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Sure Shot Entrepreneur Newsletter

8VC, Lobby Capital, MileAuto: The Sure Shot Entrepreneur Newsletter

Published 4 months ago • 2 min read

Hello Reader,

Successful founders understand that their interactions are part of a long-term game. They recognize that some individuals they encounter will offer immediate value, such as making investments, offering advice, becoming customers, or joining up as employees. However, many others may not be immediately useful but will become immensely useful in the future as partners, employees, investors, customers, or even fellow founders.

These successful founders skillfully leverage immediate assistance while actively cultivating long-term relationships. This crucial skill is often referred to as strategic networking or relationship building.

Bhaskar Ghosh, Partner at 8VC, refers to this as "intentional networking". In my latest podcast episode, he advises founders to approach each conversation with investors as a potential partnership, rather than just a pitch.

– Gopi Rangan, Host of the The Sure Shot Entrepreneur podcast​

Startup Corner: Mile Auto

In an oversaturated auto insurance market, Mile Auto stands out with a pay-per-mile model that emphasizes fairness, precision, and privacy. Instead of relying on invasive telematics, Mile Auto uses a simple but powerful system where customers snap a quick dashboard photo to log mileage.

CEO Fred Blumer explains that the future of insurance lies not in competing solely on price, but on precision and trust. Drivers logging fewer miles can save 30–40%, while insurers gain a smarter, more cost-efficient way to manage risk.

This innovation brings control back to consumers, making insurance transparent, fair, and tailored to real usage.

Podcast Entries: Learn the art of intentional networking

​My guest in episode 173 is Bhaskar Ghosh, Partner at 8VC. At the heart of our conversation is his unique “geometry framework” for assessing go-to-market strategy for enterprise startups, which balances persona, product, and budget.

Bhaskar also emphasizes the role of intentional networking in building successful careers and companies. He urges founders to approach relationships as partnerships, not pitches, focusing on service and long-term alignment instead of short-term transactions. He also talks about why managing uncertainty is the core skill in zero-to-one journey, and shares insights on the opportunities in generative AI and data infrastructure.

Connected Insights: Venture capital is ultimately a relationship business

​In episode 159, my guest was David Hornik, founding partner at Lobby Capital. David has built a career investing in game-changing companies by focusing on trust, empathy, and authenticity—often supporting founders long before formal investments are made. He believes that venture capital is ultimately a relationship business, not a transaction business. David shares his take on what makes a startup truly investable and why understanding a problem deeply is more valuable than chasing market trends.

Bhaskar’s and David's perspectives reinforce a timeless principle: in startups and venture capital investing, genuine relationships aren’t just helpful—they’re the foundation of lasting success.

Community Involvement: Society for Arts and Culture of South Asia (SACSA)

Beyond venture capital, Bhaskar is passionate about community and arts. Through his involvement with the Society for Arts and Culture of South Asia (SACSA), he supports programs that promote South Asian heritage and foster cross-cultural dialogue.

SACSA co-sponsors Ragas Live, a 24-hour Indian classical and sacred music festival hosted at New York’s Pioneer Works. The event unites musicians from India, Pakistan, the Middle East, and beyond, celebrating the power of music to transcend borders and bring people together.

Bhaskar’s commitment to SACSA reflects his belief that connection isn’t just professional—it’s cultural, artistic, and deeply human.

​

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Sure Shot Entrepreneur Newsletter

Gopi Rangan

Enable Peace of Mind for all. We believe in mission-driven entrepreneurs at the earliest stages before the rest of the world realizes the impact of their visionary ideas. This newsletter pairs well with our podcast that shares all the funders and founders' knowledge to startup and scale your ideas. All the best, Gopi

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