Nick Chirls

I found that more often than not, a real truthful conversation between a founder and an early investor where there's actual real trust. often leads to a place where the shooting in the head at the end of that doesn't happen.

Definitely.

Definitely.

Definitely.

Definitely. I've been doing this a long time, more than once. There's one that comes to mind around Aquahire that you kind of talked about many years ago. We actually introduced the portfolio company to the acquirer. It was understood the cap table would sort of get taken care of. Again, not make any money, but get a little bit back. And at the last minute, the deal was changed.

Definitely. I've been doing this a long time, more than once. There's one that comes to mind around Aquahire that you kind of talked about many years ago. We actually introduced the portfolio company to the acquirer. It was understood the cap table would sort of get taken care of. Again, not make any money, but get a little bit back. And at the last minute, the deal was changed.

Definitely. I've been doing this a long time, more than once. There's one that comes to mind around Aquahire that you kind of talked about many years ago. We actually introduced the portfolio company to the acquirer. It was understood the cap table would sort of get taken care of. Again, not make any money, but get a little bit back. And at the last minute, the deal was changed.

So the investors got nothing and the founders got really big retention packages. I think there was probably an opportunity for the founders to push back. Look, it did not end up moving the needle for us. And so I generally move on from these things pretty quickly. I think it could have been handled differently. And I won't forget it.

So the investors got nothing and the founders got really big retention packages. I think there was probably an opportunity for the founders to push back. Look, it did not end up moving the needle for us. And so I generally move on from these things pretty quickly. I think it could have been handled differently. And I won't forget it.

So the investors got nothing and the founders got really big retention packages. I think there was probably an opportunity for the founders to push back. Look, it did not end up moving the needle for us. And so I generally move on from these things pretty quickly. I think it could have been handled differently. And I won't forget it.

Yeah, or like, I think VCs will try to talk founders out of agreements that they've made. I mean, our job is also to win. Yeah, but I think there's a difference between short-term and long-term games.

Yeah, or like, I think VCs will try to talk founders out of agreements that they've made. I mean, our job is also to win. Yeah, but I think there's a difference between short-term and long-term games.

Yeah, or like, I think VCs will try to talk founders out of agreements that they've made. I mean, our job is also to win. Yeah, but I think there's a difference between short-term and long-term games.

Yes. You want to win. I want to win. We're also, I think, playing a very long-term game. I'm playing a very long-term game. Decades long game. There's also a mentality. I think Silicon Valley is another banker comparison. I think Silicon Valley has become very zero-sum thinking. I think that is very representative of banker thinking.

Yes. You want to win. I want to win. We're also, I think, playing a very long-term game. I'm playing a very long-term game. Decades long game. There's also a mentality. I think Silicon Valley is another banker comparison. I think Silicon Valley has become very zero-sum thinking. I think that is very representative of banker thinking.

Yes. You want to win. I want to win. We're also, I think, playing a very long-term game. I'm playing a very long-term game. Decades long game. There's also a mentality. I think Silicon Valley is another banker comparison. I think Silicon Valley has become very zero-sum thinking. I think that is very representative of banker thinking.

At Lehman Brothers in 2007, every single thing that happened there was someone won, someone lost. Why has it become that? I think there is, there's more money. There's money in this. And I think it's become all about the money. I think winning has become all about the money. I think there's many VCs that are playing a short-term game to maximize profit in the short term.

At Lehman Brothers in 2007, every single thing that happened there was someone won, someone lost. Why has it become that? I think there is, there's more money. There's money in this. And I think it's become all about the money. I think winning has become all about the money. I think there's many VCs that are playing a short-term game to maximize profit in the short term.

At Lehman Brothers in 2007, every single thing that happened there was someone won, someone lost. Why has it become that? I think there is, there's more money. There's money in this. And I think it's become all about the money. I think winning has become all about the money. I think there's many VCs that are playing a short-term game to maximize profit in the short term.

I would say most of the market is doing that. And so you might say that's the optimal decision. Now there's many folks that I will never work with again. And maybe that doesn't matter to them, but like, I think it will. There will be a company, there will be an opportunity where someone wants to work with a company that we work with, we'll never work with them again. There's more than a handful.