I like a good book that can be picked up and put down, so Tribe of Mentors is perfect for the days when I’m feeling extra indecisive about committing to 3-4 chapters of sci-fi.

This advice from Gary Veynerchuck is a perfect pairing to Garry Tan’s “The best founders are short term pessimists and long term optimists.”

“Everybody’s impatient at a macro, and just so patient at a micro, wasting your days worrying about years. I’m not worried about my years, because I’m squeezing the fuck out of my seconds, let alone my days. It’s going to work out.”

This can be a tough (daily) pill to swallow.

I’ll never forget the day I learned that PillPack — the same guys from our Techstars class just 3 years earlier — was acquired by Amazon for ~$800M.

Fancred and PillPack were built side-by-side. We literally sat next to them, sharing a desk.

Fancred had a beautiful app and an amazing community, but it didn’t have a near-billion dollar acquisition.

What did they do that we didn’t?
What did we do that they avoided?

Funny enough, when Amazon acquired PillPack in June 2018, I’d just left Plastiq where I’d led Growth and Marketing efforts for 2 years.

In the moment of hearing the PillPack news I was in fact so overcome with jealously that I’d failed to pause for just 10 seconds and reflect on the fact that Plastiq itself had been on an incredible growth tear for 2+ years, a trajectory that has only continued. As of my typing this in Spring 2021, I’ll be shocked if Plastiq’s value doesn’t continue well into the billions.

But here’s the thing: comparison is the thief of joy.

There will always be another startup who reaches new heights faster, more effectively, and for a bigger payday. Your journey is your journey, and opportunities will come to those who put themselves in the position to earn them.