10/9/19 edit: VMware has acquired Carbon Black for $2.1 billion. So, we will increase the number of startups we will back. After Carbon Black went public, Mrs. T. and I had some discussions. What should we do with my personal winnings (I co-led the first institutional round when it was called Bit9; details here and
August and That HBS Way
August for me used to be a time for relaxation and languidness. In VC, when a percentage of the partners are out on summer holidays, it just naturally slowed down the investment pace. Do you really want to make a new investment without all of your partners buying into it? As a young family, we
Still and Chill
It’s been a busy summer, and most of it has been self-inflicted. I’m writing six cases for my HBS class when I probably should have attempted one or two. But I’ve learned this about myself: I am happiest when I’m very busy. I think the curveball was a family funeral that was surprisingly uplifting. But
Hacking the U.S. News College Rankings Algorithm
I was surprised but not surprised when a very successful alumnus who had gone to an Old Ivy told me that 1/4 of his alma mater’s freshman seats each year are now “bought” (his word, not mine). I was surprised but not surprised when Harvard College admissions data released during a lawsuit showed that most
Dawn Patrol, June 2021
I’m going through a bit of a refresh: I’m replacing my four-year old iPhone, swapping out our 12-year-old family computer, and throwing out some old t-shirts. I supposed it’s normal after a pandemic and the desire to start anew. Yesterday, I did a refresh of a different kind: I fly-fished my favorite river starting at
Maine 2021
It’s hard to explain how big, wild, and treacherous Maine fly-fishing can be. With slick boulders, fast water, and no cell coverage, it’s an area that demands physical and mental stamina. Some of my fellow writers at a fly-fishing blog and I rented a house on a river to take a shot at some large-and-wild
In Memoriam: David Swensen
Arthur Brooks is teaching a great deal about happiness: at HBS and HKS, as a regular columnist for The Atlantic, and via a podcast (it is great!). He says that if you summarize thousands of social science studies, happiness is a function of three things: friends and family, faith (religion or a coherent life philosophy),