Adam Draper - Why is storytelling so important in the world of startups and VC!
👉🏼 About the Guest:
Adam Draper (Managing Director at Boost VC, Board Member at SkyBound) is a legacy in the venture capital world. One of the first VCs to jump into the world of crypto, he has a front-view seat into the future of tech. He's also the author of "Breakfast With Pops", the guide to venture capital for beginners.
Adam Draper (Managing Director at Boost VC, Board Member at SkyBound) is a legacy in the venture capital world. One of the first VCs to jump into the world of crypto, he has a front-view seat into the future of tech. He's also the author of "Breakfast With Pops", the guide to venture capital for beginners.
👉🏼 About the Host:
Sharath is a founder, creator, and community builder. He is also a serial maker who built and shipped 15+ projects using no-code tools. His SaaS product Shoutout generates $30k ARR which was sold to a UK-based product studio. Prev, Sharath worked for world-changing startups like Product Hunt and On Deck, where he helped build and nurture communities. He also grew his audience on Twitter from 200 to 20,000 using give-first principles and creating high-value content. Currently, he is the Head of Community at Threado and runs a newsletter called Sharath's CliffNotes alongside hosting this podcast.
👉🏼 Description:
Listen in to hear Sharath and Adam talk about the importance of storytelling in startups, building conviction as a founder, and the importance of trust in the world of finance, startups, and VC.
Timestamps:
Sharath is a founder, creator, and community builder. He is also a serial maker who built and shipped 15+ projects using no-code tools. His SaaS product Shoutout generates $30k ARR which was sold to a UK-based product studio. Prev, Sharath worked for world-changing startups like Product Hunt and On Deck, where he helped build and nurture communities. He also grew his audience on Twitter from 200 to 20,000 using give-first principles and creating high-value content. Currently, he is the Head of Community at Threado and runs a newsletter called Sharath's CliffNotes alongside hosting this podcast.
👉🏼 Description:
Listen in to hear Sharath and Adam talk about the importance of storytelling in startups, building conviction as a founder, and the importance of trust in the world of finance, startups, and VC.
Timestamps:
- 0:00 | Episode highlight
- 01:14 | Intro to Adam Draper - the coolest VC in town
- 7:00 | Boost VC logo - its origin story and meaning
- 11:33 | Adam's book: "Breakfast with Pops" and why we need an intro to venture capital
- 14:30 | Adam's adventures outside of his venture capital legacy
- 21:20 | How Adam's unique venture capital talent helps founders
- 26:35 | Why is storytelling so important in the world of startups and venture capital?
- 28:16 | Non-obvious problems founders face
- 35:05| Founder personality traits Boost VC looks for
- 43:16 | How founders can build conviction in themselves and their work
- 50:09 | Why VC is a service job
- 54:45 | The importance of trust in the startup and VC world
- 57:17 | Common mistakes by early-stage founders
- 1:03:34 | What Adam looks for in a founder pitch
- 1:13:40 | Adam's worst experience in venture capital
- 1:22:08 | Rapid Fire 5: Crazy founder story, biggest miss by Boost VC, favorite investment, and more
- 1:39:13 | Outro
👉🏼 Resources:
- George Shultz, "Trust is the coin of the realm": https://www.hoover.org/research/trust-coin-realm
- Tim Draper: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Draper
- Bill Draper: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Henry_Draper_III
- Mark Andreessen: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marc_Andreessen
- Shamez Kanji (Devonshire Partners):
- Make School: https://makeschool.org/
- Chris Dixon: https://cdixon.org/
- Brian Armstrong: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Armstrong_(businessman)
- Fred Wilson: https://avc.com/
- Launcher: https://www.launcherspace.com/
- Max Haot: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxhaot/
- MeasureX: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Measurex
- Ben Horowitz: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Horowitz
- Radiant: https://www.radiantnuclear.com/
- Brayton Williams: https://www.linkedin.com/in/braytonwilliams
👉🏼 Where to find Adam Draper:
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/AdamDraper
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adraper
- Email: adam@boost.vc
- Boost VC: https://www.boost.vc/
- Book, "Breakfast With Pops": https://www.amazon.com/Breakfast-Pops-Venture-Capital-Handbook/dp/B0C1JHXTQF
👉🏼 Where to find Sharath:
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/5harath
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@5harath
- Website: https://5harath.com/
- Newsletter: https://5harath.substack.com/