[Ben @benashke]

@JoshConstine Disagree. 3/5 of these are gained by being willing to outwork the competition. The older you get the less you are obliged to.

I spent 2 years in a 3 person inv team. Reported to both GP’s. Sourced 60% of the deals thru unrelenting cold emails.

[Ben @benashke]

@signulll Respectfully, you gotta cut out the pseudo intellectual filler words

I enjoyed your content so much more when you spoke directly

[Ben @benashke]

@arudansk Bending Spoons is a top-tier company, but I wouldn't use the # of applications to validate that.

Italy is crying out for startups, proven by the interest in joining Bending Spoons.

The ability to become a decacorn, despite a local barren climate?

That's impressive.

[Ben @benashke]

@timwangyc There’s a time and place. Its unsustainable but necessary in some periods

[Ben @benashke]

@benln Sure, my cousin owns Edmund. Good coffee, good bites, and next to Sarona. What else could you want?

[Ben @benashke]

@ZacharyDeWitt And most dont cuz they wait for consensus from bigger funds

[Ben @benashke]

Just left “the dark side” and I’m a founder again.

6 yrs ago I bootstrapped an eCom brand to $40K MRR, then watched it crash.

Now I’m back:
→ Launching in payments
→ Building in AI
→ Sharing the journey daily

LFG!!!

[Saul Sadka @Saul_Sadka]

Seethe more, Nazis. Your guys lost the stupid war they started. Israel stands, stronger than ever. Sorry, not sorry.

[Ben @benashke]

@Sjopinion10 Too true. Spot on. Man of the people.

[Ben @benashke]

@masonwarner Sloppy

[Naftali Bennett נפתלי בנט @naftalibennett]

This is simply unbelievable.

After generating a tsunami of hate towards Israel with that terrifying picture, the NYT now quietly admits that the boy has preexisting conditions.

NYT, you knew that Hamas uses babies with preexisting illnesses.
We’ve been saying this for months now.

You knew exactly what this picture would cause.

This is a blood libel in 2025.

Have you no shame?

[Ben @benashke]

@HarryStebbings It’s not about the countless rejections, rather the thrill of the few successes

[Ben @benashke]

There are decades where nothing happens; and there are weeks where decades happen