What VCs sound like to normal people

"In sharp contrast to financiers and politicians, VC investors are slippery creatures. CIOs have a hard time decoding our language. Venture capitalists are asset managers, but we talk like superheroes. We speak in hyperbole and aim, unironically, to change the world. We are incessantly crushing it, even though our portfolios are laughably unprofitable."

"People in traditional finance are easier to read. Their goal is to maximize returns-and the progress toward this goal is concrete, transparent, and measurable. It's really easy to understand what an asset manager's motivations are when you're across the table from them in a professional capacity."

"We sit on boards but dress in jeans and sneakers. We are herd animals who claim to be contrarian."

Venture capitalists present a confusing profile to outsiders, particularly traditional finance professionals. While asset managers prioritize measurable returns and politicians seek power and influence—both relatively transparent motivations—VCs operate with contradictory characteristics. They function as asset managers yet speak with superhero-like hyperbole about changing the world. They claim contrarian positions while exhibiting herd behavior, maintain unprofitable portfolios while celebrating success, and adopt casual dress codes despite holding board positions. This combination of financial responsibility with idealistic rhetoric, coupled with behavioral inconsistencies, makes VCs difficult to decode for those accustomed to clearer professional motivations and straightforward goal hierarchies.

Read at Fast Company