為什么企業(yè)家都是差勁的天使投資人
????今天我凄慘地意識(shí)到,我永遠(yuǎn)不會(huì)成為一個(gè)杰出的天使投資人了。原因很簡(jiǎn)單:我喜歡我聽(tīng)到的每個(gè)點(diǎn)子。 ????顯然這并不是因?yàn)槲业耐顿Y交易流特別出眾。按常理說(shuō)來(lái),我的交易流本應(yīng)該是勝敗參半的。事實(shí)上,我和天使投資界的聯(lián)系并不特別緊密,而且我現(xiàn)在還在努力控制花在天使投資上的時(shí)間,將之限制在每周一天。因此按理說(shuō),我命中最好交易的比率應(yīng)該比50%還要低得多。 ????這也不是因?yàn)槲也粫?huì)說(shuō)“不”。相反我總是這樣做。問(wèn)問(wèn)我的孩子們就知道了。 ????我之所以喜歡每個(gè)點(diǎn)子,是由于我是個(gè)樂(lè)觀主義者。一般的樂(lè)觀主義者會(huì)把一個(gè)半空的杯子說(shuō)成是半滿的,但我并不是一般的樂(lè)觀主義者,我是極度的樂(lè)觀主義者。我會(huì)堅(jiān)持另外訂購(gòu)一柜子的杯子,防止水滿得裝不下。 ????在過(guò)去作為企業(yè)家的日子里,這種樂(lè)觀精神是一個(gè)重要的工具。我總是相信我們會(huì)成功的。哪怕每個(gè)人都說(shuō)我的點(diǎn)子是荒唐的,哪怕我們幾乎已經(jīng)沒(méi)有錢(qián)了,哪怕所有的指標(biāo)都亂成一團(tuán)糟,我仍然相信我總會(huì)有辦法的。我總是信心十足地相信事情總會(huì)解決的。 ????不過(guò)這也正是問(wèn)題所在。我發(fā)現(xiàn)其他每個(gè)企業(yè)家的點(diǎn)子中也都有這個(gè)特點(diǎn)。由于我有足夠的經(jīng)驗(yàn),我甚至能看出他們的點(diǎn)子在推理上有哪些瑕疵,在執(zhí)行上有哪些漏洞。不過(guò)等我有時(shí)間靠在椅子上思索一會(huì)兒,我就會(huì)說(shuō)“等等——也許還是有辦法的?!比缓笪視?huì)馬上在白板上勾勒出一個(gè)可行的解決方案,然后我就會(huì)和那些企業(yè)家們一樣高興。 ????到目前為止,我幸運(yùn)得讓人難以置信。而且我做的每一筆投資似乎都非常堅(jiān)實(shí)。到目前為止,我還沒(méi)有被套牢過(guò)。其中有幾筆投資甚至看起來(lái)非常有前景。 ????或許可以說(shuō),由于我的運(yùn)營(yíng)企業(yè)的經(jīng)驗(yàn),因此比起大多數(shù)人只是“可行”的點(diǎn)子,我的點(diǎn)子往往要棋高一籌。又或許可以說(shuō),我作為企業(yè)家的經(jīng)驗(yàn),可能會(huì)幫我在投資的時(shí)候鑒別出和我類似的樂(lè)觀企業(yè)家。 ????不管怎樣,我都不會(huì)停止這樣做。因?yàn)檫@是件樂(lè)趣十足的事。我還能說(shuō)什么呢?我就是有信心,相信事情總是能解決得很好。 ????我把我的支票簿放哪了? ????本文作者馬克?蘭多夫是一位經(jīng)驗(yàn)豐富的硅谷企業(yè)家、高科技公司高管和初創(chuàng)公司顧問(wèn)。他也是在線電影和電視流媒體服務(wù)Netflix的共同創(chuàng)始人,并且擔(dān)任了該公司首任CEO。 ????譯者:樸成奎 ? |
????I came to the sad realization today that I was never going to be a great angel investor. And for a simple reason: I like every idea I hear. ????Obviously it's not that my deal flow is so spectacular – the law of averages suggests that I should be getting an equal mix of hits and misses. In fact, since I'm not particularly well connected in the angel investing world -- and am still trying to limit the time I spend doing it to a single day a week -- I should be getting a considerably worse share of the best deals. ????And no, I'm not incapable of saying "No." I do that all the time. Ask my kids. ????The simple reason I like every idea is that I'm an optimist. Not just a run-of-the-mill optimist who sees the glass as half full; I'm an over-the-top optimist. The guy who insists on ordering a whole case of extra glasses to handle the overflow. ????In my past life as an entrepreneur, this optimism was a critical tool. I just always believed we would succeed. Even when everyone else said my ideas were ridiculous. Even when we were almost out of money. Even when the metrics were all upside down. I always have confidence that I'll figure something out. I just have that confidence that things are going to work out fine. ????But that's the problem. I also see that in every other entrepreneur's idea. It's even more pathetic because I have enough experience to clearly see the flaws in their reasoning and the gaps in their execution. But then I have that moment where I lean back on the chair, stair into space for second, and say "wait a minute — you know, there just might be a way here." And pretty soon I'm up at the whiteboard sketching out a possible path to daylight and I'm just as excited as they are. ????So far I've been incredibly lucky, and every investment that I've made has turned out to actually be pretty solid. No craters yet. And even a couple that look really promising. ????Perhaps one could make the case that because of my operating experience I actually have a better idea than most what constitutes a "doable" idea. Or that my experience as an entrepreneur somehow helps me recognize a fellow optimist when I see one. ????Either way, I'm not going to stop doing it. Too much fun. And what can I say? I just have that confidence that things are going to work out fine. ????Now where did I leave my checkbook? ????Marc Randolph is a veteran Silicon Valley entrepreneur, high tech executive and startup consultant. Most recently Marc was co-founder of the online movie and television streaming service Netflix, serving as their first CEO. |