92 - Diaspora Founders, Benefits of FAANG Experience, and Pattern Matching in VC with Borys Musielak, SMOK VC

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of meeting with SMOK's Borys Musielak. We discussed early-stage funding, the unique strengths of CEE diaspora founders, and how FAANG experience can be both an advantage and a challenge for entrepreneurs. Tune in to learn more! What did we cover? - What does SMOK VC do? - Why focus on CEE diaspora founders? - What’s the difference between CEE founders and U.S. founders? - Why doesn’t FAANG always produce good startup material? - How much of SMOK’s deal flow comes from LinkedIn? - What’s the most ridiculous pitch Borys has heard? - Why is pattern matching important in VC? - How can someone get into VC? - Does founder-led growth actually exist? - What was the biggest opportunity Borys missed? - What is SMOK VC’s request for startups? - What advice does Borys have for all early-stage founders?