Proof Of Blog

We have a tradition at USV that one of our new analysts, Dani, coined Proof Of Blog.

I like that term so much. It really speaks to why we have this tradition.

When someone new joins USV, we ask them to introduce themselves to our world on the USV blog.

Here are some recent “proof of blog” posts:

Dani Grant

Naomi Shah

Zach Goldstein

Even partners at USV do this. Here is Rebecca’s post announcing her arrival at USV last fall.

And Lauren, who has been at USV for almost four years now, but is in a relatively new role, introduced a new wrinkle to this tradition blogging about her new responsibilities.

It is easy to think of a venture firm as a collection of partners; me, Brad, Albert, John, Andy, Rebecca, because we are the most visible people in our firm to the outside world.

Proof of blog is a bit about changing that perception so people know the larger team. And it is also about the broader team making sure folks know a bit about them and what interests them so entrepreneurs can leverage relationships with them too.

If you don’t follow the USV blog, but want to, you can do that on the USV Twitter handle or the USV blog RSS feed.

#VC & Technology#Weblogs

Comments (Archived):

  1. JLM

    .The depth and development of your team in the last few years is quite extraordinary. There is a level of innovation which is laudable.Bravo!Well played.JLMwww.themusingsofthebigredca…

    1. Richard

      Easy JLM. You are way more interesting as a protagonist.

      1. JLM

        .Fair is fair. Call them like I see them. Not personal.I think you mean antagonist, no?Plus, the Russians hit me up.JLMwww.themusingsofthebigredca…

        1. LE

          Protagonist is also appropriate when you take the definition into account.

          1. Richard

            Definitely chose protagonist

        2. Richard

          No. For or against,you create a position on the field.

    2. Donna Brewington White

      So well stated. Of course.Ditto.

    2. PhilipSugar

      This is a total reflection on me not on her one bit. Does anybody else think, gosh as I have gotten older, those younger, look so much younger. We have a great mix of young people, I am on a 25,000 student college campus, but I swear as I age I think, gosh, she looks so young. Maybe it is because I (even though my avatar from 15 years ago doesn’t show it) only have gray hair

      1. LE

        I think that may be ‘artifactual’. For example in a similar way I have always thought that girls today seem to be so much better looking than when I was growing up. But then again I went to a school that only had 100 people per class and at that school there were perhaps 20% of girls that were of the same religion so as the saying goes ‘slim pickins’. I don’t honestly remember almost any girls that were attractive [1] although the school my sister went to (1000 per class I think) had them (law of large numbers). Also at Penn there weren’t (when I went) that many attractive girls. At least not compared to large public universities. Not like Penn today even. I honestly think that schools today take looks into account unofficially of course. And it makes sense that they do actually. Back then not the case. That was pre US News (which I hate).My point is that I find girls today way more attractive (not your point of course but to make my point I will use this) for a reason that is not related to the fact that they are. But they are simply because the pool of girls I was exposed to was such that I didn’t move around many of the more attractive women. Hence it could be the same with how you feel about age and looking younger.[1] Interestingly one of the girls that I remember who was attractive was Lael Brainard. [2] I just went to pull a picture of her so I could refresh my memory but it was one of the ‘missing’ photos in (what would have been) the facebook of the time.[2] https://www.federalreserve….

        1. PhilipSugar

          Not discussing the looks of anybody or gender. And I am not PC. But young people somehow look much younger to me today 30 years after I graduated from college.

          1. Richard

            Youth is the most valuable currency in the world. It’s amazing how easily people give it away.

          2. LE

            I have decided that the root cause of PC culture (and not for the obvious reasons) is social media. At the core the reason people reacted to things as offensive is simply because there is a ready source of others to reinforce and pat them on the back for doing so. That becomes a feedback loop that is near impossible to stop. You get karma by pointing out things like it’s some contest or game.So let’s say in the old days you saw someone harming an animal. So you would tell a friend and they would reinforce that by saying something like ‘Wow that’s really sick! A terrible thing to do. Lock that person up!’. So ok that’s fine and what you want. But now what you have is people reacting to the long tail of offense simply because there will be a ready stream of people that will pat them on the back for recognizing an infraction or even just acknowledge what they say even if they don’t actually think anything wrong has happened. (Fear of rejection). As such that reinforcement gives them just what they need to continue doing the behavior. And the people who give the compliments win as well. That is the core of it.Note that along the same lines you had to point out that you weren’t being PC after stating ‘not discussing the looks of anybody or gender’ as if to head off any criticism (by non pc people) that you were doing that. I find all of this fascinating.

          3. PhilipSugar

            You are right. I think it is social media with attention deficit. I think because of being bombarded so much people only pay attention to things that make them angry. Then they share. And it is forever, and also people think that what their reaction should be to an injustice is to try and take the pendulum way to the other side. Of course that makes others push the other way.But yes I am sensitive on this blog because bottom line is there have been comments which are misogynistic, and I don’t want to chase people from here.

        2. Richard

          When you are young no one seems beautiful. It’s natures way of keeping people single.

          1. LE

            I have a theory on that. I think as you get older your develop more of an appreciation for different types of beauty. So you find many more things (and this is not just people) that you can appreciate as a result of increased knowledge and exposure over time. I am sure this has been written about and there is some psych theory that says the same. Art is a matter of learning to appreciate and that builds over time. Beauty (in people) is art.

        3. Adam Sher

          Here’s another theory. As you age, your peer group, or work groups, become less fit, and closer to death (physically noted by changes to skin elasticity, complexion, muscle mass, and collagen). By comparison a group of college age kids, are always college age, which means younger and (generally) healthier. Maybe you’re observing youth and (relative) health as attractive.

      2. JimHirshfield

        Theory of relativity

      3. Adam Sher

        Conversely, how much less old, or normal, do older people look to you now? I remember thinking how old someone must be to be in their mid 20’s.

        1. PhilipSugar

          Good point, old people do look less old.

          1. LE

            Part of that is also inferred by the power they have over you when you are younger. A case might be some teachers I had in high school who seemed old but I found out later they were only about 8 years older than I was while in high school. But I put them into a bucket of ‘old’ because they had control over me at least in part. That old bucket is the same as has been joked about with ‘wait staff’. I have heard them joke that they are invisible to customers that you almost don’t recognize a waiter or waitress unless they are remarkable in some way.My step daughter goes to the dentist who is in the office complex here. She has been going to him for years. A month ago I said to her ‘oh see it’s Dr. XYZ why don’t you say hi to him’. I was surprised to find out that she didn’t even remember what he looked like despite being in his chair multiple times. While this might not be super typical I think it’s like the ‘wait staff’. The person isn’t a peer they are ‘an older person who is my dentist’ and literally they are forgettable. It’s like the car you don’t even think about until you decide to buy one or somehow someone else gets one and all the sudden ‘it’s everywhere’. (Or something like that..)

    3. jason wright

      Y Combinator networking at work.

  3. Mac

    All the best, Dani. More eyes on Fred is probably a good thing.

  4. jason wright

    maybe you need to emphasise the U by dropping the S.

  5. William Mougayar

    I blog, therefore I am.

    1. jason wright

      and i therefore am not?

      1. William Mougayar

        You know I’m half joking.

  6. creative group

    DANI:We extend the best to you. But we realize USV isn’t a democracy. More of a Theocracy.There are few people we have witnessed with the ability to get the blog owner to accept, admit or apologize if he is wrong. In a rare instance we witnessed it when only a person of greater or similar stature challenged him and that was Bill Gurley (Benchmark) regarding Startup cities and that was surprising. We remember it like yesterday because it was a rarity.Again all the best to you. Hopefully you will learn enough to start your own fund.Captain Obvious!#UNEQUIVOCALLYUNAPOLOGETICALLYINDEPENDENT

    1. Rob Larson

      Dude – why the negativity?

      1. creative group

        Rob Larson:Where you see apples we see oranges. Both are fruit but of a different kind. Truth is defined clearly. No need to put on a facade.Captain Obvious!#UNEQUIVOCALLYUNAPOLOGETICALLYINDEPENDENT

  7. Richard

    Blogs are so yesterday. Let’s go way back. Why not take a page from berkshire. Issue a B type share and hold an annual conference in the hamptons once a year. One annual letter and one annual metting seems like a good formula.

    1. creative group

      Richard:Blogs can’t be so yesterday when you are posting today.Captain Obvious!#UNEQUIVOCALLYUNAPOLOGETICALLYINDEPENDENT

  9. sigmaalgebra

    Let me see: A string of really bright, creative, articulate, really fast learning, great at understanding the organization right away and fitting in, outgoing, great smiles, great social talents and skills, pretty young women!!!!!

  10. Donna Brewington White

    Dani is a fresh and vibrant addition.And ditto what JLM said.

  11. Paddy Jaye

    hi we have an Etherum package if any interest can send [email protected] regards patrick