The VC inferiority complex marketing gag

posted in On VC(s) on by berlinvc

There are a fair amount of black sheep among the VC community. Many struggle to accept their role within the VC-entrepreneur relationship. No need to discuss further.

However lately it has become all the rage as a VC to indulge in acts of extreme self-flagellation vis-à-vis entrepreneurs. The new VC marketing trick is to repeatedly underscore how lame VCs are compared to entrepreneurs.

In a lot of cases it’s not being humble, its cheap talk. It’s too easy, its cheap signalling. Not entirely sure how it helps entrepreneurs either.

If I was an entrepreneur I think I’d love to work with people who, while being self-critical, are confident and really passionate about what they’re doing. Those folks probably don’t need an inferiority complex as a marketing gag.