Comments on: 10 skills I look for before writing a check, Part 1

By: Albert

Albert — Fri, 21 May 2010 07:15:24 +0000

Great article. Been reading VentureHacks for a while. It’s tougher here in Southern California to meet people who really understand tech (here in Orange County especially), but persistence and devotion truly pay off. Even when things go horrible, you keep going. Love the articles – keep them up.

By: Ben

Ben — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 07:12:29 +0000

Love your post, Mark, and I love being in the mix of a new startup even if it’s taken me the last 7+ years. Finally reaching customers with a product that is like no other is simply gratifying. Most would say I’m crazy for what it’s taken to reach a goal I never set, but I feel after losing more than 100K to shady investors five years ago, your post means that much more to me. My entrepreneur friends I’m sure will love to see this post. I will pass your link on.

To all posters above, don’t give up, but also do your homework on everyone and everything you do in your startup. You have the resources of the Internet and there are no excuses.

By: Nivi

Nivi — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 18:12:32 +0000

I think that’s where the ability to pivot comes in.

By: Flo

Flo — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 09:54:05 +0000

Great post, Mark! It is good to be tenacious and resilient, but at what point do you give up?

By: Been Around

Been Around — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 00:07:44 +0000

Berislav, DFJ, Intel Capital, Mangrove, Index, … all invest in the New Europe (Eastern Europe).

By: mica

mica — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 05:14:40 +0000

Excellent post! @Mark… you are not nice! But I appreciate your, sometimes, brutal honesty. I look forward to meeting you.

By: Sisyphus For Startups : Coconut Headsets

Sisyphus For Startups : Coconut Headsets — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 15:17:38 +0000

[...] the rock rolls back down the hill. They start the push over. Some VCs have even written that persistence is the #1 trait they look for in [...]

By: Mark Suster

Mark Suster — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 02:27:18 +0000

Thanks, Ryan. One day I hope to live in China for a year. Let’s see.

By: Mark Suster

Mark Suster — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 02:26:05 +0000

Yes. Shameless is a good word. So is chutzpah. And a healthy dose is helpful.

By: Mark Suster

Mark Suster — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 02:24:50 +0000

Quick thoughts:

Startups aren’t for everybody. A person with 2 kids and a mortgage who can’t or doesn’t want to take the risk is totally understandable. But these people should perhaps either join companies after they’re funded or go for safer startups (e.g. with things like consulting incomes) until they can raise capital.

But the truth is that high-potential, high growth startups are mostly infiltrated with young people. Just like sports teams. It’s not always fair but it’s reality.