At Home with the Asparouhovs
If you watched our interview with Michael Dempsey, you’ll probably recall a tongue-in-cheek moment where he states that there are only three founder archetypes at the moment — Sams, Delians and Nikitas.
It was a hot take and a funny moment, but also exemplified a vibe shift that many have felt but found hard to articulate. Each archetype represents more than an individual — they’re an attitude and insight into where the puck of entrepreneurial opportunity is moving.
Fortunately, I know Delian. He grew up around the corner from me in Salt Lake City. We met shortly after he started working at Khosla Ventures and have stayed friends since. Doubly fortunate, I’ve know Delain’s wife, Nadia, longer than I have known him, having met while she was working in venture capital, and watched as she’s developed her career as an author, researcher, and writer.
I thought it would be fun to sit down with them both to discuss what it means to be “a Delian”, and the implications that archetype might have on investing, tech, and entrepreneurship more broadly.
A few takeaways:
— The low-hanging fruit in tech has been picked:
With SaaS growth rates slowing, there has been a significant shift in the funding landscape. This change underscores the need for venture capitalists to adapt and explore different investment opportunities. We do our best to highlight the importance of diversifying investment strategies in venture capital, emphasizing the need for alternative paths and approaches that deviate from the conventional software-only model so prevalent in the 2010s.
— Importance of Exceptional Founders:
The gulf between good founders and truly great founders is pronounced and widening. There’s tremendous value in supporting founders who are not just following the standard playbook, but are instead looking to create something unique.
— Zigging When Others Zag:
Delian shares the Thiel-inspired approach to investing in areas that are less popular or overlooked by the majority. This approach is not dissimilar to indie.
— The Need for Support Systems:
Whether it’s external support systems or family, founders need support systems to endure the grueling situations you encounter when building a generational company. Contrary to conventional wisdom, having children can allow you to get more done faster by clarifying the truly important over the urgent.
What started out as a funny idea turned into a really rich and expansive conversation. You’ll get some of the hallmark Delianisms of hot takes and bombast, but more importantly, you’ll see how partnership in life and family can be a super power to allow both spouses to pursue the most ambitious versions of their dreams, together.
As always, I hope you enjoy listening as much as we enjoyed recording it.
— Bryce
