Your ‘Why’ Is Your Only Edge: Building a Venture Firm that Actually Stands Out
In this episode, Earnest Sweat and Santosh Sankar unpack what it really takes to start and sustain a venture firm in today’s brutal fundraising environment, where the top 30 funds capture most LP capital. They compare spin-outs to de novo emerging managers, stress why a clear “why” and real differentiation (beyond generic websites and value-add claims) are essential, and explore how narrative, content, and staying visible matter more than ever. They argue that relationships and trust are a lasting edge in an AI-saturated world, discuss the tradeoffs between being a solo GP versus building a…
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