I get a fair number of requests for advice / inputs about getting into venture. I suppose one factor is my entry into venture capital, late in my career, from a non-finance or startup role. Many of these requests are for 15 or 30min calls around these topics.

However I am afraid I wont be able to take time for such calls. The primary factor is time - i do get a fair number of these (and other) requests, and I need to safeguard my time, which is precommitted to my founders. See my reply around requests for 15 or 30-min calls.

The other reason is that I am an accidental VC. I got into Blume in my 40s. I was fortunate to know two of the three Partners at Blume from my days at the Times Group. There were of course other reasons, some specific to Blume, some to me, but this was decisive.

Given this, I really wonder how much I will be helpful to the vast majority of applicants, who are well much younger and have a very different background to me. Hence I have decided to shy away from engaging on this topic. I do make an exception for certain socially-disadvantaged groups that do not have easy access to mentors (see here).

However if there is a super-specific question or two that I can answer in 2-3 mins, e.g., "I have an offer between X(role, pay etc.) and Y (role, pay, etc.)” or “Given my ambition A and situation B, do you feel X > Y?", then email me and I will be glad to help.

I would encourage you to read my article Breaking into VC - it gives you context and colour into how VCs recruit early career professionals, and a playbook to enhance your profile. Do read it. It will answer a lot of your questions!

I wish you the very best.