Hello Reader, I’ve been teaching entrepreneurship at INSEAD for 10 years. Around 1,000 students have gone through my courses, and one of them - Building Businesses in Silicon Valley - has become a top elective. My mission is simple: I want to show students that entrepreneurship isn’t just a dream, it’s a real, rewarding career path. There’s nothing better than working with bright, ambitious minds and helping them take their first steps toward building something meaningful. Lately, I’ve seen...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
Hello Reader, I had a great time chatting with Prof. Claudia Zeisberger from INSEAD on her podcast recently. She asked some really thoughtful questions that got me reflecting on the state of venture capital today, the rise of AI, and why I’m still incredibly optimistic about the startup world. If you're curious, you can check out the episode here: Inside the Mind of a Top Tech Investor from San Francisco. On The Sure Shot Entrepreneur this week, I’m joined by my good friend and fellow INSEAD...
about 2 months ago • 2 min read
Hello Reader, We've published 164 episodes of The Sure Shot Entrepreneur Podcast, featuring conversations with some of the most thoughtful venture capital fund managers. I almost always ask them about their investment thesis and how they build conviction. Every now and then, the roles reverse and I find myself on the other side of the mic. In a recent episode of the Product Market Fit podcast with Pablo Srugo, I had the chance to share my own perspective on a question I often ask others: What...
2 months ago • 2 min read
Hello Reader, – Gopi Rangan, Host of the The Sure Shot Entrepreneur podcast Startup Corner: TaskHuman TaskHuman, a personalized coaching platform backed by Sure Ventures, spotlighted their most-loved webinars of 2024—ranging from leadership growth to holistic well-being. These sessions reflect TaskHuman’s mission to provide scalable, one-on-one coaching for employees across industries. Their success demonstrates how digital-first coaching can help individuals thrive personally and...
3 months ago • 1 min read
Hello Reader, This week, we take a break from interviews with VCs to highlight a non-profit organization close to my heart. As part of Podcasthon’s weeklong initiative, we dedicated this episode to Achieve Kids, a non-public school serving children with special needs. My connection to special needs education began during graduate school when I was a tutor to understand students with learning disabilities. While the job helped pay for my living expenses, it also gave me a profound window into...
3 months ago • 2 min read
Hello Reader, Silicon Valley remains the world's innovation hub, driven by an unmatched spirit of entrepreneurship. However, over the past few decades, vibrant startup ecosystems have emerged across the U.S. and around the globe, nurturing entrepreneurship and producing remarkable companies. While Silicon Valley still leads by a wide margin, I’m always on the lookout for visionary founders across the U.S. In this episode, listen to Allen Taylor as he shares his mission to build thriving...
4 months ago • 2 min read
Hello Reader, Founders are strong believers in the ideas they bring to life. The early investors are strong believers too. Paradoxically, the very same people have to remain skeptical and test the underlying viability throughout the lifetime of the startup. It requires a strong focus on the value proposition and customer pain points to identify the true signal of startup success. This allows founders and their investors to actively navigate (/pivot) to safer ground than running headlong into...
4 months ago • 2 min read
Hello Reader, Last week, I had the privilege of leading a group of international executives on a tour of Silicon Valley. It’s always inspiring to see leaders in awe of cutting-edge technology and the transformative ideas shaping our future. This tour was part of INSEAD’s celebration of the 5th anniversary of its San Francisco campus—a milestone for a truly global institution. While the main conference was insightful, the real magic often happens in the hallways, where side-bar conversations...
5 months ago • 2 min read
Hello Reader, Your attention is valuable, and we never take it for granted, even when you've chosen to open this email. In this edition, venture investor Pablo Srugo shares his insider playbook for founders looking to capture (and keep) investor attention. While I have your attention, don't miss an eye-opening analysis on AI adoption trends from researchers Peter Zemsky and Ricky Wong, who've mined Github data to uncover which companies, regions, and industries are leading the AI revolution....
5 months ago • 2 min read