Lessons for Aspiring VCs (From Someone Who Didn’t Start in VC)

I didn’t begin my career in venture capital.

I started in private equity, spent time operating inside high-growth companies, and eventually got my MBA at Stanford. That gave me exposure, but not a clear path. There was no “VC job” waiting for me. No guaranteed network. I had to find my own way in.

Over time, I was lucky to get in the room. I became a scout for Sequoia. I worked as a senior partner at Atomico. I’ve backed over 40 companies. But none of that was obvious or inevitable. I learned by doing—and by paying attention to what actually moved the needle.

If you’re trying to build a career in venture, especially early on, here’s what I’d tell you. Not theory. Not platitudes. Just things that actually helped me and others I respect.

1. You have to earn trust before you earn deals

The hardest part of getting into VC is that most people won’t give you real work until they trust you. And most people won’t trust you until you’ve done real work. It’s a loop.

The only way I’ve seen people break through is by being useful long before they’re asked to be. Help a founder you admire. Source a company no one’s paying attention to. Flag a market shift before it hits TechCrunch.

Early on, I got into conversations simply by sending thoughtful write-ups. Not decks, not pitches—just a few smart paragraphs. “Here’s an underpriced founder.” “Here’s what I’m seeing in this API space.” “I’m hearing this theme from product leaders.”

It didn’t always lead to a deal. But it built context. And slowly, trust.

2. Your edge doesn’t have to be obvious at first

I wasn’t the loudest voice in the room. I didn’t have the deepest technical background. But I did have pattern recognition from operating. I knew what pressure looked like inside growth-stage teams. I knew how top performers behaved when things got messy.

That became my edge.

If you’re coming from outside VC, ask yourself what you’ve seen that others haven’t. Maybe it’s an industry you grew up in. A skill you’ve mastered. A community you understand better than anyone else. That context can turn into an advantage—if you’re willing to show how it maps to investing.

And don’t stress if it’s not packaged perfectly. Most great investors started with rough instincts, not polished frameworks.

3. You don’t need to “network.” You need to contribute

When I started, I thought I had to go to every dinner, every panel, every event. I thought that was how people broke in.

But most of the relationships that mattered didn’t start at events. They started through contribution. Helping a founder prep for a tough board meeting. Connecting a portfolio company to the right operator. Helping a fund close a competitive round.

People remember when you help them win. They remember even more when you help them when nothing’s in it for you.

You don’t need to know everyone. Just a few people who really trust you is more powerful than a hundred surface-level contacts.

4. Get closer to founders than anyone else

This one is hard to fake.

If you want to be a great investor, you need to care deeply about founders. That means more than admiring them from afar. It means showing up when it’s inconvenient. Listening more than you talk. Knowing when to push and when to protect.

I started spending more time in the weeds—helping founders build hiring plans, run capital raises, or fix internal culture issues. Not because it gave me better deal flow. But because I wanted to actually understand what they were going through.

Eventually, those conversations turned into referrals. Introductions. Trust.

And honestly, they also made me a better investor. Because I was closer to the reality, not just the pitch.

5. Study the game, but don’t copy the playbook

I spent a lot of time early on reading memos. Reverse-engineering decisions. Listening to how experienced partners talked about companies.

That was helpful. But the best thing I did was get clear on what my taste was.

What kind of founders did I believe in? What kinds of products made my eyes light up? Where did I feel early conviction, even when the rest of the room didn’t?

It’s easy to get pulled into groupthink in VC. The language. The frameworks. The fear of being wrong.

But the best investors aren’t the best mimics. They’re the ones who develop their own sense of taste—and are willing to look a little crazy early on.

6. Be patient. But don’t be passive

Breaking into VC takes time. Even once you’re in, proving yourself takes even longer.

You can’t rush that. But you also can’t wait around.

The people I’ve seen succeed are the ones who found ways to stay active before they had a title. They joined angel syndicates. Helped friends raise seed rounds. Ran side projects that got them into interesting rooms.

You don’t need permission to be useful. And you don’t need a job title to build a track record.

Start small. But start.

Final thoughts

There’s no one way to make it in this business. I didn’t have a perfect plan. I just kept finding ways to be helpful, to learn fast, and to stay close to the work that mattered.

If you’re coming up now—whether from an operating background, finance, or something else—don’t get discouraged by how opaque the industry seems from the outside.

Keep showing up. Keep adding value. Keep refining your instincts.

Eventually, someone will give you a shot. And if you’ve been doing the work all along, you’ll be ready.