Insight certainty 4/5 debate potential 3/5

Doshi: A great product idea is secondary to founder capability in startups

Shreyas Doshi · Shreyas Doshi: The 6 Product Metrics You Need To Know; The 3 Types of Product Leader | E913 · 20VC with Harry Stebbings · Aug 3, 2022 · at 48:28

Shreyas Doshi, former Stripe product leader and active advisor and angel investor, explains how his criteria for evaluating startups evolved from focusing on product ideas to prioritizing founder capability.

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“What I realized over time is that, that is a necessary, but by no means a sufficient condition. In fact, it's not even one of the main conditions. And instead I realized that like the core thing that Matters is just, you know, how great is this founder?”

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