Lessons From a Lifetime in Venture - (Sequoia) Doug Leone & (Sequoia) Luciana Lixandru | Slush 2022

Lessons From a Lifetime in Venture - (Sequoia) Doug Leone & (Sequoia) Luciana Lixandru | Slush 2022
Doug Leone has been at the forefront of VC for more than three decades and has seen it all - from navigating the dot-com bubble and financial crisis to driving Sequoia Capital’s expansion to China, India and Europe.
In conversation with Sequoia Partner Luciana Lixandru, Doug will share the crucible moments that have shaped his journey, his approach to company building, and candid advice for founders in uncertain times.

[@jasonacurry]

Finally straight talk. He's the perfect mix of old school, hard core value based analysis and venture. Also, "Stealth and speed" is counter to the build in public so many are doing, which I love. "cocktail material ... it's a bunch of crap".

[@JensGonnermann]

Amazing advice. Straight talk. Thanks.

[@VJ-lt9uk]

Audio quality is terrible.

[@christopherarmstrong2710]

7:04 Do not take your foot off the product accelerator, even in tough times - if you can afford it. Tough times will be followed by good times, and if you had the ability to invest in product - the core of the company, with sales being at the outer rim - you're going to come out with a much better offering when the time is right. 7:45 Product 1st, Revenue 2nd. If you're weak, hold onto marginal improvement of product, if you're strong attack on product and find the right balance of sales and revenues. 8:18 PMF is what's really tough. It's the genius level you bring. Everything else is mechanical - what experienced biz partners like Sequoia can help solve. 22:20 Startups have 2 advantages: 1) Stealth, 2) Speed. Why would you ever give up any one of them? Shut the hell up unless there's a reason to be loud. Customers and employees don't care about how much funds you raised. In recruiting, it's more about the *sales skills* of a CEO or founder. When you're small and weak, why announce? Lay low and be like the restaurant who doesn't post their phone number, yet there's a line out the door. 24:00 If VC loses its dream and true belief to align itself w/ startups, then they're out of business.