Episode 74
Episode #74: Round Names Are Dead, How To Ask For Advice, Private Wealth Goes Direct
The Learning Corner by Precursor · Mia Farnham, Charles Hudson
April 9, 202621m 14s
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Show Notes
This week on The Learning Corner, Mia and Charles dig into a piece by Ashley Smith of Vermilion Cliffs Ventures on why seed round names have become essentially meaningless, with YC Demo Day valuations hitting $40M post for companies with eight weeks of runway. They then unpack Auren Hoffman's sharp and practical breakdown of how to actually ask for advice without wasting people's time, and why closing the loop is the most underrated relationship builder in your network. The episode closes on a major structural shift in venture: family offices and private wealth firms cutting out VC middlemen and going directly into startups, as covered in a recent TechCrunch Equity episode. Tune in for a conversation spanning venture pricing, shifting capital dynamics, and the soft skills that still matter in a world full of AI answers.
Round Names Are Meaningless Right Now - Ashley Smith
How to Ask for Advice (Without Wasting Everyone's Time) - Auren Hoffman
Why Private Wealth Is Cutting Out the VC Middleman - TechCrunch Equity
(0:00) Episode introduction and the role of venture capitalists (0:59) Seed round pricing and its impact on venture returns (5:16) Outbound sourcing and round names in venture capital (7:53) Asking for advice and providing resources (10:59) Closing the loop and treating advice as a portfolio (15:18) Family offices and private wealth firms in venture capital (19:22) Co-investing with LPs, investment risks, and valuation dynamics (20:54) Trust-based decisions and wrap-up