Some wed night thoughts on investor “value add”:
1) At the end of the day, money is a commodity. That mere fact should make every vc shudder.
It is amazing how many ppl (incl myself) clamor to get into a commodity business!
2) As such, to differentiate, different investors provide other things beyond money. Sometimes it’s community. Sometimes hiring help. Sometimes expertise or sector-focused networks. Etc
3) And some VCs are truly value add! For example, if I had an edtech co, I would hands down raise from @jwdanner - he has been there as an entrepreneur, built schools, and invested in so many hit edtech companies.
4) But at the end of the day, regardless of who invested in you, it’s the founders + team who are doing all the work.
5) when I think about what I’ve done for my own founders, it’s ranged from doing intros (mostly to other investors) to cust acq advice to feedback etc
But the reality is - all of my founders would’ve figured out how to get that intro or that piece of advice w out me
