Unlocking the Power of Data with VenCap’s David Clark | E1906
This Week in Startups
Jason Calacanis
4.2 • 1.4K Ratings
🗓️ 28 February 2024
⏱️ 61 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
This Week in Startups is brought to you by…
Gusto is easy online payroll, benefits, and HR built for modern small businesses. Get three months free when you run your first payroll at http://www.gusto.com/twist
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Todays show:
Jason joins David Clark of VenCap to discuss what distinguishes longevity and success in VC (5:25), the importance of strategy and timing when selling (25:47), preparing with founders for when things may go south (48:43), and more!
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Timestamps:
(0:00) David Clark joins Jason.
(2:41) Looking at the data behind VenCap’s approach to alpha vs beta, managers and their over 500 investments to date.
(5:25) What distinguishes longevity and success in VC.
(9:15) Analyzing the data from David's chart covering 12,000 companies and the power law.
(10:34) Gusto - Get three months free when you run your first payroll at http://www.gusto.com/twist
(12:43) Portfolio strategy and finding that 1% of fund returners.
(18:59) The value of investing in a company over a longer period of time.
(21:23) Northwest Registered Agent - Get a 60% discount on your next LLC at - https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist
(22:17) The challenges VenCap faces when looking at seed managers.
(25:47) The importance of strategy and timing on selling.
(29:18 ) Uizard - Get 25% off Uizard Pro for an entire year at http://www.uizard.io/twist
(33:05) Managing successful GPs and having them ‘stay in the game’.
(41:49) The misunderstandings of the J-Curve.
(48:43) Preparing with founders for when things may go south.
(58:36) Founder Fridays message from Jason.
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LINKS:
Check out VenCap: https://www.vencap.com/
Watch the Brian Singerman episode here: https://youtu.be/o5Z0-d5w18M
Watch the Michael Kim episode here: https://youtu.be/a2FL_FvwoUA
Check out Founder Fridays: http://thisweekinstartups.com/meetups
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Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp
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Follow David:
X: https://twitter.com/daveclark85
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-clark-6678b6b/?originalSubdomain=uk
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Follow Jason:
X: https://twitter.com/jason
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis
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Thank you to our partners:
(10:34) Gusto - Get three months free when you run your first payroll at http://www.gusto.com/twist
*Gusto pricing shown in ad is based on pricing prior to March 2025
(21:23) Northwest Registered Agent - Get a 60% discount on your next LLC at - https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist
(29:18 ) Uizard - Get 25% off Uizard Pro for an entire year at http://www.uizard.io/twist
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Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland
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Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis
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Follow TWiST:
Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups
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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Look at the best managers and they're the ones who are able to recognize when they do have one of those top 1% companies |
| 0:07.1 | When they've captured that magic and they have the confidence to let that run and I think it's something that really distinguishes the very best managers from again the rest of the pack that they understand when to take money off the table they also understand when to let things run. |
| 0:24.4 | And ultimately, if you are going to get those fund returning outcomes, |
| 0:29.2 | you know, you might only have one of those |
| 0:31.3 | in a portfolio of 50 companies. |
| 0:33.6 | If you sell it too early, then you've missed your opportunity there. |
| 0:37.8 | And almost I would look at that as a bigger sin |
| 0:40.5 | than perhaps not investing in it in the first place. This week in |
| 0:45.0 | startups is brought to you by Gusto is easy online payroll benefits and HR |
| 0:51.2 | built for modern small businesses. |
| 0:53.5 | Get three months free when you run your first payroll at gusto.com slash twist. |
| 0:59.0 | Northwest registered agent will form your company fast, give you the documents you need to open a business bank account, and more. |
| 1:06.0 | Visit northwest registered agent.com slash Twist to get a 60% discount on your next LLC. |
| 1:13.0 | And Wizard. |
| 1:15.0 | Struggling to transform innovative ideas into concrete product designs, |
| 1:19.0 | Wizard can help you turn your visions into polished UI designs in a fraction of the time while enhancing |
| 1:25.0 | collaboration across your entire team. Get 25% off Wizard Pro for an entire year at |
| 1:31.2 | wizard.io slash Twist that's you I z a r d dot |
| 1:36.8 | i o slash twist |
| 1:39.1 | all everybody welcome back to the podcast we got a great episode for you today because we have with us today |
| 1:44.3 | somebody who's been investing in venture funds for three decades his name is |
| 1:49.2 | David Clark he is the chief investment officer at Vencab. |
... |
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