But what if it works?
On finding the reason(s) to believe
Cynics never make money in venture. It’s a “what if” business, after all! To do this job well, you have to believe three things:
The future will be better than the present;
Technology will take us there; AND
The craziest (sounding) ideas tend to be the most impactful.
The challenge on point three is striking the line between optimism and delusion. Is Company X a camera company or a “distributed global intelligence network”? Is Company Y “elevating global consciousness” or are they just a real estate sublessor? I could go on…
The bright line test is the specificity with which a founder can articulate what must go right along the way for them to win. “But what if it works?” is fine. “Here’s the playing field and the calculated risks we’re taking along the way” is much stronger. Hyperfluency on the messy middle of a company tends to distinguish the dreamers from the winners.
Happy hunting!