Sequoia turned down Google in 1999.
Accel turned down Facebook in 2004.
Bessemer turned down AirBnb in 2008.
Every GREAT investor has a long list of the companies that got away. That’s just a part of the job. You’re going to have big misses.
For example, the Triple Whale team reached out to me early on and I passed. I also had an early look at beehiiv and decided to pass anyway.
I missed both… big time. But, the big misses are just as important as the big wins.
Before you pass on a deal, you have to actually SEE the deal. And, as painful as it is to realize that you forfeited a huge opportunity, the fact that you saw that deal means you’re doing something right.
Big misses are a sign that you have good deal flow. They’re a sign that your network and your reputation attract great founders.
Each time that you experience a big miss, you should feel confident about doubling down on your strategy for sourcing deals and building relationships.
After all, it’s clearly working!
