A venture capitalist's career security directly impacts the founder relationship. VCs with a proven track record (like Sequoia's Andrew Reed) act as supportive partners. In contrast, junior or less successful VCs often transfer pressure from their own partnerships onto the founder, creating a stressful and counterproductive dynamic.

Precursor Ventures makes "directional people bets" by investing smaller checks ($150-250K) in top-tier founders to fund their search for a viable business concept. This strategy prioritizes founder quality over the initial idea, recognizing that great founders can pivot to find product-market fit.

Chaddha's process prioritizes deep relationship-building over transactional speed. He requires at least 10 hours of interaction, including dinners, to gauge a founder's character, respect, and long-term partnership potential, filtering out those just seeking quick money.

The strongest signal a VC can receive is when a founder they've backed asks to become a Limited Partner, especially after an exit. It proves the VC's value far exceeded the capital provided, demonstrating deep trust and authentic partnership.

To win highly sought-after deals, growth investors must build relationships years in advance. This involves providing tangible help with hiring, customer introductions, and strategic advice, effectively acting as an investor long before deploying capital.

The initial capital for a new fund-of-funds doesn't come from cold outreach to institutions. The process mirrors an emerging VC's first fundraise, relying on a personal network of operators, VCs, and high-net-worth individuals who already believe in the founder. The strategy is to work the existing network outward, not pitch institutions from day one.

New investors should prioritize building a network that aligns with their fund's specific investment thesis. Generic networking is inefficient; focus on cultivating relationships with individuals who fit the fund's "ideal customer profile" to generate high-quality deal flow, as 80% of funded deals can come from this source.

Instead of a formal roadshow, founders should let future lead investors invest small amounts months in advance. Providing them with regular updates and hitting stated milestones builds immense trust, making the actual fundraise a quick, targeted process that optimizes for partner over price.

Reframe the pitch meeting from a judgment session to a mutual evaluation. Founders are selecting a partner for 7-10 years and must assess the investor for chemistry and fit, rather than just seeking capital from a position of need.