Cyan Banister

When you're an early stage investor, you're very qualitative, not quantitative. And I'm a qualitative investor.

When you're an early stage investor, you're very qualitative, not quantitative. And I'm a qualitative investor.

And that becomes very difficult when you're trying to talk to quants or people who think about a world in data rooms and spreadsheets and wanting an answer to how you decided that you want to invest in something because you're trusting your gut or you've thought about the world a certain way, or you've been looking for this answer to appear in front of you may look

And that becomes very difficult when you're trying to talk to quants or people who think about a world in data rooms and spreadsheets and wanting an answer to how you decided that you want to invest in something because you're trusting your gut or you've thought about the world a certain way, or you've been looking for this answer to appear in front of you may look

To others is if you're impulsive because you want to move quickly and they want to be deliberate and want to get in the data room and want to know more about the company.

To others is if you're impulsive because you want to move quickly and they want to be deliberate and want to get in the data room and want to know more about the company.

And oftentimes at the early stages of a business, you know, very little, you know, that you've got a good founder in front of you, you know, that they have an idea and they have a shot, but all of that data is not going to be there. And so you've got two different types of investor types of minds that And that can be difficult to navigate and frustrating.

And oftentimes at the early stages of a business, you know, very little, you know, that you've got a good founder in front of you, you know, that they have an idea and they have a shot, but all of that data is not going to be there. And so you've got two different types of investor types of minds that And that can be difficult to navigate and frustrating.

It was actually kind of soul crushing for me. I tend to like to be incredibly optimistic. And usually when you get into the quantitative realm of the world, you're dealing with a lot more pessimism. And so for me, I'm an intuitive thinker. And I think that if you're an intuitive thinker and you

It was actually kind of soul crushing for me. I tend to like to be incredibly optimistic. And usually when you get into the quantitative realm of the world, you're dealing with a lot more pessimism. And so for me, I'm an intuitive thinker. And I think that if you're an intuitive thinker and you

have sort of a gut feeling about things and you really deeply think about the world, then early stage is probably the best avenue for you.

have sort of a gut feeling about things and you really deeply think about the world, then early stage is probably the best avenue for you.

Peter gave me one of the best pieces of feedback. One of the things I love about Peter is he's so precise. He can give you like an amazing piece of feedback if you're willing to listen to it and really digest it. And he took me on a car ride one day and he simply said one sentence to me and it changed my life. And it actually led to me quitting the firm.

Peter gave me one of the best pieces of feedback. One of the things I love about Peter is he's so precise. He can give you like an amazing piece of feedback if you're willing to listen to it and really digest it. And he took me on a car ride one day and he simply said one sentence to me and it changed my life. And it actually led to me quitting the firm.

He said, Cyan, you're really good at feeling, but you're not really good at knowing yet. That was it. And I looked at him and I understood exactly what he was telling me. And I marinated on it and marinated on it. And I said, do I really want to know? Do I really want that skill set? Do I really want to learn these things that are so uncomfortable and unnatural to me?

He said, Cyan, you're really good at feeling, but you're not really good at knowing yet. That was it. And I looked at him and I understood exactly what he was telling me. And I marinated on it and marinated on it. And I said, do I really want to know? Do I really want that skill set? Do I really want to learn these things that are so uncomfortable and unnatural to me?

And is this the right place for me? And the answer was no. So I think what Peter loved about me and why he wanted me to join the team is because I do have principles. I do have a North Star. I do make gut decisions very quickly. I think that...

And is this the right place for me? And the answer was no. So I think what Peter loved about me and why he wanted me to join the team is because I do have principles. I do have a North Star. I do make gut decisions very quickly. I think that...

There was a world where they had a carve out of a seed stage fund and it was a separate fund and it didn't conflict with the main fund investments, then this probably would have worked out. I think what he saw in me was someone who thinks differently about the world. He really loves to reward diversity of ideas and backgrounds. I think that people don't give him enough credit for that.

There was a world where they had a carve out of a seed stage fund and it was a separate fund and it didn't conflict with the main fund investments, then this probably would have worked out. I think what he saw in me was someone who thinks differently about the world. He really loves to reward diversity of ideas and backgrounds. I think that people don't give him enough credit for that.