Reid Hoffman

And by the way, it's dynamic. So you say, well, I went and worked at a large company and I learned a bunch of things. Like, well, yeah, but you didn't learn how you're default dead. You didn't learn how to launch a new product. You didn't learn how do you start with a small product and grow to a larger product. You didn't learn how do you set up a team from scratch.

And by the way, it's dynamic. So you say, well, I went and worked at a large company and I learned a bunch of things. Like, well, yeah, but you didn't learn how you're default dead. You didn't learn how to launch a new product. You didn't learn how do you start with a small product and grow to a larger product. You didn't learn how do you set up a team from scratch.

And by the way, a team from scratch when the vast majority of human beings like more certainty in what their week looks like. Like, I'm going to come work at a place because I can continue to work at a place. And as long as I'm capable of what I'm doing, I keep my job, right, in terms of what I'm doing. And so I understand the certainty. So entrepreneurs have to do all that sort of thing.

And by the way, a team from scratch when the vast majority of human beings like more certainty in what their week looks like. Like, I'm going to come work at a place because I can continue to work at a place. And as long as I'm capable of what I'm doing, I keep my job, right, in terms of what I'm doing. And so I understand the certainty. So entrepreneurs have to do all that sort of thing.

So in addition to kind of risk-taking, you have to be good at bringing many resources from different vectors into your vision and working with you. So there's investors, there's employees, there's customers, there's advisors, there's partners. You have to bring the right set of those people along with you in this iterative process. This kind of iterative journey.

So in addition to kind of risk-taking, you have to be good at bringing many resources from different vectors into your vision and working with you. So there's investors, there's employees, there's customers, there's advisors, there's partners. You have to bring the right set of those people along with you in this iterative process. This kind of iterative journey.

You have to be able to grow yourself and learn because the game changes. Like one of the metaphors I use to train and conceptualize young entrepreneurs is – and there's a bunch of different parallels between military strategy. It's part of like the board games thing and business strategy. But it's like Marines take the beach. Army takes the country. Police governs the country. Right.

You have to be able to grow yourself and learn because the game changes. Like one of the metaphors I use to train and conceptualize young entrepreneurs is – and there's a bunch of different parallels between military strategy. It's part of like the board games thing and business strategy. But it's like Marines take the beach. Army takes the country. Police governs the country. Right.

Three very crude, broad generalizations about how you do it. So you go, what's your marine strategy? Because you must, as a SEED Series A, you must have a good strategy how you get on the beach, how you get initial product market fit, how you're heading towards scale product market fit. OK, you're there. How do you win the country? right? The market, right?

Three very crude, broad generalizations about how you do it. So you go, what's your marine strategy? Because you must, as a SEED Series A, you must have a good strategy how you get on the beach, how you get initial product market fit, how you're heading towards scale product market fit. OK, you're there. How do you win the country? right? The market, right?

What, how do you get to scale product market fit? How is that going to work? How are you going to play against competition different in these two? How do you get up to scale? You have to learn this game is different than this game, right? And you're learning new things as you're doing it. So you have to have this kind of, um, what I refer to as being an infinite learner.

What, how do you get to scale product market fit? How is that going to work? How are you going to play against competition different in these two? How do you get up to scale? You have to learn this game is different than this game, right? And you're learning new things as you're doing it. So you have to have this kind of, um, what I refer to as being an infinite learner.

Like you're learning what the new game is. Because by the way, no entrepreneur shows up at door one, at day one going, well, I know how to do marketing. I know how to do sales. I know how to do product development. I know how to do engineering. I know how to do engineering operations. I know how, like, no, no, no. You have to bring all that in.

Like you're learning what the new game is. Because by the way, no entrepreneur shows up at door one, at day one going, well, I know how to do marketing. I know how to do sales. I know how to do product development. I know how to do engineering. I know how to do engineering operations. I know how, like, no, no, no. You have to bring all that in.

You'd be learning what you need to learn in order to do that through that. And that's part of how you grow into that. And then by the way, Once you've established a business, because another thing that brings in a lot of competition is people say, oh, that's a valuable business. I'd like to possibly have that. And then a new generation of heavy competitors come in.

You'd be learning what you need to learn in order to do that through that. And that's part of how you grow into that. And then by the way, Once you've established a business, because another thing that brings in a lot of competition is people say, oh, that's a valuable business. I'd like to possibly have that. And then a new generation of heavy competitors come in.

So can you kind of keep your position and grow your position in a market? Which is the police part, right? The police part. Yes, exactly. And so you have to look. And each of these three is different games. And there's more games than that. But it's a way of kind of simply understanding it. always being learning, being an infant learner and changing your mindset. And so...

So can you kind of keep your position and grow your position in a market? Which is the police part, right? The police part. Yes, exactly. And so you have to look. And each of these three is different games. And there's more games than that. But it's a way of kind of simply understanding it. always being learning, being an infant learner and changing your mindset. And so...

Frequently, like, for example, when I'm talking to an entrepreneur, especially the first few times, is I will push them on their vision to see if they're learners. Now, one, they should have persistence and grit because, like, no, I've thought about this. I've got a good plan. This is how I'm going to go to market. I understand what the competition looks like.

Frequently, like, for example, when I'm talking to an entrepreneur, especially the first few times, is I will push them on their vision to see if they're learners. Now, one, they should have persistence and grit because, like, no, I've thought about this. I've got a good plan. This is how I'm going to go to market. I understand what the competition looks like.