Recent Posts
Shipping ugly beats planning pretty.
Shipping ugly beats planning pretty. Originally posted on X
Five years from now you’ll want proof you tried. Today is the proof.
Five years from now you'll want proof you tried. Today is the proof. Originally posted on X
Hire slow is bad advice. Hire carefully and decide quickly.
Hire slow is bad advice. Hire carefully and decide quickly. Originally posted on X
A company nobody would call an AI lab just built its own frontier model for forty million dollars.
A company nobody would call an AI lab just built its own frontier model for forty million dollars. Thomson Reuters…
AI didn’t make writing easier. It made bad writing faster.
AI didn't make writing easier. It made bad writing faster. Originally posted on X
Everyone wants leverage. Nobody wants the boring two years that build it.
Everyone wants leverage. Nobody wants the boring two years that build it. Originally posted on X
Talk to ten customers before you write one line of code.
Talk to ten customers before you write one line of code. Originally posted on X
I don’t invest in ideas. I invest in people who’ve already started without me.
I don't invest in ideas. I invest in people who've already started without me. Originally posted on X
Reliance launched at two cents a minute. My purchase price alone was eight.
Reliance launched at two cents a minute. My purchase price alone was eight. No version of that business survived. Every…
The hardest part of building isn’t the work. It’s the silence before it works.
The hardest part of building isn't the work. It's the silence before it works. Originally posted on X
Trading time for money has a ceiling. Trading judgment for equity does not.
Trading time for money has a ceiling. Trading judgment for equity does not. Originally posted on X
You don’t need a co-founder. You need a customer.
You don't need a co-founder. You need a customer. Originally posted on X
Every AI company is underwriting a price cut it never negotiated.
Every AI company is underwriting a price cut it never negotiated. a16z calls it LLMflation. For a model of equivalent…
Where you end. That’s the only line of the story that matters.
Where you end. That's the only line of the story that matters. Originally posted on X
AI is the great equalizer of execution. Which makes conviction the last unfair advantage.
AI is the great equalizer of execution. Which makes conviction the last unfair advantage. Originally posted on X
Venture capital is rocket fuel. Most businesses are not rockets, and fuel without a roc…
Venture capital is rocket fuel. Most businesses are not rockets, and fuel without a rocket is just a fire. Originally…
The scoreboard most founders optimize for is the wrong one.
The scoreboard most founders optimize for is the wrong one. August 2026. Quiet wave of shutdowns. Well-funded AI startups. Seed…
Still reading applications past midnight after 25 years. When the fire is real, it does…
Still reading applications past midnight after 25 years. When the fire is real, it doesn't retire. Originally posted on X
Big vision, small steps, brutal consistency. That’s the entire secret.
Big vision, small steps, brutal consistency. That's the entire secret. Originally posted on X
Default alive isn’t a milestone. It’s a religion.
Default alive isn't a milestone. It's a religion. Originally posted on X
Watch how a studio behaves when a founder struggles. That’s the real term sheet.
Watch how a studio behaves when a founder struggles. That's the real term sheet. Originally posted on X
Dream big. Test small. Decide fast. Repeat until it’s real.
Dream big. Test small. Decide fast. Repeat until it's real. Originally posted on X
Ownership you grow into fits better than ownership you were handed.
Ownership you grow into fits better than ownership you were handed. Originally posted on X
Stripe reportedly paid $7.5 billion for a company that never built a frontier AI model.
Stripe reportedly paid $7.5 billion for a company that never built a frontier AI model. Look at how it makes…
Every “no” you got was one person’s opinion. Every “yes” you need is just one person’s …
Every "no" you got was one person's opinion. Every "yes" you need is just one person's belief. Keep asking. Originally…
Princeton. 15 seats. One question: can you build?
Princeton. 15 seats. One question: can you build? Originally posted on X
The old ladder: degree, job, promotion, retire. The new ladder: skill, audience, produc…
The old ladder: degree, job, promotion, retire. The new ladder: skill, audience, product, own. Originally posted on X
The demo day applause lasts 40 seconds. The cap table lasts forever.
The demo day applause lasts 40 seconds. The cap table lasts forever. Originally posted on X
Watching my children succeed on their own taught me more about investing than any deal …
Watching my children succeed on their own taught me more about investing than any deal ever did. Originally posted on…
Every day your product isn’t in front of customers, you’re paying tuition for a lesson …
Every day your product isn't in front of customers, you're paying tuition for a lesson you're not taking. Originally posted…
For six years, the only reader of my 100 million transactions was the tax department
For six years, the only reader of my 100 million transactions was the tax department. When my fourth startup died…
The best pitch deck is a bank statement.
The best pitch deck is a bank statement. Originally posted on X
Equity grows as you prove it’s yours. Not because we’re generous. Because that was the …
Equity grows as you prove it's yours. Not because we're generous. Because that was the plan all along. Originally posted…
The best founders we meet aren’t afraid of the kill switch. They’re relieved someone fi…
The best founders we meet aren't afraid of the kill switch. They're relieved someone finally installed one. Originally posted on…
Don’t compare your chapter 1 to someone’s chapter 20. Especially on this app.
Don't compare your chapter 1 to someone's chapter 20. Especially on this app. Originally posted on X
Your pitch deck says what you’re building. Your midnight hours say who you are. We read…
Your pitch deck says what you're building. Your midnight hours say who you are. We read for the second one….
Applications close. Ambition doesn’t.
Applications close. Ambition doesn't. Originally posted on X
Machines got smart. The premium moved to judgment, taste, and nerve. All three are foun…
Machines got smart. The premium moved to judgment, taste, and nerve. All three are founder skills. Originally posted on X
Advisors who’ve never built anything charge the most confident hourly rates.
Advisors who've never built anything charge the most confident hourly rates. Originally posted on X
First company humbled me. Second one educated me. The ones after that – compounding.
First company humbled me. Second one educated me. The ones after that – compounding. Originally posted on X
Everyone I studied with went to engineering college. I went to work fo $18/Month paycheck per month
Everyone I studied with went to engineering college. I went to work. Eighteen years old, a diploma in computer engineering,…
Done teaches you something. Perfect teaches you nothing, because it never arrives.
Done teaches you something. Perfect teaches you nothing, because it never arrives. Originally posted on X
Build a company that survives a bad year. Anyone can build one that survives a good one.
Build a company that survives a bad year. Anyone can build one that survives a good one. Originally posted on…
The moment a founder stops needing us is the moment we succeeded.
The moment a founder stops needing us is the moment we succeeded. Originally posted on X
90 days to first paying customer. Not because we’re impatient. Because your time is the…
90 days to first paying customer. Not because we're impatient. Because your time is the scarcest asset in the building….
Zero customers, zero revenue, zero believers. Every great company’s day one looks ident…
Zero customers, zero revenue, zero believers. Every great company's day one looks identical. The difference is day 1,000. Originally posted…
We don’t invest in ideas. Ideas are free. We invest in the person who refuses to put th…
We don't invest in ideas. Ideas are free. We invest in the person who refuses to put the idea down….
The best co-founder clears the path, then gets out of the way.
The best co-founder clears the path, then gets out of the way. Originally posted on X
Your resume is a rental agreement. Your company is a deed.
Your resume is a rental agreement. Your company is a deed. Originally posted on X
Growth at all costs bought a decade of startups that died at the first interest rate hi…
Growth at all costs bought a decade of startups that died at the first interest rate hike. Cash flow never…
The whole internet is funded by impulse. Agents do not have any.
The whole internet is funded by impulse. Agents do not have any. I learned the first half of that in…
Wore every hat before I could afford to hand one to someone else. Now I know exactly wh…
Wore every hat before I could afford to hand one to someone else. Now I know exactly what each hat…
Amateurs wait for motivation. Founders build systems that don’t need it.
Amateurs wait for motivation. Founders build systems that don't need it. Originally posted on X
“We’ll figure out monetization later” – later is where startups go to die.
"We'll figure out monetization later" – later is where startups go to die. Originally posted on X
We clear obstacles. You build. That’s the whole org chart.
We clear obstacles. You build. That's the whole org chart. Originally posted on X
Ideas don’t deserve loyalty. Customers deserve loyalty. Your family deserves loyalty. I…
Ideas don't deserve loyalty. Customers deserve loyalty. Your family deserves loyalty. Ideas must earn their keep. Originally posted on X
The gap between where you are and where you want to be is called work. There’s no other…
The gap between where you are and where you want to be is called work. There's no other bridge. Originally…
First they ignore your idea. Then one person says “this could work.” That person change…
First they ignore your idea. Then one person says "this could work." That person changes everything. Originally posted on X
Passion is the engine. Process is the steering.
Passion is the engine. Process is the steering. Originally posted on X
Software ate the world. AI is eating software. Ownership eats everything, eventually.
Software ate the world. AI is eating software. Ownership eats everything, eventually. Originally posted on X
The internet just stopped being a human business.
The internet just stopped being a human business. For thirty years the web ran on one trade. Publish something free….
“We’re pre-revenue” is a phase, not an identity. Some companies tattoo it on.
"We're pre-revenue" is a phase, not an identity. Some companies tattoo it on. Originally posted on X
Immigrant founder math: no network, no safety net, no excuses. It’s a brutal syllabus a…
Immigrant founder math: no network, no safety net, no excuses. It's a brutal syllabus and the best one. Originally posted…
SOPs are love letters to your future team.
SOPs are love letters to your future team. Originally posted on X
Unit economics don’t care about your narrative.
Unit economics don't care about your narrative. Originally posted on X
What founders actually need: capital, infrastructure, honest feedback, and one door the…
What founders actually need: capital, infrastructure, honest feedback, and one door they can knock on at midnight. Everything else is…
The market is the only judge that can’t be charmed. Get in front of it early.
The market is the only judge that can't be charmed. Get in front of it early. Originally posted on X
Your first company doesn’t have to be your best company. It has to be your first.
Your first company doesn't have to be your best company. It has to be your first. Originally posted on X
A founder doesn’t quit when the money runs out. A founder quits when the belief runs ou…
A founder doesn't quit when the money runs out. A founder quits when the belief runs out. Fund the belief….
Runway is time. Revenue is immortality.
Runway is time. Revenue is immortality. Originally posted on X
The safest job in 2030 is the one you own.
The safest job in 2030 is the one you own. Originally posted on X
Every liquidation preference is a person standing in front of you at your own exit.
Every liquidation preference is a person standing in front of you at your own exit. Originally posted on X
The ups look great in the story. The downs did all the teaching.
The ups look great in the story. The downs did all the teaching. Originally posted on X
No resume ever crossed my desk. She still became Infovision’s first employee.
No resume ever crossed my desk. She still became Infovision’s first employee. Early 2000s, New York. I was building my…
Talk to one customer today. It will outperform every framework you’ve bookmarked.
Talk to one customer today. It will outperform every framework you've bookmarked. Originally posted on X
A business that dies without the next round was never alive. It was on life support wit…
A business that dies without the next round was never alive. It was on life support with good PR. Originally…
Your board should feel like a corner crew, not a jury.
Your board should feel like a corner crew, not a jury. Originally posted on X
Every founder who took the risk to start is already unique from the crowd. The process …
Every founder who took the risk to start is already unique from the crowd. The process exists to aim that…
Coded HTML pages after my day job. Knew nothing about business. Started anyway. Startin…
Coded HTML pages after my day job. Knew nothing about business. Started anyway. Starting badly beats not starting. Originally posted…
You can fake conviction to investors. You cannot fake it to yourself at 2am. Build with…
You can fake conviction to investors. You cannot fake it to yourself at 2am. Build with people who've sat in…
Your idea is not your identity. Build accordingly.
Your idea is not your identity. Build accordingly. Originally posted on X
AI makes the first 80% of everything nearly free. Careers and companies are now decided…
AI makes the first 80% of everything nearly free. Careers and companies are now decided in the last 20%. Originally…
Unicorn: a company worth $1B on paper. Workhorse: a company that pays salaries from rev…
Unicorn: a company worth $1B on paper. Workhorse: a company that pays salaries from revenue. Choose your animal. Originally posted…
You don’t need permission to start. I waited too long to learn that.
You don't need permission to start. I waited too long to learn that. Originally posted on X
Perfectionism is procrastination in a nicer outfit.
Perfectionism is procrastination in a nicer outfit. Originally posted on X
First paying customer > first press mention. It’s not close.
First paying customer > first press mention. It's not close. Originally posted on X
Parenting and company building share one rule: do too much and you weaken them, do too …
Parenting and company building share one rule: do too much and you weaken them, do too little and you lose…
Quitting a dead idea isn’t giving up. It’s re-aiming. The fire stays; the target changes.
Quitting a dead idea isn't giving up. It's re-aiming. The fire stays; the target changes. Originally posted on X
Starting position matters in a sprint. Building a company is not a sprint.
Starting position matters in a sprint. Building a company is not a sprint. Originally posted on X
The loneliest stage of a startup is before the first believer shows up. Everything afte…
The loneliest stage of a startup is before the first believer shows up. Everything after that is just work. Originally…
Own something. Even something small. Especially something small.
Own something. Even something small. Especially something small. Originally posted on X
We’re entering the era of the full-stack founder: one person, ten AI tools, zero excuses.
We're entering the era of the full-stack founder: one person, ten AI tools, zero excuses. Originally posted on X
The best time to raise money is when you don’t need it. The best way to not need it is …
The best time to raise money is when you don't need it. The best way to not need it is…
What I’d tell my younger self at that desk: the “no”s aren’t a verdict. They’re a filter.
What I'd tell my younger self at that desk: the "no"s aren't a verdict. They're a filter. Originally posted on…
The 90-day founder builds while the 5-year founder plans. Guess who learns more.
The 90-day founder builds while the 5-year founder plans. Guess who learns more. Originally posted on X
A founder I backed ten years ago sent me an SOS.
A founder I backed ten years ago sent me an SOS. He wasn’t asking for more money. He was asking…
Fundraising is a means. Somewhere along the way we let it become the scoreboard.
Fundraising is a means. Somewhere along the way we let it become the scoreboard. Originally posted on X
We don’t hand founders a playbook and disappear. We’re in the room. Then, when it’s wor…
We don't hand founders a playbook and disappear. We're in the room. Then, when it's working, we get out of…
Founders don’t fear hard work. They fear wasted work. A real process removes the second…
Founders don't fear hard work. They fear wasted work. A real process removes the second fear. Originally posted on X
Startups aren’t won at incorporation. They’re won at the thousandth unglamorous decision.
Startups aren't won at incorporation. They're won at the thousandth unglamorous decision. Originally posted on X