Maxims, Morals, and Metaphors: A Philosophical Guide to Venture Capital [Paperback]

Scott Chou (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 28, 2006

As an experienced entrepreneur, technologist, and venture capitalist, Scott Chou brings you on the inside of today's startup world. Maxims, Morals, and Metaphors is a humorous and profound compilation of business metaphors assembled in a manner consistent with the teaching of venture capital. Chou's book demystifies the venture capital game for all players new to the business.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Scott Chou has captured his Kauffman Fellows Program and venture capital investing experience in this very concise, insightful, and most memorable treatise on the art and craft of venture capital investing. His pithy quotes elucidate key lessons and insights from an insider's and investor's perspective. It is an invaluable, entertaining and easy to read guide for entrepreneurs and aspiring VCs alike. --Jeffry A. Timmons, Babson College, Author of New Venture Creation

I laughed, I cried. This book is mandatory reading for any new venture capitalist. Scott Chou makes sense of the idioms we use to describe the myriad of situations we find ourselves in as investors in entrepreneurs. This book will help us all better support those who take on the highest calling -- The Riskmasters. --Tim Draper, Founder and Managing Director, Draper Fisher Jurvetson

Scott Chou has written a terrific little book, chock-full of wisdom. Useful aphorisms abound. Entrepreneurs and venture capitalists -- experienced and newbies -- would be well-advised to take his advice to heart. --William A. Sahlman, Harvard Business School, Author of The Entrepreneurial Venture

From the Publisher

As an experienced entrepreneur, technologist, and venture capitalist, Scott Chou brings you on the inside of today's startup world. Maxims, Morals, and Metaphors is a humorous and profound compilation of business metaphors assembled in a manner consistent with the teaching of venture capital. Chou's book demystifies the venture capital game for all players new to the business.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 86 pages
• Publisher: Aardvark Global Publishing; 1st edition (April 28, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1599717913
• ISBN-13: 978-1599717913
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,023,425 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Mr. Scott Chou is a General Partner at Gabriel Venture Partners. He is known within the venture industry for his focus on disruptive technologies and for authoring Maxims, Morals, and Metaphors - A Primer on Venture Capital. Scott's passion for early stage technology ventures extends back to high school when he joined his first startup as a software engineer. He has since worked for five more technology ventures including Poqet Computer and ICE in addition to world-renowned research and development organizations such as Bellcore and IBM. His broad expertise in technology spans the industry from manufacturing to software development to chip design. Scott completed the prestigious Kauffman Fellows Program in 1999 with Onset Ventures. He later joined Gabriel in early 2000 where he focuses on research labs for fundamental innovations and China for maximizing capital efficiency. Scott's hobbies include digital photography, testing out electronic gadgets, and Oklahoma Sooners football. His educational background includes a bachelor's Degree in electrical engineering with honors from Caltech as well as master's degrees from Harvard University and Stanford University.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars venture capital 101, November 30, 2006

By 

A. Wong (Silicon Valley, California) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Maxims, Morals, and Metaphors: A Philosophical Guide to Venture Capital (Paperback)

The book reveals incredibly insight into some of the key fundamentals which drive the modern VC business.

The literary content helps frame those principles and puts them into practice, but in an fun and easily to read way. It will help those who aspire to enter the VC business truly understand what he/she is getting into.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Insightful and funny, December 1, 2006

By 

M. Wang (Los Angeles) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Maxims, Morals, and Metaphors: A Philosophical Guide to Venture Capital (Paperback)

Venture capitalists have developed their own lingo, and this book cracks the code! Whether you're an investor, entrepreneur, or just amused by VC-speak, this book captures the spirit of silicon valley. If you've ever heard a clever saying and written it down, well, this book is chock full of witty sayings -- "The first man gets the oyster; the second man gets the shell" and "In a strong wind, even turkeys can fly."

4.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent Primer on VC, March 16, 2010

By 

Scott A. Gunter (Walnut Creek, CA.) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Maxims, Morals, and Metaphors: A Philosophical Guide to Venture Capital (Paperback)

This book is great if you want to start speaking the language of the VC right from the get-go! Mr. Chou does a great job in introducing the reader to not only the various maxims and metaphors of the VC world, but also does a fine job of explaining what those oft times confusing phrases mean and how they apply to a particular situation. This book should be a part of anyone's library who is interested in speaking the language of the VC, or at least sound like they do. For VC vocabulary, this is a great way to "enter the pool in the shallow end".