Key Point 1: A differentiated supply is crucial; if your supply is not commoditized, you'll have much better odds of succeeding. If your supply is commoditized, then you'll need a magical combination to win: high frequency, decent enough AOV, large markets and high earnings potential for the supply-side. If your supply is differentiated, however, there's … Continue reading Scaling Marketplaces: Driving Towards The Tip →

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljRDrRGje_E Presentation Slides: Sequoia Capital 2008 "RIP Good Times"Download

I was with a friend who was going through some pretty significant challenges with his company the other day. I asked him, naturally, how he's dealing with it all. How does he manage to keep his head above water and find the will to fight, day after day? He gave an interesting response: "I always … Continue reading “Pain Is the Best Teacher” →

Ask any early stage investor and they'd say that the three most important factors they look at when deciding on whether a startup is worth their time are team, product, and market. Usually, in that order too. It makes sense if you really think about why that's the case. Most investors look at the team … Continue reading Team vs. Product vs. Market →

One of the most common questions I get is: which startup idea should I work on now? Interestingly enough, it's one of those questions where having experience seem to not be relevant to the eventual answer; I've heard the question from everyone, from dorm room first-time college student founders to experienced startup operators who have … Continue reading Market vs. Execution Risk in Startups →