MasterClass founder and CEO David Rogier stresses the importance of establishing clear principles for your venture. This can be particularly crucial, he finds, when it comes to choosing investors, and shares a story of turning down an attractive VC funding offer because of a values mismatch. Rogier also suggests that founders undertake careful back-channel references for potential funders, and particularly seek out references from founders whose companies struggled rather than thrived.
Related

Karabo Morule,
Capital Art
African Art Activism through Fintech [Entire Talk]
Fintech can help collectors in Africa and beyond realize the opportunity in the African art market.
Video
49 minutes
Karabo Morule,
Capital Art
African Art Activism through Fintech [Entire Talk]
Fintech can help collectors in Africa and beyond realize the opportunity in the African art market.

Connie Chan,
Andreessen Horowitz
Career Advice from a VC Pro [Entire Talk]
Seek out diverse life and work experiences to give yourself an edge.
Video
46 minutes
Connie Chan,
Andreessen Horowitz
Career Advice from a VC Pro [Entire Talk]
Seek out diverse life and work experiences to give yourself an edge.

Austin Russell,
Luminar
Behind the Scenes of a Mega-Unicorn [Entire Talk]
Unconventional approaches can lead a startup to uncommon success.
Video
50 minutes
Austin Russell,
Luminar
Behind the Scenes of a Mega-Unicorn [Entire Talk]
Unconventional approaches can lead a startup to uncommon success.