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How Did Alfred Lin Outsmart Tony Hsieh of Zappos · Below the Line with James Beshara

Below the Line with James Beshara

Alfred Lin — Investing in Greatness

"The most exciting new podcast in the startup world.” - Eric Ries, Founder, and NYTimes bestselling author Today’s episode is with one of the world’s best venture investors coming from perhaps the world’s best venture firm… My guest is Alfred Lin, who is a partner at the famed venture capital firm Sequoia Capital. Alfred is an investor in companies like…

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Notes

  1. How Did Tony Hsieh Get His Entrepreneurial Start in Pizza at 35:06

    As a Junior at Harvard, Tony Hsieh decided to take over the student grill, but instead of selling burgers and fries like it used to, Tony would sell pizza… Full answer

  2. What Does Sequoia Look for in Their Founders at 39:49

    Clarity, conviction, and courage. Full answer

  3. How Did Alfred Lin Outsmart Tony Hsieh of Zappos at 40:11

    Tony needed to kickstart his pizza business, so in order to secure cash upfront, he was able to give Alfred a discount, in exchange for an annual commitment. Full answer

  4. How Do You Hire Great People for a Startup at 44:12

    Interview for culture fit. Chance are it won't work out if you hire someone who is a good functional fit, but isn't on board with your company's mission. Full answer

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