Positive-sum games

I know what kind of game I’m playing… Do you?

Angel investing and the early-stage consumer ecosystem are so collaborative. I’m constantly impressed by how helpful and generous everyone is.

In this industry, most of the work you do has the opportunity to be positive-sum:

- You can invest alongside other angels rather than against them.
- You can help founders find other investors, service providers, agency partners, or early team members, even if you’re not participating yourself.

A positive-sum environment incentivizes collaboration. You win alongside other participants, not against them.

It’s so different from the world I came from.

In commercial real estate, almost everything is zero-sum. Only one firm can win a bid and everyone else loses. Zero-sum industries create a cutthroat, opportunist culture of endless competition.

If you want to see someone who personifies the positive-sum culture in the consumer space, just look at Nik Sharma.

Still in his late 20s, he’s built an incredible reputation by doing great work, helping others without the expectation of anything in return, and being extremely generous with his time.

So what’s my advice?

Look for opportunities to play positive-sum games.