Connecting Founders and Paying it Forward
There is no better feeling for me when I connect a successful founder that I've backed to new founders in our portfolio. As a non-operator venture capitalist, seeing the knowledge trust being transferred is literally like being in the front row of the super bowl.
I had the opportunity to do this yesterday with Taylor Cavanah of PetDesk and the founders of Datum Source. The conversation was around products and pricing- a subject that I literally can offer no guidance on except for the stereotypical anecdotal advice of "charge more!"
Years ago, we connected Taylor to Heidi Jannenga of WebPT ($150M+ ARR vertical SaaS company), who was in my old firm's portfolio. Taylor formed a relationship with her and kept her close through his journey. And around it goes.
The pay-it-forward knowledge transfer from founder to founder is incredibly valuable and impactful. It is received so much more differently than board advice which is colder and more sterile. The more I do this, the more I realize that this is a relationship business and that I need to double down on growing and strengthening my network.
Founders sharing lessons learned is so valuable. As that ecosystem expands it often can lead to new relationships for the VC. As founders find new tech they use successfully and then share with other founders they often find that the new tech is often looking for capital as well. I know at LeadSmart we have a few potential partners who are looking for more partnerships AND investments. Paying it forward is really the case and sometimes just setting the table for an early return. #networksarekey