Punit Soni and the Venture Fund (Round 9)

Writing this between interviews, life is amazing.

The only thing that is different between a long drawn out boxing match and Venture Capital recruiting is that in this case, both sides are working together towards a common goal (they hire me, I join them).

The rest is the same. I spar with my fellow VC friends at school to prepare for the big day. Each trip to the Bay Area is like the sound of a gong signifying the start of a new round. We talk, poke, nudge, sniff around for weaknesses, and do our diligence on both ends. Every round seems pretty inconclusive. I am not sure they dislike me, they are not sure they like me. And we keep going at each other. Round after round.

I am into the second month of interviewing with some firms. People like me, some swear by me, but I need to meet each partner in the firm and so I fly in and out of Bay Area. The rounds continue. And the best part is I am still standing.

The best news so far is that I have no bad news. No. Not even a single iota of negativity. Everything is moving forward. I like some firms more than the others. Some firms seem to believe in me more than the others. And so it goes...

What's the lesson here? Venture Capital recruiting is about three things:

1. Opportunity
2. Capability
3. Patience

Opportunity is something you co-father with fate. Capability is primarily self-belief, more an attitude than your resume. Patience is what seals the deal. The best fighters are not the ones who jab aggressively at every opportunity. They are the ones who know when to fight and when to rest. They are the last men standing.

I am still up and about.