Proud nerd day
I am declaring today proud nerd day.
I get drawn into a subject and have to study it.
Recently I've been nerding out on writing skills.
I've been listening to the very nerdy podcast How I Write by David Perell.
I am proud to be a nerd.
Fellow nerds, what have you been nerding out on?
Mentoring Martine Ellis
Coffee with Martine Ellis. Lots of founder energy.
She is who I did not yet have permission to mention in this morning's mentoring post.
She is building Martine Ellis Education and Training to "Excel in your high-energy career without losing your evenings and weekends."
Mentoring help
Help me. I am going to be mentoring someone.
I typically start with "What do you want to achieve", "Why", and "How do you think I can help".
How would you start, please?
The August pause
August is quiet.
You can't move as fast as you'd like because you have dependencies - other people.
That gives you more time - seemingly unwelcome time.
You can use that time to pause, think, see the big picture and plan.
Take advantage of these moments when you can.
Sometimes you need the pause.
Article submitted
Article submitted. Once it is published, I may consider sharing my conversation with ChatGPT that helped me produce it.
Is there any interest to see this?
But AI can’t do ‘this’!
But AI can't do 'this'! Insert your own specific task you'd like to hold against it.
Right now, AI is good at some things and not at others.
Two years ago it would have been astonishing to believe it would be good at any of these things.
We hold it to ever higher bars.
It, as we all are, is a work in progress.
How we got here in venture
I am deep in article writing. I am late. I am using ChatGPT to help as always. (Always? It's not been around so long.)
What about? How we got here in venture. Why so many crazy businesses got funded. Giving the liquid public markets what they wanted from an illiquid asset class. Where that leaves us today.
Coming soon-ish.
ChatGPT project update
I now have a working web app using Streamlit that uses GPT-4o mini via API and Google Search via Google Cloud and integrates the results. It works pretty well despite using mini rather than 4o.
Next step is to add conversation memory.
Ask it a question in the comments, please, and I will post the results and you can help me see where it falls short.
Finding cofounders
Founders - how did you go about finding cofounders?
How did you figure out if you were right to work together?
What are all the things you should discuss and make sure you are closely aligned on before jumping into this?
All the things please.
The start of AI inception
I've done a couple of projects recently using ChatGPT where it has written all the code for me, debugged, told me which libraries to install etc.
I'm at the point where I will start doing everything by API, also directed by ChatGPT.
Once I've done that, the questions will go by API.
Over time, I may automate everything and never have to write a line of code myself.
We will see. I'm enjoying the project.
Misfits Mindset podcast incoming
Am I a mistfit? Do you need to be a misfit to be a founder? Let me know in the comments.
Am I a mistfit? Do you need to be a misfit to be a founder? Let me know in the comments.
I recorded a podcast with Caleb Parker of Brave Minds for his Misfits Mindset podcast.
We first met at Spacemade's Breton building in Barbican where he was cohosting an investor founder speed-dating event with Hotbed and SeedLegals.
We hit it off, and the misfits recorded for you. Podcast coming soon.
Partner referral agreement
Founders, does anyone have a good partner referral agreement they'd be happy to share, please?
Founders, does anyone have a good partner referral agreement they'd be happy to share, please?
What advice would you give when setting these up?
Markets go up, markets go down
Markets go up, markets go down, there's nothing you can do about that.
Markets go up, markets go down, there's nothing you can do about that.
Focus on what you can control and assume that where the market is today is correct. You are not an equities trader.
Chasing investors
Founders, when you are raising, how do you manage the "chasing" part of the process when you haven't heard back when you expected to?
Founders, when you are raising, how do you manage the "chasing" part of the process when you haven't heard back when you expected to?
- How many times do you chase?
- How often do you chase?
- How do you manage the messaging if you're at multiple chases?
Asking for a friend.
Investing across categories
Many investors have different criteria for different types of startups.
Many investors have different criteria for different types of startups.
One for digital, one for deep tech, one for those whose first step is regulatory approval, etc.
These businesses have different challenges. But if you have separate criteria, how can you have any idea if you are choosing well between startups in the different types?
To do so, you need a consistent framework that applies across all types.
Only then, can you make the highest quality decisions across categories.
What is sales
Sales is based on what you can deliver for the customer, the problem you can solve.
Sales is based on what you can deliver for the customer, the problem you can solve.
They may not need to know how. They just have to believe you can.
Liking your own posts on LinkedIn and Twitter
Do you think it's a good or bad idea to like your own posts?
Do you think it's a good or bad idea to like your own posts?
People do this, presumably because it looks better to have more likes or they think the algorithm likes it. I used to not like it. Now I can't make my mind up.
Please vote in the comments.
Governments shouldn't pick winners
Governments shouldn't try and pick winners. Supercomputers did not generate the AI revolution. This was populist guessing by the last government.
BBC - Government shelves £1.3bn UK tech and AI plans.
Governments shouldn't try and pick winners. Supercomputers did not generate the AI revolution. This was populist guessing by the last government.
Save money, let the private sector allocate capital more efficiently, taxes will go up less.
Capitalism and property
I wrote an article on capitalism and the Channel Islands property market for Business Brief magazine. The principles apply everywhere.
I wrote an article on capitalism and the Channel Islands property market for Business Brief magazine. The principles apply everywhere.
If planning laws are overly prescriptive and take too long to navigate, the market cannot do its job, allocate resources effectively, and switch use to the most productive areas.
Governments shouldn't try and predict the future, they should put conditions in place to make it easier for the market to do so.
The market doesn't always get it right but the attempt to maximise returns is the best method we have today. Maybe one day AI will change that.
Lunch with Jonny Rosenblatt of Spacedmade
Great to catch up and hear how well they are doing. They are still killing it.
Lunch yesterday with Jonny Rosenblatt of Spacemade who I am fortunate to be an investor in.
Great to catch up and hear how well they are doing. They are still killing it.
