My entrepreneurial journey started with a Twitter DM from Om Malik 17 years ago. I was mulling starting a company, and Jasper Malcolmson, my ex-manager and a new True Ventures founder mentioned me to him. Om and I met at the GigaOM office on Pier 38, and he was ever so kind and complimentary. I eventually got a term sheet from True Ventures, probably one of his first deals there. Sorry Bipul Sinha, I know you wanted me to take your Blumberg Capital termsheet, but Om is Om. That first adventure led to another, and now the 8 DragonfruitAI.Ventures running in parallel. None of it could have happened if Om hadn't believed in me when I first got started. What an enormous privilege to have worked with him. Shanti om.
That first DM turning into 8 ventures later shows how early belief can shape everything. It’s rare and powerful to have someone like Om back you so early in the game.
I met him for the first time two years ago. Hearing him talk about coffee and his photography was so endearing.