This Week in VC Podcasts

Jul 28 – Aug 3, 2025

12 top clips from 3 episodes across 3 shows

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Clip of the week

Invisible Ink· Joanne SmithPractical Framework

So if you look, why do they not have those big three c's, confidence, courage, conviction? I think it usually comes down to they do not have the skills, and they don't have the willingness to walk away from volume.

2:19 / 2:34

So if you look, why do they not have those big three c's, confidence, courage, conviction? I think it usually comes down to they do not have the skills, and they don't have the willingness to walk away from volume.

2:19 - 2:3415sRead the episode →

Top clips

Invisible Ink · Joanne Smith

Practical Framework

You do not need perfection. Other customers have told me it's in five to 10. Is that the same with yield?

Permission-giving statement ('you do not need perfection') plus a specific technique for using customer data to validate ranges. Reduces founder anxiety about precision.

8:17 - 8:3922s

Invisible Ink · Joanne Smith

Business Mechanics

Just go in knowing that probably 90% of the time, they tell you your price is too high. It's not the case. It is not your price.

Specific statistic (90%) combined with counterintuitive insight that price objections aren't actually about price. Empowers founders with insider knowledge about buyer psychology.

35:02 - 35:2321s

Venture Unlocked · Jack Altman

contrarian take

Most VCs think they can spot greatness but they're probably delusional

Jack Altman questions whether VCs really have superior ability to identify great founders. While acknowledging that some people genuinely have better taste for spotting talent, he argues that most investors overestimate their own abilities - similar to how most people think they're above-average drivers.

25:28 - 25:5528s

investor-psychology talent-evaluation cognitive-bias

Venture Unlocked · Jack Altman

personal lesson

How do you know if you're actually good at picking startups?

Jack Altman reflects on his early venture investing track record and whether he can assess his own judgment by comparing deals he backed versus ones he passed on. The discussion explores the challenge of measuring investment decision-making skills when you're transitioning from founder to investor.

27:41 - 27:5918s

investment-judgment deal-evaluation venture-performance

Venture Unlocked · Jack Altman

contrarian take

Most VCs won't give harsh feedback - here's why that's broken

Jack Altman argues that VCs avoid giving direct, harsh feedback to founders because it's easier to be a cheerleader and there are few incentives for brutal honesty. He emphasizes that building high-trust relationships between founders and board members is crucial to creating a safe space for difficult but necessary feedback.

10:37 - 11:0629s

board-dynamics founder-feedback vc-relationships

Venture Unlocked · Jack Altman

personal lesson

From unicorn founder to VC: Why the day-to-day is still unclear

Jack Altman reflects on the stark contrast between running a startup and being a VC, admitting he's still figuring out what makes a good day or week as a venture investor. He discusses the uncertainty around structuring VC work compared to the clearer operational demands of building a company like Lattice.

4:41 - 5:0625s

career-transition vc-operations founder-to-investor