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Good companies don’t just do the right things. They do them consistently. What stands out is how these companies operate: - They stay flexible in what they build - They find a small group of users who really care - They move fast and keep shipping - They don’t overthink decisions - They measure everything There’s also a subtle point here. Many successful companies didn’t start exactly where they ended up. They adapted along the way. Which means the goal early on is not to be right. It’s to learn quickly and adjust. 👏 Credit to James Currier for putting this together.

Excited for the upcoming Private Equity Virtual Conf hosted by Max Pog Join 100+ LPs, GPs & Family Offices for conversations around PE trends, AI in investing, deal flow & networking. 📅 May 29, 2026 🌍 Online 🕗 8AM SF | 11AM NYC | 4PM London Free registration link in the comments 👇

Zoom made it possible to pitch 100+ funds, but it also made it harder to build real conviction. As Chaz Flexman points out, fundraising today is less about access and more about managing timing and keeping investors moving, while dealing with how unexpectedly isolating the process can be.

Seattle is one of the most technically focused startup ecosystems in the US, especially across AI, cloud, and enterprise software. We mapped 22 venture funds in Seattle investing across pre-seed, seed, and growth stages. Many of these investors are operator-led and focus on building long-term, technically strong companies. If you’re a founder planning your next round, this list is a useful starting point. Read the full list here:

Most founders think a 60-minute meeting means 60 minutes of attention. It doesn’t. This note from Sequoia Capital breaks it down simply. You have about 5 minutes to earn the next 15. And only then do you get the full conversation. That changes how you should think about a pitch. Not as a full presentation But as something that earns attention step by step A few things that follow from that: - The opening matters more than the rest - Clear problem > detailed solution - A simple explanation beats a complete one - Good meetings turn into conversations, not slides Most pitches don’t fail at the end. They fail in the first few minutes.

A simple but powerful tactic from Chaz Flexman: After early investor meetings, he would send a short document: 1. Common questions 2. Clear, structured answers Not at the first meeting. But once there was real interest. Why it works: Every startup gets the same questions on repeat. “What about X?” “Why not do Y instead?” If those questions sit unanswered, they slow everything down. Or worse, create doubt. So instead of reacting, he controlled the narrative. Answered concerns before they were raised. Removed friction from the process. It’s a small move. But it does two things: 1. Speeds up decision-making 2. Signals clarity and preparedness Follow Foundersuite for more insights on startups & venture.

This Y Combinator guide breaks down what actually matters when pitching at Series A. If someone can’t understand what the company does in the first minute, the rest doesn’t matter. A few patterns that show up: - Strong traction early in the deck changes attention - Simple explanations work better than detailed ones - Most investors care about one thing: can this become a very large company - Good pitches feel like conversations, not presentations - The best founders address weaknesses directly The underlying idea is simple. You are not just sharing information. You are helping someone quickly believe in a very large outcome.

A practical take from Chaz Flexman: Most founders approach fundraising like a series of conversations. That’s the mistake. The best founders treat it like a funnel. 1. 100–150 investors in pipeline 2. Every interaction tracked 3. Every objection logged 4. Every follow-up structured Because there is no pattern to who says yes. The investor you’re sure will invest might disappear. The one you wrote off might write the check. So guessing doesn’t work. Process does.

Insights from Andrew Ackerman on why the outcome of a raise is often determined before the process even starts. Worth reading if you're fundraising:

At 0 → 1, logic doesn’t build companies. Intensity does. The best founders operate with a simple mindset: If something needs to happen, it will happen. No matter how many obstacles are in the way and that edge compounds. A story shared by Pablo Srugo