About this episode
Can ethics, generosity, and long-term relationships really outperform aggression in venture capital?
David Weisburd speaks with David Hornik about why “nice guys finish first… eventually,” how power-law outcomes shape a venture career, and why reputation compounds more reliably than tactics. Hornik explains why backing unflinchingly ethical founders isn’t just moral—it’s a durable competitive advantage in an industry defined by uncertainty.
Highlights:
Why Hornik only backs founders who are “unflinchingly ethical”
Ethics vs. culture: where pushing hard crosses the line
Why venture capital is a business of disappointment—and patience
How one out of ten investments defines an entire career
The human cost of startup failure and why it never gets easier
Why power laws make venture outcomes feel irrational
Compounding reputation as the most valuable long-term asset
The “transitive property of reputation” in deal sourcing
Why founders should diligence investors as hard as VCs diligence founders
Giving vs. taking—and why pure givers still need boundaries
Media, conferences, and platforms as multiplicative ways to add value
EQ vs. IQ: why emotional intelligence matters more than raw intelligence
Why Hornik won’t invest without sharing a meal with founders
Guest Bio:
David Hornik is the Founder of Lobby Capital and a veteran venture capitalist with over 25 years of experience investing from seed to pre-IPO. He previously spent two decades at August Capital and was the first institutional investor in companies including Splunk. David is known for his emphasis on ethics, reputation, and long-term relationship-building as core drivers of venture success.
Our Podcast now receives more than 300,000 downloads a month. Are you interested in sponsoring an episode? Please email David Weisburd at david@weisburdcapital.com.
We’d like to thank AlphaSense for sponsoring this episode!
Sponsor:
AlphaSense is the AI-powered market intelligence platform trusted by 85% of the S&P 100, helping investment professionals make faster, more confident, data-driven decisions. Built for hedge funds, asset allocators, private venture capital firms, and investment bankers, AlphaSense uses advanced AI and powerful search across premium proprietary content to surface the insights that matter most—before the market moves. Elevate your research and stay ahead of the competition. Visit https://www.alpha-sense.com/howiinvest/ to learn more.
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