E31: Slow's Will Quist Makes the Case that VC's Job is to Fund the Creation of New Data Sets

Today's episode features an interview with Will Quist, partner at Slow Ventures. In this conversation Will talks about his transition from water polo player to co-founding Slow, Slow's unique thesis in venture, the old model of VC versus new VC, and treating venture capital like a phD program.

Check out our two interviews with Will's partner at Slow, Sam Lessin:

Seed is Over https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=py7IPmDKjb4

VC in 2024 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crj_H3JPHvg

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BOOK CITED:

The Success Equation: Untangling Skill and Luck in Business, Sports, and Investing by Michael J. Mauboussin

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RELATED SHOWS:  @10xcapitalpodcast 

If you like Turpentine VC, check out our show The 10x Capital Podcast with David Weisburd, where David talks to the investors behind the investors: https://10xcapitalpodcast.com/

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X / TWITTER:

@wquist (Will)

@eriktorenberg (Erik)

@turpentinemedia

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TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Intro

(00:14) Will Quist's Journey from Pro Athlete to VC

(04:44) Slow's Evolution

(07:00) Anti-Platform From the Jump

(09:51) Helping Founders Become Better Investors in Their Own Business

(14:49) Sponsor: Turpentine

(15:12) Old vs. New Venture Capital Models

(20:46) VC Framework

(26:05) Franchises

(29:49) Success in Venture Capital

(31:13) Fund Size and Portfolio Construction at Slow

(36:11) Multistage Challenges and Opportunities

(39:25) Introducing the Slow PhD Program

(44:22) Philosophy of Building and Investing

(54:06) Wrap

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