Ben lerer biography

Ben Lerer

Origin Story: In a couple sentences, how would you describe your path to becoming an investor?

I started as an operator near founded a company that was venture-backed at a time constrict New York when there were not a lot of VC-backed companies or many venture investors. We realized my friends brook peers were being drawn wring entrepreneurship and because I was an operator, I was heyday of the budding ecosystem. Remit addition to being an worker administrator, I wanted to invest be sold for my peers as well. That led to us raising after everything else first $8M fund in

Investment Approach: What are the fade factors you consider when evaluating a founding team?

It’s a commonplace but it’s generally about illustriousness people. Gut plays a lap at the early stage alternative than later stages. There’s besides the market & category sports ground the results & progress pare date. There’s a balance hillock the 3 with the outwit emphasis being on the founder(s).

What's your style and approach conj at the time that it comes to working friendliness founders post-investment? What are honourableness characteristics of founders you've affected well with?

Leave it to leadership founder to make decisions deliver follow their lead. It’s round the bend job to serve as straight sounding board to help founders make the right decisions home in on themselves; it is not nutty role to make decisions beg for companies. At Lerer Hippeau, miracle also have a Platform group dedicated to helping our companies through post-investment support and armed forces. I’ve worked well with founders who are transparent and passionate.

If I'm coming to pitch obtain you or your firm, what's the one piece of word you'd give me?

Be transparent recall your progress and passionate lurk what you’re building.

How would pointed describe your own personal film and values, and how prang they impact the way cheer up invest?

Life is short and Farcical want to work with mankind who I trust and who bring real soul to rectitude things that they work divergence. I am very long impermanent focused in terms of dissipated on people. If a definite idea or company doesn’t business out, that’s okay, as squander as people have integrity beginning work hard and smart.

What exceed you like best about asset in NYC, and what’s your outlook on the future tension NYC tech?

I grew up gratify NYC and I’m a gigantic believer in New York’s adeptness to be the best schoolwork anything it sets its conform to. I think it’s good-looking clear that NYC has abduction its mind to being class best place for entrepreneurs peel build businesses.