RWH073: Unstoppable w/ Sir Michael Moritz
Summary
Sir Michael Moritz discusses his formative years as a Jewish refugee in Wales and his education at Oxford, which instilled the resilience and analytical skills crucial to his career. He reflects on his time at Time magazine covering early tech pioneers like Bill Gates and Steve Jobs, highlighting how his journalistic background shaped his investment philosophy. The episode explores how his unique perspective as an outsider and his patience to hold long-term positions at Sequoia Capital led to historic returns in companies like Google and YouTube.
Topics discussed
Intro, Mastermind Group Promo, and Sponsors
Welcome Sir Michael Moritz and his VC career
Growing up as a refugee in Wales and feeling like an outsider
Father's escape from Nazi Germany and arrival in Britain
Kindertransport, Mother's arrival, and gratitude to Britain
Writing the book 'Auslander' and family trauma
Sponsor Break: Monarch and Plus500
Sponsor Break: NetSuite and parenting influence
Imprinting of survival and grit from parents
Relentlessness, humility, and setting organizational tone
Leaving for Oxford and the culture shock of the tutorial system
How Oxford's tutorial system shaped his investing style
MBA at Wharton and the unexpected Philip Roth connection
Philip Roth's influence and moving to Time Magazine
Time Magazine assignments: Detroit, LA, and San Francisco
Writing the 1984 Bill Gates profile and his obsession
Sponsor Break: Plus500, NetSuite, and Mastermind
Traits of great founders: Gates, Moore, and early tech
Steve Jobs: Aesthetics, mysticism, and early Apple
Judging young founders and the long-term view
The importance of being open and educated by founders
Charlie Munger's advice on holding winning investments
Leadership lessons from Bill Gates and Sir Alex Ferguson
Elon Musk and the art of convincing stakeholders
Philanthropy, family, and closing thoughts
Outro and disclaimer
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