Nicole DeTommaso

Clarity of Vision Beats Labels in Startup Investing

I had the privilege of moderating a panel with a Midas List VC a few months back. One insight she shared has changed my view on investing. She said the number one thing she looks for is clarity of vision. That sounds simple but it’s actually very tangible. Here’s what she said about investing in Tony Xu and DoorDash at the seed: The Story: When Mar first met Tony Xu (Co-founder & CEO), DoorDash didn't exist yet. Food delivery as a concept barely existed - you could order pizza or Chinese takeout, but the broader idea of "takeout from anywhere" wasn't part of the cultural conversation. Mar told me she always asks founders one specific question in a first meeting: What's your long-term vision? She kept pushing back on Tony, framing what he was building the way anyone in 2013 would have: "You're building a food delivery company." Every time, Tony pushed back harder.  “I’m not a food delivery company, I’m at last-mile compay” DoorDash today delivers groceries, flowers, household supplies, essentially anything. The food vertical was the wedge. Last mile was always the destination. And according to Mar, Tony knew that from day one and made every single decision with that end goal in mind, even a decade before the company got there. I wrote a deeper story on this here👇🏼