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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