I Put Tens of Millions Into Startups — The AI Market Right Now Is Genuinely Horrifying
I've put tens of millions of dollars into startups — and for the first time in my career, I've stopped making new investments. The AI market is moving so fast that committing to a 10-year bet feels impossible when I don't even know what the next 10 weeks look like.
But here's the twist: this might be the best moment in history to be an AI founder.
In this video, I break down exactly why VCs are terrified right now — and how the smartest AI founders can use that fear as leverage.
What you'll learn:
Why investors (including me) are quietly pausing new deals
How founders now have more leverage than ever in VC negotiations
Why a $150K accelerator deal for 6% equity might be the worst deal you ever take
Why $1M/year in cash flow might be smarter than chasing a 1-in-a-million unicorn
When to say NO to venture capital — and mean it
⏱ Chapters
[0:00] — Why I'm terrified right now
[0:41] — What's really scaring VCs (and why it gives you power)
[1:29] — The leverage founders don't know they have
[3:51] — Why the customer still has the final say
[4:32] — The hot take: you may not need VC at all
[4:47] — Why the $150K accelerator model is broken
[5:18] — Cash flow vs. unicorn: the real math
[6:06] — Don't raise for prestige. Raise for a reason.
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