Entrepreneurship: The Power of a Strong Company Focus and Embracing Humility

As the co-founder and managing partner of Goodwater Capital, I'm Eric Kim, and my mission is to empower exceptional entrepreneurs everywhere to change the world for good.

  • 1. There isn't a one-size-fits-all formula for an exceptional entrepreneur, but a key characteristic often seen in great founders is a strong sense of always doing what's best for the company, even if
  • 2. Eric Kim is the co-founder and managing partner of Goodwater Capital, a global venture capital firm focused on consumer tech investing.
  • 3. Goodwater Capital has grown to over $3.3 billion in committed capital and has a portfolio of over 700 seed portfolio companies and 80 core portfolio companies across about 20 countries.
  • 4. The firm's thesis is that consumer technology is changing the world, and their mission is to empower exceptional entrepreneurs everywhere to change the world for good.
  • 5. Kim's parents are Korean immigrants who came to the United States seeking a better life; they were medical doctors invited to the US despite not speaking English very well due to a shortage of doct
  • 6. Growing up, Kim learned the value of hard work and perseverance from his parents, who worked multiple jobs to support their family.
  • 7. Kim discussed the importance of having a clear mission statement, citing Goodwater Capital's mission to empower exceptional entrepreneurs everywhere to change the world for good.
  • 8. Goodwater Capital has had a significant impact on the venture capital ecosystem by changing the mindset from an egocentric one to one focused on having a positive impact.
  • 9. The firm believes in stewarding technology and capital, ensuring they are used for positive influence rather than negative purposes.
  • 10. When starting Goodwater Capital, Kim and his team had a thesis that consumer technology and consumer internet were incredibly powerful and that owning end-customer relationships was key to creatin
  • 11. The firm's philosophy is that investing is both an art and a science, with two-thirds of their 65-66 person team consisting of data scientists, product managers, and engineers.
  • 12. Goodwater Capital leverages technology and software to get to the truth of the science part as quickly as possible, allowing them to spend more time understanding the entrepreneur's motivations, l
  • 13. Kim emphasized the importance of having an investor mindset that allows one to see the big picture, understand key components, identify risks, research those risks, and ultimately take a leap of f
  • 14. When looking for young venture capitalists, Goodwater Capital seeks individuals who are obsessed with finding great companies and willing to put in the hard work necessary to sustain a career over
  • 15. Kim teaches a class on having an investor mindset, which includes understanding frameworks, knowing when to break the rules, and having exceptions when able to innovate and create new things.

Source: EO via YouTube

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