Cutting to the Chase

Last night, I grabbed drinks with Andrew Lau. Today, I visited with David Chang at the Harvard Innovation Lab. (I joked with my partners that this week is Chinese Entrepreneurs Week).

I really enjoyed both meetings. Each conversation was super-direct, really interesting, and incredibly valuable. Maybe that’s because I’ve known each of them for some time. Maybe that’s because we share a common immigrant heritage. I don’t know.

But, we cut to the chase and immediately “went deep.” No posturing. No B.S. Just plain and straightforward stuff.

Honestly, I really detest inauthentic conversations. Passive-aggressive behavior bums me out. I feel I have better uses for my time. I am more drawn to people who seem to have few mental defense mechanisms. They feel more real to me. They feel more true.

With Andrew, in between his f-bombs, we talked about the VC industry and what is getting each of us excited about tech. We talked about family. With David, we discussed major trends happening and a key investment theme at Kepha that we’ve been targeting. We also talked about family.

Andrew sent me such a genuine thank-you note this morning. David and I ended our meeting with a hug.

Those guys are awesome. I want only the best for each of them. Those meetings are one of many reasons why I do VC.

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