As a post-exit founder, I have many folks around me who are thinking about launching a new fund.
My recommendation to them is always the same: start with content and community. (More specifically, content = newsletter and podcast)
There are plenty of examples: 20VC, Not boring capital (Not Boring), SaaStr.ai Fund, My Climate Journey, you name them.
It makes a perfect sense, because you’re building a flywheel.
- Brand and thought leadership through content – which leads to more inbound opportunities
- Content leads to community, which can help sourcing new deals and providing initial brand recognition and distribution for portfolio companies
- One fund I know that started from content said: 40% of their deals are coming from podcast guests, the other 60% from podcast listeners community. So 100% of deal flows are coming through their podcast
With this flywheel in place, the fund can naturally follow.
Content –> Community –> Fund, in that order. It’s the new fund playbook you can consider.