Jeremy Tan Reflects on Ten Years in Venture Capital

These lessons took 10 years in VC and >20 years as an investor to learn:
 
I’ve seen the good, the bad, and the ridiculous.
 
These are observations I noted down and read regularly to remind myself.
 
For VCs new and old - consider these crucial reminders:
 
- Be kind. It costs nothing.
- Your fund size is your strategy.
- Give people a chance, you’ll be surprised.
- Help build real businesses, not cash furnaces.
- Help others succeed. They'll return the favour.

- Turn on the camera on video calls with founders.
- You can have many bets, founders only have one bet.
- Startups take time to build. Don’t rush the process too soon.
- No trend stays the same forever. Be ready to adapt to changes.
- You can bring more than just money, you’re the catalyst to accelerate.

- Few startups become unicorns. You can still deliver returns without one.
- Risk is relative to your depth of understanding of where you invest in.
- Founders are not robots - they are human beings with big dreams.
- Investors stand on the success of founders, remember that.
- Never be too proud to change your mind in the face of new info.

- Your expertise lies in guiding, not steering. Let founders drive.
- Be respectful. Money should not make you less human.
- Work with and help others - you’ll go further, faster.
- There’ll be areas out of your control. Manage risk.
- Always understand before deciding.
- Skip meetings with no agenda.
- Try to REALLY listen.
 
What would you add?