Lessons Learned
The key career lessons that have shaped our partners' current approaches.
At Deciens, our partners have walked diverse paths, accumulating a wealth of hard-earned wisdom along the way. From the challenges of founding a company and serving in early leadership roles, to the intricacies of crafting successful investment strategies, their experiences have shaped invaluable perspectives on what it takes to thrive in VC.
In this blog post, we invite you to tap into the collective insights of our partners as they share the key career lessons that have informed their current approaches.
Dan’s Lesson: The Power of Asking
Early in my entrepreneurial journey, one of my mentors told me, "You only get what you want by asking for it." It’s a simple yet profound truth that no one can read your mind or hear the hopes and dreams echoing within. You need to externalize those hopes, dreams, ambitions, and desires for there to be any chance of making them a reality.
While asking for what you want is a necessary step, it is far from sufficient on its own. As a founder, I have asked countless people to help support my ambitions. The vast majority have said no; however, the few who said yes have made all the difference. Being a successful founder requires courage and resilience to keep asking, keep pitching, and keep putting yourself and your vision out there, despite the rejections.
In the rollercoaster journey of entrepreneurship, the act of asking does not guarantee success, but it opens the door to possibilities that would otherwise remain firmly shut. By sharing your aspirations, you invite the opportunity for them to be realized, even if the path is paved with numerous refusals before the eventual affirmation.
Ishan’s Lesson: The Importance of a Defined Investment Strategy
One of the most crucial lessons I’ve learned is the importance of having a well-defined investment strategy with a clear rationale for how value and returns will be generated, and structuring the firm around that strategy. Many, if not most, venture funds are simply composed of smart people trying to make “good" investments, but without any particular defined theory or approach. In an industry brimming with very smart people, it’s tough to outperform the rest without having a distinct edge.
A defined approach enables several key advantages:
Having clarity on the types of investments a fund should make.
Maintaining investment discipline as markets change, avoiding being swayed by what’s hot at a given moment.
Building infrastructure (people, processes, etc.) that fully aligns with the fund’s beliefs on how value will be created, both in making new investments and supporting existing investments.
Ultimately, driving outsized returns by executing the defined strategy.
This well-defined approach also instills confidence in LPs that the firm can consistently outperform over an extended period, as there is a straightforward theory supporting the fund’s ability to do so.
Vishal’s Lesson: The Art of Delegation and Taking Charge
Most executives struggle with knowing when to delegate and when to take charge – a delicate balance that’s hard to master. Two different leaders, at different stages in my career, gave me ostensibly conflicting advice. As an early manager, I was pushed to delegate more. Later, as a seasoned executive, I was urged to take back control from the team. Through time and experience, I learned that their advice wasn’t conflicting, but complementary – two pieces of the puzzle.
First-time managers often find delegation difficult. This is especially true in scaling companies, where managers usually reach their position of leadership through technical expertise. Eventually, you realize that four people simultaneously working at 90% are far more productive than only you at 120% – not to mention the sustainability advantage of sharing the workload. Figuring out this challenge is the first trick most leaders need to learn.
The second challenge is recognizing when to take the reins back. Great leaders aren’t above doing the work of their teams. In crucible moments – time-sensitive and mission-critical problems like handling a new customer type, launching a defining product, or architecting key infrastructure – nothing beats the execution power of an experienced expert. These moments are standard early on but resurface over time. You must be ready to push the organization to greatness when needed.
Both skills – delegation and taking charge – are critical and support each other. You need a sustainable operating model so that when crucible moments arrive, you have gas in the tank, both personally and as an organization, to ramp up your execution and meet the challenge.
Final Words
Whether it’s the power of asking, the importance of a defined investment strategy, or the delicate balance of delegation and taking charge, these lessons serve as guideposts for leaders at all levels. By embracing these principles, those seeking a career in VC and beyond can navigate the complexities of their careers with greater clarity, focus, and resilience – positioning themselves for long-term success.
