11 years ago I asked a dozen VCs how to get in
One told me three ways
1. Go to an Ivy League school (went to UMiami)
2. Have a successful exit (first startup failed)
3. Work at a top tier high growth startup (didn’t do)
I asked him for a 4th
He said “make yourself invaluable before you have the job”
For the next 4 months I worked 10-12 hours a day to accomplish that
I sourced the top deals in Boston for free and sent them to VCs in New York
I read every book, equity research report, funding announcement and S-1 I could get my hands on (podcasts weren’t big then)
I wrote investment theses and shared market and competitive landscape breakdowns with VCs I met
I put together lists of potential hired and customer intros I could make for each VCs portfolio
And I drove uber at night to make money
The truth is that this job has no normal path.
The only thing that stands out amongst those in my cohort who are still in the game is we’re obsessed with it.
"So You Want to be a VC"
Im enjoying this week in Boston visiting students promoting my new book - Runnin Down a Dream. Not surprisingly, many ask me about trying to break into venture capital. I wrote a letter answering this question 15 years ago. I would send it out when people inquired. I'm making it public for the first time - with zero modifications.
1) I think it holds up well
2) make sure and read my new book also
3) I probably can't help with followups (as suggested in the letter)
Hope you find it useful. Good luck!