Brad Feld, Managing Director of the Foundry Group -TWiST #319

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Jason talks with Brad about the Foundry group and his new book Startup Communities.

Read the full transcript

0:30 When Brad Feld talks, I shut up and listen, and I never shut up. This is going to be a great show.
3:40 Let's thank Igloo Software for sponsoring the program, save 10% by going to igloosoftware.com/thisweekin 
5:00 What's the secret to the startup community in Boulder
8:15 Why didn't you retire at 30?
8:30 Was it just that you loved the game so much?
10:00 When did we meet?
11:30 Explain what it was like when one of your investments failed each month of 2001
13:00 Did you ever think of giving up?
14:30 What was your lowest point?
17:05 What is the Boulder Thesis?
17:25 What is a feeder?
21:10 Were you alone when you started in Boulder?
21:50 How many companies have you invested in?
22:55 Why do you prefer to invest in first time funds?
24:10 I want to thank eMinutes for sponsoring the program.
26:00 What is it that makes you instantly want to invest in something?
26:45 Why do you only want to be early stage investors?
30:45 What are you looking for in terms of skills, do they need to be developers, or designers?
32:25 So too many business people and not enough product people is a red flag?
36:30 Is part of your job as a VC being a therapist to?
41:30 Who do you think are the highest working VCs?
41:55 What makes Fred Wilson so special?
46:35 What do your LPs say when you make money from 13 years ago?
47:14 what do you think of Andreessen Horowitz raising the stakes?
50:30 What makes a great Angel Investor?
51:35 Explain culture versus competence.
52:30 How do you tell an entrepreneur an employee isn't a cultural fit?
53:15 What's the difference between culture and style?
59:20 What's the craziest bad behavior you've ever ever seen by a VC?
60:40 As a VC, how do you deal with another 'douchey' VC?
64:30 What is a one slide board meeting?
68:00 A VC would manipulate an entrepreneur to sell? Brad: Yes
69:00 Jason says Roelof Both of Sequoia Capital is the perfect VC
70:00 Brad: What do you want to do between now and when the lights go out?
71:00 Coaching for entrepreneurs is something TechStars has worked hard on
71:30: Brad tells how he fired someone for the first time
75:30: The weird space entrepreneurs live in/why they need mentors
76:30: Thanks Brad - everyone go buy the book, follow @bfeld, brad@feld.com, read his blog at feld.com
77:00 Thanks to our sponsors Igloo & eMinutes

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Full Transcript

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Brad: @bfeld
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Special thanks to the members of the TWiST Backchannel Program!

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• Louis-Eric Simard
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