On this episode of TFR Investor Stories, Laura Chau of Canaan, Michael Whitmire of FloQast, and David García Aceves of Digitt | Soluciona tu deuda | Fintech each share one piece of advice for early investors and founders. Quick takes, lasting lessons 🎙️

The best founders today aren’t just technical — they’re rapid experimenters. I spoke with Jeff Bussgang of Flybridge about AI-native startups, exits gone wrong, tiny teams at $1B+, and his new book The Experimentation Machine. Tune in today!

Three firms. Three big passes. From Google to fund-of-fund regrets to bubble-fueled flameouts—Jon Terbell & Ted Clark, Jay Patil, and Mathias Schilling share the stories behind their biggest misses and what they learned. Hear the “Why I Passed” on this Investor Stories segment!

From touring with Gaga to investing in Neuralink—D.A. Wallach has one of the wildest resumes in tech. We talk early bets on Spotify, why most frontier tech fails commercially, and the future of biotech + medicine. Check out The Full Ratchet Episode 485!

“Find a team that will give you full reps.” From in-person learning to obsession-level curiosity—Ted Clark, Jon Terbell of FourBridge, Mathias Schilling of Headline, and Godard Abel of G2 share timeless advice for new investors. Tune in to Investor Stories Ep. 409!

Investing your own money. Backing founders over trends. Managing asymmetric risk. This week on TFR's Investor Stories, Jay Patil of Swell Partners, Mathias Schilling of Headline & Godard Abel of G2 share the critical lessons that reshaped how they invest and lead.

“Would you put your grandmother’s money in your fund?” On this episode, Ted Seides, Bradley Tusk of Tusk Venture Partners, and David García Aceves of Digitt | Soluciona tu deuda | Fintech share the best LP questions they've been asked. Tune in to learn what separates a good question from a great one.

VC is sales. Love it or leave it. Pick a space—momentum matters. And know what kind of investor you want to be. Ted Seides of Capital Allocators, Kevin Stevens 🔋⚡️ of Energize Capital, and Jay Patil of Swell Partners share key advice for new investors in this episode of Investor Stories.

Passed on Tapcart. Declined a term sheet. Dismissed a market that took off. Hear anti-portfolio lessons from Shamin Walsh of Bam Ventures, Daniela Binatti of Pismo, and Mike Schroepfer of Gigascale. Why they passed—and what they’d do differently. Check out Investor Stories #415!

What’s the best question an LP or founder has ever asked? 🎙️ In this Investor Stories episode, Ryan Delk of Primer, Aaref Hilaly of Bain Capital Ventures, and Somesh Dash of IVP share the questions that pushed their thinking and left a lasting impact. Tune in today! Link in bio.

“AI is the new oil.” Hemant Mohapatra of Lightspeed India joins TFR to explain the AI “extraction cycle,” why hype cycles are a gift to founders, the underhyped bets he’s chasing, and why acting fast is key. Episode 489 is now live.

How do top investors evolve their philosophies? Shamin Walsh of @BAMVentures, Mike Schroepfer of Gigascale, and Shashank Saxena of SIERRA Ventures share how cycles, founder obsession, and constant innovation have reshaped their approach. Listen to Episode 421 of Investor Stories now.

What are the most important lessons investors carry through their careers? Han Shen of iFLY, Barry Schuler of DFJ Growth, and Daniela Binatti of Pismo share why patience, guiding founders, and transparency are essential in venture. Check out Investor Stories 423 today!

Breaking into venture isn’t easy. @Han_Shen of iFly, Craig Shapiro ⚽️ of Collab Fund & Kevin Jiang of Mangusta Capital reflect on what they wish they knew starting out—why patience matters, how to find your edge, and lessons learned from 孫正義 & Ho Nam. Tune in today!

Lara Banks of Makena Capital Management on evergreen privates, underwriting beyond track records, co-invest discipline, secondaries as a “third door,” and where AI value will accrue. Episode 491 of The Full Ratchet—don’t miss it.

Zoom at Seed. Primer partnerships. A tax-credit unicorn. Vincent Hsieh of Cypress Growth Capital, Aaref Hilaly of Bain Capital Ventures, and Ryan Delk of Primer share the tough “Why I Passed” moments — from missed deals to opportunities left on the table. Tune in today!

Profitability vs. growth. Code vs. customer pain. Film financing vs. SaaS. Kevin Jiang at Mangusta Capital, Joseph Ruscio at Heavybit, and Alexander Niehenke at Scale Venture Partners share how their investing philosophies evolved — and the lessons that rewrote their playbooks. Tune in today!

In this Investor Stories segment, Daniela Binatti of Pismo, Paul Madera of Meritech Capital & Nnamdi Okike (Nnamdi Okike) of 645 Ventures share stories of exceptional founders — from Nubank’s David Velez to Solera | DealerSocket, RentSpree & Overtime — and traits that set them apart.

GLP-1s as longevity drugs, AI-designed molecules, and why late-stage biotech is an unprecedented buyer’s market. Host Nick Moran talks with Jim Tananbaum, founder/CEO of Foresite Capital, on FDA shifts, China’s rise, and holding winners. Link to the full episode is in our bio.

What’s the one question that stopped these investors in their tracks? Barry Schuler (DFJ Growth), Alexander Niehenke (Scale Venture Partners), and Medha Agarwal (defy.vc) share the smartest questions they’ve ever been asked—by LPs, founders, and peers in Investor Stories Segment 433. Link in bio.