Venture Capitalists at Work

11/23/2011 · No Responses

Venture Capitalists at Work: How VCs Identify and Build Billion-Dollar Successes offers unparalleled insights into the funding and management of companies like YouTube, Zappos, Twitter, Starent, Facebook, and Groupon. The venture capitalists profiled—among the best in the business— also reveal how they identify promising markets, products, and entrepreneurs.

Author Tarang Shah, a venture capital professional himself, interviews rising VC stars, Internet and software investment pioneers, and venture investment thought leaders. You’ll learn firsthand what criteria venture capitalists use to make investments, how they structure deals, the many ways they help the companies they fund, avoidable mistakes they see all too often, the role of luck in a success, and why so many startups fail.

Venture Capitalists at Work also contains interviews with those on the receiving end of venture money—entrepreneurs in high-profile startups that went on to achieve great success. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, an aspiring VC, an M&A professional, or an ambitious student, the knowledge you will gain from Venture Capitalists at Work could provide a significant shortcut to success.

What you’ll learn

How venture capitalists identify promising markets, entrepreneurs, and companies
What venture capitalists are looking for in entrepreneurs and business plans
How to build an “A” team and a culture of success
Successful relationship dynamics between entrepreneur and investors
When to slow down, ramp up, and scale companies
Knowing when to sell a business, keep growing, or shut it down
Why startups fail
Common entrepreneurial mistakes you can avoid

Who this book is for
This book is a must-read for entrepreneurs and venture capital/private equity investors. It’s also for venture capitalists and entrepreneurs in emerging markets who want to apply to homegrown ventures the Silicon Valley model of building billion-dollar startups. Corporate executives focused on innovation or mergers and acquisitions will find the book’s insights priceless. Finally, business students and aspiring entrepreneurs will find this book a great reference guide and how-to manual for starting companies, building new products and services, and helping move the 21st century economy forward.

Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Roelof Botha, Sequoia Capital
Chapter 2: Mike Maples, FLOODGATE Fund
Chapter 3: George Zachary, Charles River Ventures
Chapter 4: Sean Dalton, Highland Capital Partners
Chapter 5: Alex Mehr, Zoosk
Chapter 6: Howard Morgan, First Round Capital and Idealab
Chapter 7: Tim Draper, DFJ
Chapter 8: Osman Rashid, Chegg
Chapter 9: Harry Weller, NEA
Chapter 10: David Cowan, Bessemer Venture Partners
Chapter 11: Michael Birch, Bebo and Birthday Alarm
Chapter 12: Mitchell Kertzman, Hummer Winblad Venture Partners
Chapter 13: Scott Sandell, NEA
Chapter 14: Gus Tai, Trinity Ventures
Chapter 15: Steven Dietz, GRP Partners
Chapter 16: Paul Scanlan, MobiTV
Chapter 17: Ann Winblad, Hummer Winblad Venture Partners
Chapter 18: Jim Goetz, Sequoia Capital
Chapter 19: Roger Lee, Battery Ventures
Chapter 20: Ken Howery, Founders Fund
Chapter 21: Alfred Lin, Sequoia Capital and Zappos
Chapter 22: Kevin Hartz, Xoom and Eventbrite
Chapter 23: Eric Hippeau, Lerer Ventures and SoftBank Capital
Chapter 24: David Lee, SV Angels
Chapter 25: Ted Alexander, Mission Ventures
Chapter 26: Robert Kibble, Mission Ventures
Chapter 27: Rajiv Laroia, Flarion
Chapter 28: Jim Boettcher and Kevin McQuillan, Focus Ventures
Chapter 29: Mike Hodges, ATA Ventures
Chapter 30: Alan Patricof, Greycroft Partners
Chapter 31: Ben Elowitz, Blue Nile and Wet Paint
Chapter 32: Vish Mishra, Clearstone Venture Partners
Chapter 33: Richard Wong, Accel Partners
Chapter 34: Randy Komisar, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers
Chapter 35: Peter Wagner, Accel Partners