Early-career growth in venture capital heavily depends on learning from experienced professionals in top-tier funds.
Access to top-tier deal flow is more limited at smaller or lesser-known funds, which can hinder building real investing expertise.
The lack of ownership in evaluating mediocre deals may dull judgment and make it difficult to provide value beyond capital.
However, the author acknowledges that their time in venture capital provided valuable knowledge, exposure to emerging technologies, and insights on what makes a strong company.