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Why quantitative skills won't help you at early stage VC firms

The Full Ratchet · Investor Stories 457: Lessons for Early Career VCs:...

“Like, figure out which of those things you're really good at evaluating, and then make sure you're at a firm where the thing that you're good at doing is highly valued.”

8:30 / 9:00

good at. And it's probably either people, product, or markets. Like, figure out which of those things you're really good at evaluating, and then make sure you're at a firm where the thing that you're good at doing is highly valued. And I've met a lot of people who are, like, very good at quantitative analysis, and they wanna be an early stage venture firm. Like, it just isn't it isn't valued. I'm not saying it's not valuable. It just isn't valued. And why go to a firm or a or a subsector where your strength isn't valued?

About this clip

An investor explains why VCs should identify whether they excel at evaluating people, product, or markets, then join firms that value their specific strength. They argue that skills like quantitative analysis aren't valued at early stage firms, so professionals should align their capabilities with the right investment stage and firm culture.

Why this clip

This provides actionable career guidance for aspiring VCs on how to match their strengths with the right type of investment firm.

8:30 - 9:0030stactical advice
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What they said next

Think about liquidity as you're making an investment. It's very hard when you're passionate and you're in the earlier throes of a company to think about the end state. What would the public markets look at if they valued this company? Is it cash flow? Is it revenue?

1:18 - 26s · Practical Framework

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