We don't celebrate failure in Silicon Valley. We celebrate learning

The reality is: a founder is someone who deals with a ton of different headaches and no one is universally super powered.

It's useful to be able to recognize whether you're on track or not. To have that belief, but also paranoia about am I tracking against my investment thesis.

One thing I learned in '97, when I thought the right time to found a company was during a swing-up, is that it's much better to start during an economic downturn. Partnerships are easier; hiring is easier; and the competition starts later.

I was never given this advice, people aren't given this advice, focus on growing and maintaining relationships for your network, and that's key. And most of the advice tends to be, you know, discover your strengths, build up your resume, get a title, all of that stuff pales in comparison.

Be persistent, and hang on to your vision. And at the same time, be flexible.

The real secret of Silicon Valley is that it's really all about the people