• Genuine Curiosity
• Hustle + Resourcefulness
• Empathy
• Strong communication skills
• Intellectual Honesty + Integrity
• Bias towards action
• Cautious Optimism
• Energy
• Speed
• Ability to context switch
• High quality pattern recognition -- that’s basically the entire job
• Taste -- balancing being contrarian with credibility

It’s impossible to do all well — but the best peers I’ve come across excel in a few, and that’s what sets them apart.

That’s the incredible thing about VC -- there’s no one-size-fits-all. I’ve seen journalists, engineers, and exited CEOs all thrive. What unites them isn’t pedigree, but the ability to think from first principles, recognize patterns, and win founder trust.