Episode #74: Round Names Are Dead, How To Ask For Advice, Private Wealth Goes Direct

The Learning Corner by Precursor · Apr 9, 2026 · 21m · transcript

This week on The Learning Corner, Mia and Charles dig into a piece by Ashley Smith of Vermilion Cliffs Ventures on why seed round names have become essentially meaningless, with YC Demo Day valuations hitting $40M post for companies with eight weeks of runway. They then unpack Auren Hoffman's sharp and practical breakdown of how to actually ask for advice without wasting people's time, and why closing the loop is the most underrated relationship builder in your network. The episode closes on a major structural shift in venture: family offices and private wealth firms cutting out VC middlemen…