Venture is Made on the Exception “If each company is growing at 20%, it’s not an exciting portfolio. If three companies are growing at 300%, that’s an exciting portfolio.” — Adam Marchick, Akkadian Ventures Ventures We couldn’t agree more. In a recent episode of Superclusters hosted by David Zhou and the OpenLP team (who continue to set the bar high—Elizabeth "Beezer" Clarkson, we see you 👀), our founder AJ Thomas Thomas joined Carmen Alfonso Rico and Danielle Strachman to as the questions that are alive and well for emerging GPs and while unpacking what drives outlier performance—and the trust it takes to build it. 🎧 Listen to the pod here: https://lnkd.in/gwaGX3dh Here are a few takeaways that resonated with us: 💡 Venture is built on exceptions. The magic isn’t in the many that perform—it’s in the few that break through. Outliers define portfolios, and the courage to back them defines great investors. 💡 Trust compounds. As AJ shared: “Trust = credibility + reliability + intimacy… divided by self-orientation.” The best LP–GP relationships are co-created, not transactional. 💡 Hype ≠ health. When markets heat up, focus on metrics that can’t be hyped. Retention > reach. Cohorts > curiosity. 💡 Frequency ≠ importance. The most meaningful LP conversations often happen after the investment—when pacing, pivots, and partnership are tested. We back the bold, the different, and the ones who build at the edges—and trust through the middle. Because venture isn’t about following the pattern. It’s about recognizing the exception—and having the conviction to back it. #GoodTroubleVentures #VentureCapital #GPInsights #Superclusters #OpenLP #Founders #TrustEquation #FutureOfVC

As your startup scales, your board can be your biggest accelerator - or your biggest slowdown. The difference? How you manage the relationship. In this Startup Boston Week 2025 session, founders, investors and operators unpacked what it really takes to build and lead a high-performing board; from aligning expectations and structuring meetings to turning board feedback into strategic advantage. You’ll learn how to: - Build a board for the company you’re becoming, not just who you are today - Turn tough feedback into focused growth - Keep meetings short, honest, and outcome-driven - Empower your board to be true partners in scale Featuring: - Fraser Simpson, Founder, Appex - Natalie Gil, CTO, darshana.ai - Adrian Mendoza, General Partner, Mendoza Ventures - Lakshmi Balachandra, Founder & President, Resonance Business Insights 🎥 Watch the full conversation + read the key takeaways: https://lnkd.in/ezMYzrvD

90% of your growth will come from 10% of the work you do. Today, during our acceleration program SGP by UzVC, we had an amazing online session with Matt Lerner — ex-PayPal, ex-Silicon Valley VC, author of Growth Levers, and founder of SYSTM. Together with my co-founders Alisher Djumaniyazov and Kamila Uzakova, we dove deep into one of the most important topics for any startup — growth, measuring performance, and finding your levers to scale. Matt shared practical insights on how to identify the few key actions that truly move the needle — the 10% of effort that drives 90% of results. It was a powerful reminder that focus, not volume, creates momentum. Feeling inspired to review our metrics, find our biggest growth levers, and focus our efforts on getting closer to our North Star metric 🚀

Investors don’t just look for traction — they look for milestones that matter. For early-stage founders, milestone mapping isn’t just a planning exercise — it’s how you align your team, attract investors, and build momentum. Wayne Embree, Senior Advisory Partner and co-founder of Reference Capital Management, shares how founders can use milestone mapping to chart a path for startup growth. Check out the article in the comments 👇

This Crazy Business made easier? In the world of landscaping—or honestly any entrepreneurial venture—I’ve found that having a five-year goal paired with a vision board can be a total game changer. There’s something incredibly powerful about taking that big, ambitious dream—whether it’s growing your company to a certain size, launching a new service, or even expanding into new regions—and making it visual and tangible. By putting those goals on a vision board, you give yourself and your team a daily reminder of where you’re headed. More importantly, it helps you work backward from that vision and break it down into strategic, manageable steps. Instead of feeling overwhelmed by the distance between where you are now and where you want to be in five years, you end up with a clear roadmap and a sense of direction that makes each step feel achievable.

As we are reviewing applications and preparing for the upcoming GAMIC quarterfinals, I was considering what makes the most successful GAMIC startups stand out. After working with hundreds of companies, I’ve noticed a clear pattern among the ones that go on to achieve real traction and growth. The difference isn’t luck — it’s a combination of mindset, clarity and execution. On the business side: - They offer something truly unique — whether that’s breakthrough technology or a model that redefines how things are done. - Their product or service has a “secret sauce” — IP, trade secrets, or proprietary know-how that gives them an edge. - They show traction early — pilots, partnerships, or strong customer engagement that validates their direction. On the founder side: - They have a clear vision — they know their North Star and how they will get there. - They have a growth mindset. They are coachable, open to feedback and eager to learn. - They understand how to build and leverage social capital. As a result, they attract great people — team members, mentors, advisors, and investors who buy into their vision. The best founders balance vision with humility — bold enough to dream big, yet grounded enough to listen, learn, and adapt. I love seeing great success stories of GAMIC alumni and look forward to working with the next wave of mobility founders. #founders #mobility #success

Fewer deals, but bigger checks – investors are getting more selective and the average deal size has jumped by 32%! For early-stage founders, this shift means it’s all about standing out: readiness and a strategic pitch have never been more critical. Investors want big opportunities that feel de-risked and well-prepared. If you’re looking to land one of those bigger investments, make your startup irresistible. Optimize your Startabox profile, sharpen your value proposition, and showcase real traction. Being ready isn’t just about having a good idea: it’s about demonstrating the potential at every touchpoint. Ready to impress the next round of investors? Start with Startabox.

Just attended the “How to Bootstrap: Starting and Building Your Startup with Little Capital” workshop hosted by Invest Ottawa, a powerful reminder that resourcefulness often matters more than resources. So many practical takeaways on how to grow smart. From creating revenue-first MVPs to leveraging partnerships and stretching every dollar with purpose, Nick Quain shared insightful strategies and tools. As a founder building ventures like HerMoney Matters, it was a great reminder that impact doesn’t always need big budgets, just clarity, creativity, and consistency.

The panel on The Future of Angel Investing in Arizona brought together incredible insights from Louise Hardman, Tim Holladay, Michael Shufeldt, MBA, and Aaron Favreau. Together, they explored how Arizona can expand access and visibility for early-stage capital while strengthening the bridge between founders and investors. The message was clear. Collaboration fuels growth, and Arizona’s startup ecosystem is ready to lead. #FreewayPhx #TechTalentSummit #StartupWorldCupAZ #AngelInvesting #ArizonaStartups #InnovationEcosystem #VentureCapital #EarlyStageFunding #PeopleFirstWorkRewired

Manus reminded me one very important product truth today: 👉 Be a "painkiller" for a specific person, not a "vitamin" for everyone. Do not build everything to everyone- even if its so tempting to do that. I think that is a legacy of old startup way- when market size was the most important number in your pitch deck.