風(fēng)險投資人迎合創(chuàng)業(yè)者虛榮心漸成風(fēng)氣
|
????朋友和家人常常問我,，想不想做一名風(fēng)險投資人。畢竟,，我已經(jīng)跟蹤報道這個行業(yè)十多年了,，我熟悉這個行業(yè)，而且做風(fēng)投收入肯定比現(xiàn)在要高,。但現(xiàn)實是,，我非常享受干新聞這一行，也硬不起心腸經(jīng)常擊碎那些創(chuàng)業(yè)者的宏偉夢想,。所以,，我告訴他們，我不會做風(fēng)投,，我現(xiàn)在就挺好,。 ????但我不知道風(fēng)險投資人是否也會經(jīng)常被家人和朋友問起，他們想不想當(dāng)記者,？你知道的,，前提是，如果轉(zhuǎn)行不影響他們購買海灘別墅的能力,。當(dāng)然,，還有滑雪度假屋。因此,，很多風(fēng)險投資人不僅寫微博,，也有成為“意見領(lǐng)袖”或“影響者”(商務(wù)社交網(wǎng)站LinkedIn的說法)的強(qiáng)烈欲望。 ????我曾經(jīng)一度批判過這種做法,，認(rèn)為風(fēng)險投資人應(yīng)該放下筆走出去,，才能最好地服務(wù)于投資者。但我錯了,。寫博客有助于促成交易,，博客能讓創(chuàng)業(yè)者知道世界上有些人正在思考類似的問題。有些人手里有錢可以投資,。 ????但是,，如今的風(fēng)險投資人已不再滿足于宣傳自身觀點(diǎn)。他們想讓他們投資的創(chuàng)業(yè)者也受到關(guān)注,。不是關(guān)注這些創(chuàng)業(yè)者正在做的事情,，而是關(guān)注他們的想法。 ????Battery Ventures日前聘請了曾經(jīng)供職于《華爾街日報》（The Wall Street Journal）和《福布斯》（Forbes）的瑞貝卡?巴克曼擔(dān)任傳媒與內(nèi)容副總裁。與此類似,，最近,，還有同樣曾經(jīng)供職于《華爾街日報》的本?沃森加盟紅杉資本（Sequoia Capital）任內(nèi)容負(fù)責(zé)人，前《連線》雜志（Wired）編輯邁克爾?科普蘭加盟安德森-霍羅維茨風(fēng)險投資公司（Andreessen Horowitz）任類似職位,。 ????這些都是新設(shè)職位,。媒體老兵到任后的任務(wù)之一估計就是幫助把這些風(fēng)投公司所投資的企業(yè)創(chuàng)業(yè)者塑造成意見領(lǐng)袖。在點(diǎn)擊量最大的網(wǎng)站發(fā)布嘉賓文章,、在Twitter撰寫富有智慧的微博,、更有意義的狀態(tài)更新，等等,。至于那些新產(chǎn)品發(fā)布或贏得重要客戶的新聞稿，成文的套話就讓其他人去處理吧,。 ????對于這類任職消息的基本解釋是,，一位創(chuàng)業(yè)者的真知灼見能對其他創(chuàng)業(yè)者產(chǎn)生積極影響，進(jìn)而改善整個生態(tài)體系,。創(chuàng)業(yè)生態(tài)體系越完善,，風(fēng)險投資回報越高。這一點(diǎn)很重要,，因為在一只基金的整個生命周期中,，這些人每人都可能(依靠提取管理費(fèi))獲得幾百萬美元。 ????但我有不同的看法：風(fēng)險投資人正在試圖通過迎合創(chuàng)業(yè)虛榮心,，贏得交易,。 |
????Friends and family often ask if I want to become a venture capitalist. After all, I know the business after covering it for more than a decade, and the pay is infinitely better. But the truth is that I enjoy journalism too much, and couldn't stomach having to regularly crush the dreams of aspiring entrepreneurs. So no, I tell them, I'm good. ????What I wonder, however, is if venture capitalists often get asked by their friends and family if they really want to be journalists? You know, if it didn't impact their ability to make payments on the beach house. And the ski house. So many venture capitalists not only blog, but have a deep desire to be considered "thought leaders." Or "influencers," in the LinkedIn (LNKD) parlance. ????There was a time when I criticized this practice, arguing that VCs would best serve their investors by putting down the pens and hitting the pavement. But I was wrong. Blogging helped generate deal-flow, particularly by letting entrepreneurs know that there was someone out there who was thinking about similar stuff. Someone who had money to invest. ????Now, however, venture capitalists are no longer content to publicize their own views. They want their entrepreneurs to be noticed as well. Not for what those entrepreneurs are actually doing, but for what they're thinking. ????Battery Ventures yesterday hired Rebecca Buckman, formerly of The Wall Street Journal andForbes, as vice president of communications and content. This follows fellow WSJ alum Ben Worthen recently joining Sequoia Capital as head of content, and ex-Wired editor Michael Copeland joining Andreessen Horowitz in a similar role. ????These are all new positions, with the ex-journos each expected to spend part of their time helping their firm's entrepreneurs be viewed as thought leaders. Guest posts at the most-read sites, smarter tweets, more meaningful status updates, etc. Let someone else handle the ghosted quotes for press releases about a new product or client win. ????The basic explanation for such hires is that one entrepreneur's insights can have a positive effect on another entrepreneur, thus improving the overall ecosystem. And the stronger the entrepreneurial?ecosystem, the better for venture capital returns. It's important math, given that each of these folks is likely being paid at least a couple million dollars (out of management fees) over the life of a fund. ????But let me offer up an alternate theory: VCs are trying to win deals by appealing to entrepreneurial ego. |
最新文章