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This is part 2/2 of this podcast with Sam Wen, a partner at Green Visor Capital, founder of Volley Travel and co-founder of Square. In episode 1, we went through the early days of building Square, and all the reasons behind Square's success.
In this episode, Sam shares the story behind Volley Travel, we talked about the challenges of pivoting as a VC-backed startup, how they secured an acquisition, and the value of having a strong engineering-led team. Sam also shares his vision of Venture Capital and offers valuable insights for aspiring entrepreneurs and investors, emphasizing the significance of operator experience and scalability in startups.
Have a great episode!
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Learn more about Sam, and Green Visor.
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
00:44 Recap of Episode One
01:31 The Journey to Volley Travel
02:19 Pivoting the Business Model
04:14 Challenges and Lessons Learned
07:03 The Acquisition Process
17:53 Transition to Venture Capital
25:27 Empathy in Investing: A Double-Edged Sword
27:07 Identifying Green and Red Flags in Investments
27:39 The Importance of Technology in Early-Stage Companies
31:25 The Role of Charisma in Founders
34:42 Navigating the VC Landscape: Tips and Insights
40:07 Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs and Investors
44:39 Inspiring Stories and Final Thoughts
Navigating the downside of a startup and becoming a VC investor - Sam Wen (Square, Volley Travel, Green Visor Capital) - S2 Ep18