📈 Startups are hard but rewarding
Fireside Chat with Avlok & Naval
Hi there, Welcome to our new readers since last Friday, joining our community of business nerds.
Every Friday I share episodes from interesting channels you can check out on YouTube. In this week’s issue, Avlok Kohli, the CEO of AngelList, and Naval Ravikant, the founder of AngelList, have a candid conversation about the state of venture capital, the future of AngelList, and the lessons they learned from building and investing in startups. They also answer questions from the audience and share their views on topics such as crypto, NFTs, DAOs, and more.
Here are some of the key takeaways from this episode that entrepreneurs can learn from:
AngelList is building the infrastructure that powers the startup economy. Avlok and Naval explain how AngelList is creating a platform that enables anyone to start, join, or invest in a startup, without the friction and inefficiency of the traditional system. They showcase some of the products and features that AngelList offers, such as Rolling Funds, Syndicates, Venture Hacks, and Talent. They also reveal some of the upcoming initiatives that will shape AngelList’s 2024 strategy, such as AngelList Pro, AngelList Crypto, and AngelList DAOs.
Venture capital is evolving and democratizing. Avlok and Naval discuss how the venture capital industry is changing and becoming more accessible and transparent, thanks to the innovation and disruption brought by AngelList and other players. They highlight how AngelList is empowering more founders and investors to participate in the private markets, by lowering the barriers to entry, reducing the costs and risks, and increasing the liquidity and returns. They also share their vision of how venture capital will look in the future, where anyone can be a fund manager, a limited partner, or a portfolio company, and where the power shifts from the gatekeepers to the creators.
Startups are hard but rewarding. Avlok and Naval share their personal stories and experiences of being founders and investors, and the challenges and opportunities they faced along the way. They offer some practical and philosophical advice for entrepreneurs who want to start or grow their startups, such as finding product-market fit, building a great team, raising capital, scaling, exiting, and more. They also emphasize the importance of having a long-term vision, a growth mindset, a passion for learning, and a sense of purpose.
If you want to watch the full episode, you can find it here ⬇️