The Minutes of Bill Gurley on founders https://minutesof.com/bill-gurley/on/founders/ Everything Bill Gurley has said on founders: 17 verbatim quotes between February 2018 and July 2026, each with a timestamp and a link to the recording it… en Sun, 30 Aug 2026 16:21:59 +0000 Gurley says founders are the chief salesperson for their company, selling to investors, employees, and custome https://minutesof.com/q/36e93003-d494-4ec2-8a46-4af33c99a678/ https://minutesof.com/q/36e93003-d494-4ec2-8a46-4af33c99a678/ “But if you're a founder, you're selling to new investors, you're selling to employees, you own the company culture and the perception of the company, you're striking deals, you're selling to customers, you're just out selling all you're the number one sale you're the chief salesperson for your company,” — Bill Gurley Wed, 15 Jul 2026 16:30:41 +0000 founders Gurley argues founders are constantly selling to investors, employees, customers, and in deals. https://minutesof.com/q/bb21d6dd-5932-4a68-99bd-48ebf6f3a9cf/ https://minutesof.com/q/bb21d6dd-5932-4a68-99bd-48ebf6f3a9cf/ “if you're a founder, you're selling to new investors, you're selling to employees, you own the company culture and the perception of the company, you're striking deals, you're selling to customers, you're just out selling all” — Bill Gurley Wed, 15 Jul 2026 16:30:41 +0000 founders Gurley says venture capitalists who see successful pivots learn it's all about the founder. https://minutesof.com/q/166336d4-444e-4185-be47-b98f59d9e1cb/ https://minutesof.com/q/166336d4-444e-4185-be47-b98f59d9e1cb/ “And for any venture capitalist that's been through one of those pivots, they're famously known as pivots now, it's all about the person. Like, it's all about the founder.” — Bill Gurley Wed, 15 Jul 2026 16:30:41 +0000 founders Gurley cites that new CEO hires are a fifty-fifty bet at best, questioning why investors would take that risk. https://minutesof.com/q/40ff08b4-cf88-433b-9872-97652526b9f4/ https://minutesof.com/q/40ff08b4-cf88-433b-9872-97652526b9f4/ “I'm sure it's not scientific, but as new CEO hires a fifty fifty bet at best.” — Bill Gurley Wed, 15 Jul 2026 16:30:41 +0000 founders Gurley cites Brett Taylor as example of founder who repots himself across technology waves from maps to social https://minutesof.com/q/5595f074-745a-4d7b-8b44-e30b60648589/ https://minutesof.com/q/5595f074-745a-4d7b-8b44-e30b60648589/ “He's just always right there as the thing changes and on top of the next thing.” — Forbes Tue, 21 Apr 2026 23:11:11 +0000 founders Gurley blames AI founder fear-mongering for data center projects being stopped and regulatory impacts. https://minutesof.com/q/a65b4d1c-6546-4202-aeb7-687602eee76d/ https://minutesof.com/q/a65b4d1c-6546-4202-aeb7-687602eee76d/ “That starts- Some of the founders. Yeah. And it's starting to have ramifications for the industry. A number of data center projects has been stopped.” — Prof G Markets Fri, 27 Mar 2026 11:00:44 +0000 founders Gurley quotes Bezos saying he only looks for determinism in founders who will succeed regardless of investment https://minutesof.com/q/c5317496-b8eb-4ba0-99d5-946284636787/ https://minutesof.com/q/c5317496-b8eb-4ba0-99d5-946284636787/ “He said, I wanna believe this person's gonna go do this, come hell or high water, whether I get involved or not, nothing's gonna stop him. And that's the trade he's looking for.” — School of Hard Knocks Podcast Thu, 26 Mar 2026 21:34:25 +0000 founders Gurley argues venture capital bends toward youth because founders are young and young VCs understand new techn https://minutesof.com/q/fd6756e0-2a7c-4ccb-a15b-811bf5dc5281/ https://minutesof.com/q/fd6756e0-2a7c-4ccb-a15b-811bf5dc5281/ “I think it's very hard to be a venture capitalist as you get older and I think it's very easy to break into venture capital as a young person.” — School of Hard Knocks Podcast Thu, 26 Mar 2026 21:34:25 +0000 founders Gurley recalls Travis Kalanick's first two companies ending in bankruptcy or minimal returns before Uber. https://minutesof.com/q/f8bbfec5-034b-484a-80d0-c1f0d116fc80/ https://minutesof.com/q/f8bbfec5-034b-484a-80d0-c1f0d116fc80/ “I remember when we did the first Uber investment, Travis, his his first couple of companies, one of them I think ended up in bankruptcy.” — BigDeal by Codie Sanchez Wed, 04 Mar 2026 15:00:36 +0000 founders Gurley quotes Josh Wolf's saying that chips on shoulders put chips in pockets. https://minutesof.com/q/9debc952-245c-4d9c-a541-e957b82d5039/ https://minutesof.com/q/9debc952-245c-4d9c-a541-e957b82d5039/ “Josh Wolf of Lux Capital has a saying chips on shoulders put chips in pockets.” — BigDeal by Codie Sanchez Wed, 04 Mar 2026 15:00:36 +0000 founders Gurley emphasizes the person matters more than the concept, citing founders who pivoted 180 degrees. https://minutesof.com/q/f2d02a58-afd8-4623-bd75-15ed6a3f8a86/ https://minutesof.com/q/f2d02a58-afd8-4623-bd75-15ed6a3f8a86/ “And we've seen incredible businesses be built by great founders who have pivoted a 180 degrees from the original idea.” — BigDeal by Codie Sanchez Wed, 04 Mar 2026 15:00:36 +0000 founders Gurley says Adam Neumann's salesmanship in WeWork Series A was unlike anything he had ever seen. https://minutesof.com/q/f13ccefb-36ee-4378-b791-65b91a91f7c0/ https://minutesof.com/q/f13ccefb-36ee-4378-b791-65b91a91f7c0/ “I remember where I was when he presented to us. Now keep in mind, Benchmark's never done a real estate transaction in the history of the firm.” — BigDeal by Codie Sanchez Wed, 04 Mar 2026 15:00:36 +0000 founders Gurley quotes Bezos saying he only invests when founders will pursue their vision regardless of funding. https://minutesof.com/q/10df2b7e-f9fd-41d2-8226-4072329498b9/ https://minutesof.com/q/10df2b7e-f9fd-41d2-8226-4072329498b9/ “I only look for one thing. I want to know that this person's gonna go do this thing come hell or high water, whether I invest or not.” — Brew Markets Fri, 27 Feb 2026 20:28:10 +0000 founders Gurley cites 58% disengagement and 15% quiet quitting data, contrasts with founders' constant learning require https://minutesof.com/q/00d99650-22a6-4a18-b5db-7665be4ac472/ https://minutesof.com/q/00d99650-22a6-4a18-b5db-7665be4ac472/ “15 of those 58 say they're quiet quitting. These are horrible numbers. Founders live on the edge of a new technological shift constantly, and they can't not know what's happening next.” — Scott D. Clary - Success Story Podcast Sun, 22 Feb 2026 21:44:44 +0000 founders Gurley argues founders must constantly study new technology at a level uncommon in most other industries. https://minutesof.com/q/6807cebd-2822-43b5-96cf-71604b3bd1b1/ https://minutesof.com/q/6807cebd-2822-43b5-96cf-71604b3bd1b1/ “Founders live on the edge of a new technological shift constantly, and they can't not know what's happening next. It requires a level of studying that is foreign in other industries and other fields.” — Scott D. Clary - Success Story Podcast Sun, 22 Feb 2026 21:44:44 +0000 founders Gurley argues founders who stay private longer are shirking their duty to maximize shareholder value. https://minutesof.com/q/5fefb43d-4ee3-43e3-8258-e5aea88a1f04/ https://minutesof.com/q/5fefb43d-4ee3-43e3-8258-e5aea88a1f04/ “But that's the behavior of some of the founders in Silicon Valley that buy into the state private thing. Like the minute you started giving stock to your employees, you're in the game” — Bloomberg Tech Fri, 16 Oct 2020 00:08:57 +0000 founders Gurley sits on four boards where women are founders: Nextdoor, Marco Polo, Katrina, and Solve Health. https://minutesof.com/q/3e8002de-6882-4529-8781-92919d8cdcbb/ https://minutesof.com/q/3e8002de-6882-4529-8781-92919d8cdcbb/ “I sit on four boards where the women are founders. Nextdoor Marco Polo, Katrina, and Heather with with Solve Health, you know.” — Bloomberg Tech Thu, 15 Feb 2018 00:05:18 +0000 founders