Matt McCall: How to Become a Conscious Venture Capitalist

Are you tired of the adversarial relationship between entrepreneurs and investors? Matt McCall, a seasoned VC with 28 years of experience, offers a refreshing perspective on the traditional relationship dynamics we’ve come to expect. In this episode, Matt shares his unique approach to investing, where he not only provides funding but also coaching to help entrepreneurs thrive. He believes that the key to success lies in focusing on the human aspect of business, elevating entrepreneurs to be their best selves. By investing in personal growth and fostering authentic relationships, Matt has seen firsthand how this approach leads to greater resilience and success. Discover how Matt challenges the traditional VC model and why he believes that investing in the well-being of entrepreneurs is a competitive advantage.

Key Takeaways:

The relationship between entrepreneurs and investors doesn’t have to be adversarial; it can be a partnership where both parties work together for success.
Investing in personal growth and well-being supports the achievement of results in business.
VCs can act as guides and safe harbors for entrepreneurs, providing support and resources to help them thrive.
The concept of the Aristotelian ethic, focusing on curiosity, discipline, courage, and love, can lead to a more fulfilling and successful entrepreneurial journey.
Taking care of one’s well-being and addressing internal issues, such as unsaid conversations and energy drains, is crucial for long-term success and avoiding burnout.

Quotes:

“Everything that I would do as a traditional coach, I do as a VC, but I do it from the perspective of making them the highest version of themselves so we can have the best success with the company.” (13:58 | Matt)
“What launched this whole thing is we interviewed,10 years ago, a hundred entrepreneurs and said, ‘How do you want your VC to show up to be most helpful?” And number one, by far, they said, I don’t trust any of you guys. But if I could trust you, it was who can be there on a Sunday night when the demons are running through my head.” (31:56 | Matt)
“The way that I’m thinking about it is, you know, we’re putting all these demands on an entrepreneur and he or she’s got 30%, they’re at 30% of their capacity because 70% of it is blocked by something else. And so the work of becoming more aware, doing personal work, becoming more mindful, learning to meditate, learning tools and frameworks for communication, and so on. Those are about increasing the amount of available energy that I have to do the things that I love. And if I’m not focused on it, then I’m just burning myself down, and that’s what leads to burnout, collapse, companies going poof.” (35:03 | Alex)

Links

Connect with Matt McCall:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattmccall/