20VC: NEW FORMAT: Mega Funds Will Come Back, Why Markups Have Corrupted VC, Why RIFs Should Always Be An Embarrassment To SaaS Founders and Why Pitching is BS and Fake with Jason Lemkin and Rick Zullo
This podcast episode explores emerging trends and challenges in the venture capital industry, emphasizing the importance of financial discipline, investor pushback, and effective communication between founders and investors. It delves into the evolving dynamics between founders and board members, highlighting the need for founders to engage with boards and heed their advice in light of potential market downturns. The episode also discusses the significance of financial acumen and business model quality in the current economic climate, as well as the challenges faced by VCs during market downturns. It further examines the role of limited partners in the venture capital industry and how their compensation based on paper markups contributed to the unicorn explosion. The episode concludes with a discussion on the strategies and considerations employed by venture capitalists when evaluating investment opportunities, emphasizing the importance of identifying deals with the potential for significant returns.