Perspectives

Perspectives on operator capital.

Notes from the cap table, on seed-stage diligence, search-fund LP economics, founder-friendly terms, and what operator-led capital actually changes.

  1. April 20, 2026

    3 min read

    Why I Don't Compete With The Searchers I Back

    When a deal a backed searcher brings me fits my own buy-box, I co-invest with them rather than compete for it. Here is why that policy is structural, not generous.

  2. March 20, 2026

    3 min read

    Roll-Up Backing: What Makes A Platform Investable

    Most roll-up pitches sound the same. The platforms that actually work share specific structural traits that get under-discussed in the pitch.

  3. February 20, 2026

    3 min read

    How To Evaluate A Search Fund Principal Before You Commit

    The aggregate returns of the search fund asset class do not protect you on a single bet. Here is the diligence I do on the principal before committing capital.

  4. January 20, 2026

    3 min read

    Healthcare Technology: A Capital Allocator's Framework

    Healthcare technology is one of the most demanding categories for an early-stage investor. Here is the framework I use to separate real opportunities from category-risk traps.

  5. December 20, 2025

    3 min read

    RevOps Tooling As A Venture Category

    Revenue operations tooling is one of the most under-appreciated venture categories of the next five years. Here is what makes it interesting and what I look for in deals.

  6. November 20, 2025

    3 min read

    The ETA Capital Stack: Equity, Mezzanine, SBA, Seller Financing

    Most ETA acquisitions use a multi-source capital stack. Here is how each layer works, what the trade-offs are, and how I think about which mix fits which deal.

  7. October 20, 2025

    3 min read

    Search Fund Economics From The LP Side

    Most search fund pitches are written for searchers and institutional LPs. Here is the LP-side math, including the parts that often get glossed over in the pitch.

  8. September 20, 2025

    3 min read

    Vertical SaaS: The Next Operator-Led Wave

    Horizontal SaaS won the last decade. The next decade is being built by operators who pick a single vertical and own it end-to-end. Here is what that looks like.

  9. August 20, 2025

    3 min read

    When To Write A Small Check Versus No Check

    Most of the founders I meet do not get a check from me. The decision rule between a small yes and a polite no is more specific than most founders expect.

  10. July 20, 2025

    3 min read

    AI-Native Operator Tools: Where I Am Deploying Seed Capital

    AI-native tools are reshaping how operators run companies. Here is the specific category I am investing in and the questions I ask before writing a check.

  11. June 20, 2025

    3 min read

    The Case For Backing Operators Over Funds

    Most LP capital flows to fund managers. The operator-direct model produces a different return profile and a different relationship. Here is what I have learned by writing checks both ways.

  12. May 20, 2025

    3 min read

    Co-Investing With Searchers: Structures That Align Incentives

    When I co-invest with a searcher, the deal structure matters as much as the underlying business. Here is what I have learned about getting it right.

  13. April 20, 2025

    3 min read

    Search Fund LP Investing For Non-Institutional LPs

    Search fund LP investing is one of the more interesting asset classes for individual LPs. Here is how I think about it from both sides of the table.

  14. March 20, 2025

    3 min read

    What I Look For In A B2B SaaS Founder's First Deck

    Most pitch deck advice is generic. Here is the specific signal I look for, the slides that change my mind in either direction, and the words that always show up in the decks I fund.

  15. February 20, 2025

    2 min read

    Why Operator-Led Capital Matters For Early-Stage SaaS

    The operating decisions that determine whether a SaaS company makes it to Series B happen before the funds are deployed. Here is what operator-led capital actually changes.

  16. January 20, 2025

    2 min read

    The Small-Check Strategy: Why $25k Actually Matters

    A small check can do real work for a founder when it comes from someone who has built the systems they are trying to build. Here is how I think about sizing seed checks.