Why Benchmark is Different Than Other Firms with Sarah Tavel & Eric Vishria

In this episode of Turpentine VC, we're sharing Erik Torenberg's 2023 interview with Sarah Tavel and Eric Vishria from Benchmark, exploring the firm's unique minimalistic approach, commitment to deep founder partnerships, and their deliberate avoidance of platform teams.

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LINKS:
Benchmark: https://www.benchmark.com/
Dopamine Nation: https://www.amazon.com/Dopamine-Natio...

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X / TWITTER:
@sarahtavel
@ericvishria
@eriktorenberg
@turpentinemedia

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TIMESTAMPS:
(00:00) Intro
(01:19) History and evolution of Benchmark
(04:53) Benchmark's unique investment philosophy
(05:56) The joy of partnering with founders
(07:15) Benchmark's equal partnership model
(10:38) Sponsors: Oracle | Squad
(12:48) Challenges and adaptations in venture capital
(14:56) The importance of deep relationships
(18:47) Recruiting and building the partnership
(25:00) Navigating market trends and investment strategies
(40:51) Reflections on tech-enabled businesses
(45:20) Finding cracks in the market
(46:41) Instacart's success and market complexities
(48:23) Benchmark's notable investments
(52:28) Consumer social media trends
(59:41) AI's impact on incumbents and startups
(01:15:08) Crypto investment strategies
(01:20:05) Healthcare innovation and challenges
(01:23:53) Benchmark's unique approach
(01:28:10) Wrap