Done Deals: Venture Capitalists Tell Their Stories
Author: Udayan Gupta
List Price: $29.95
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ISBN: 0875849385
Publisher: Harvard Business School Press (September, 2000)
Sales Rank: 49,541
Average Customer Rating: 3.57 out of 5
Customer Reviews
Rating: 5 out of 5
Perspectives Otherwise Unavailable in a Single Source
I really enjoyed reading this book. Others may be critical of the quality of writing but no one can be critical of the quantity and quality of information provided. (But if you're looking for "insider information", look elsewhere.) These VCs probably did write what is attributed to them. Brilliantly organized (and probably edited somewhat) by Gupta, the 31 individual commentaries address two themes: "the sharp contrast between the practitioners of early venture capital and those practicing today, and the coastal divide -- the difference in venture capital and practice between the West Coast and the East Coast." Gupta includes first-person perspectives on "the newest incarnation of venture capital"; how several VC's got their start and their impressions "of the industry's more recent success and notoriety"; "contrasts [on the West Coast] between the first forty-five years and the past five"; commentaries on "the early days in Silicon Valley" and those circumstances "that enhanced its entrepreneurial process"; and other commentaries which focus on the future and "where the industry is headed in the next fifty years." I know of no other single source which provides the number and quality of commentaries which are assembled in this volume. By reading them, you will gain a much better understanding of one of the most widely-discussed and least-understood components within our nation's economic history during the past 50 years.
Rating: 2 out of 5
Not Impressed
Where are the great stories that are promised? I read the whole book and am still scratching my head! Most of the stories surround how the VC's got started in the business, what it was like being a VC in the 60's & 70's, how much money investors made on different investments, etc...not why deals were funded. I was hoping to get a better sense of what decision making criteria were used to justify various investments and left severely disappointed.Where is the industry going? Again, no real insights here...
As someone stated earlier, if I wanted a historical perspective on the VC industry or a who's who in the industry, there are many, many sources on the internet for this information.
Try Ruth Ann Quindlan's book for better insights into the decision making that goes into dealmaking.
Rating: 5 out of 5
AN INVALUABLE PEEP INTO THE WORLD OF VENTURE CAPITAL
Many of the yesteryear superstars from the boom hitech sector may have unceremoniously gone belly up, and VC is not exactly as "hot" as it was at the turn of the century, but turns out that circling overhead the dot-com carnage was an enthusiastic Gupta scribbling detailed notes of what was going on in the industry. He rounded up a flock of 35 leading venture cap investors, from early pioneers such as Eugene Kleiner and Arthur Rock to current industry stars Geoff Yang and John Doerr. Had them reveal a great deal of gripping skinny on their ventures, solid facts from actual deals they'd worked on. Organized the stash of all this collective wisdom into a neat little bound volume -- and voila - we have a ripper of a book! Organized into five parts (Fast Forward, Beginnings, West Coast, East Coast and Visions), the book examines the industry's humble beginnings to its extraordinary present (ok, very very recent past and hopefully a recent future). For a non-US reader such as myself, it also contains a priceless critique on the differences between West Coast and East Coast investing, which is unique because you'll recognize that a relatively nascent industry such as VC can sport widely varying investment philosophies as well. As investment spreads out to Europe, Australia and China, this becomes even more useful.
The book packs info about the hottest deals we had heard about - from Yahoo to www.Amazon.com - which makes for a gripping read in of itself. But beyond that, there are invaluable insights and discussions at length about how the VCs set up their partnerships and hand pick top management teams. Much better than reading a "VC 101" text book because it presents a hands-on glimpse at the industry's past and future from the veterans' point of view.
Consider this book to be a detailed case study introduction to some of the more successful companies, from some of the more committed (and recognized) minds. A highly recommended possession for your libraries -- if not as investment advice, at least as an insider guide to the fascinating industry of venture capital.
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