Ego — the incredibly powerful yet fragile currency of entrepreneurship
Some people say that ego does not belong in venture.
I think it’s powerful.
Protecting a reputation on the line
I was on a call last night talking about bringing a very famous person into one of our portfolio companies as an investor and champion of the mission.
I came out of my study into the kitchen and said to my son:
“I can’t f**k this up now.”
Putting yourself on the line matters. I constantly put my reputation on the line, knowing that it will require me to work harder. My reputation is so valuable I can’t lose it.
Ego.
Flying closer to the sun
Seth Godin has an inspiring book called the Icarus Deception. The idea of the book is that we have all been tricked by the myth that says Icarus flew too close to the sun. Screw that, fly higher. Do something incredible.
Godin talks about the idea of ‘emotional labour’ in which we bring “risk and joy and fear and love to the table. Emotional labour scales in that a little more emotional labour is worth a lot.”
Ego.
Being someone
Brian Eno in A Year with Swollen Appendices says: “Call people unemployed and pay them $15,000 per year and they’ll be miserable. Call them artists and pay them $5,000 and they’ll be overjoyed.”
I know what I am. Today I am a ‘venture builder’. I am proud of that and I work at what that means every day, sharpening the tools. It is a job I would do for free.
I am other things as well and reserve the right to not be a venture builder tomorrow. It is not a cage.
Ego.
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