Leone hasn't lost a deal to a competitor in 30 years except on price
Doug Leone · How to Dominate for Decades | Doug Leone, Sequoia Capital · Aug 30, 2026 · at 46:42
Former Sequoia Capital managing partner Doug Leone describes his competitive track record and deal instincts to host David Senra.
0:00 / 0:09exact quote · 9.6s
▶ Watch the full episode on YouTube → 720p mp4 · rendered on demand · StarZero watermark
“You know, I really haven't lost an investment in 30 years in Silicon Valley. People have beaten me because of price, but I haven't lost otherwise.”
quote is from the automated transcript, cleaned for reading: filler sounds and stutters are removed, nothing is rephrased. names can be misheard (the analysis reads context, assessments check outside sources). how →
More from Doug Leone
Leone: Parents must inject misery into kids' lives to preserve their hunger
“I think you have to inject some misery in your kids' lives so they have that hunger. It can be fake because they know it, but you can't give them everything because otherwise they won't be hungry.”
Grady and Lin asked Leone back 30 days after taking over Sequoia
“It turned out the rule of step down, Pat and Alfred took over. They weren't the kings I chose, and 30 days into it, they came to my house, and they said, would you like to come back?”
Leone: Boards must honor signed term sheets over higher late offers
“A term sheet is not worth the paper it's written on, but once you sign it, Both sides, I think you have to honor it. You know, many times we're out, we're, I'm on the board of a company, and we signed a term sheet with an investor, and then three days later, s…”
Leone estimates that only 20% to 30% of VCs are competent
“Out of 10 venture folks, and I've said this, and I've taken Shifford, maybe 30% are incompetent. They don't know what they're doing. Another 40% I call them no ups, no damage, no anything. They nod, you know, they nod with a group and maybe 30% of fewer, maybe…”