E79: Mike Maples on How to Return 100X+ on Seed Investments

Mike Maples, Founding Partner at Floodgate, sits down with David Weisburd to discuss Mike’s new book “Pattern Breakers: Why Some Start-Ups Change the Future”. This is a masterclass on early-stage venture investing. Mike shares his views on identifying ideas and founders that led to his early investments in Lyft, Twitter, and Okta. They also cover how Mike thinks about fundraising from LPs, his learnings from legendary LP David Swensen, and the power and importance of pursuing non-consensus ideas. (0:00) Episode preview (1:23) Introduction to "Pattern Breakers" (2:22) The role of startup capitalists (5:01) The Twitter story and insights on early-stage investing (7:24) The importance of founder future fit (15:33)Product market fit: deciding when to pivot vs. stay the course (21:54)Insights empowering new business models (27:21)Creating movements and the role of passion (32:02)Building relationships with LPs (37:14)Advice for new VCs raising money (39:10)The importance of pursuing non-consensus ideas (43:18)10X Capital Podcast Newsletter (43:40)Lessons from David Swensen (47:14)Benefits of a compatible partnership (49:06)Circle of competence and competitive advantage in VC (51:41)How to find Mike’s new book "Pattern Breakers"