Breaking into venture capital has long been considered gatekept — reserved for ex-founders, Ivy grads, or insiders with the right connections. But I don’t buy that.

This piece is about the new rules of VC — what it really takes to build credibility in the industry today.

Venture capital is no longer a credential-gated world. It’s a skill-based, credibility-driven game — and anyone can play.

I’m building my way into venture without a pedigree — no MBA, no exit, no partner title. I’m using myself as a guinea pig to prove what I believe to be true: modern venture is permissionless.

You don’t need credentials to break in — just signal.
And signal is built by thinking clearly, acting publicly, and committing to the long game.

Whether you’re trying to join a fund, back founders, or simply understand how venture capital operates, this is a blueprint for building signal, forming real relationships, and playing the long game — all in public.

Along the way, I’ve studied how others did it — especially Andrew Reed at Sequoia, whose story I first came across on the Technology Brothers Podcast Network. His approach in 2017 was rare. Today, it’s replicable — for anyone with internet access, curiosity, and consistency.

So this is part essay, part playbook, part field report.

I’ll break down:

If you take away just one idea, let it be this: You don’t need a high pedigree to break into venture — just clear thinking, public proof of work, and patience to play the long game.

Ready to get started? Good. Let’s go.

Demystifying Venture Capital

Before we dive into how to build credibility in VC, let’s clarify what a venture capital fund actually is — structurally and economically. This high-level overview will help demystify the industry and provide context for the skills VCs are expected to master. If you’re curious about the broader history, Venture Forward has a great primer.

A venture capital fund pools money from limited partners (LPs) — like pension funds, endowments, and wealthy individuals — and is managed by general partners (GPs) who decide which startups to back.

The fund makes money in two ways: a management fee, and a share of any profits from successful investments — known as “carry.”

The mechanics can get nuanced, but you don’t need to master the structure to start building signal.

If you're curious about how the fund structure really works — LPs, GPs, management fees, capital calls, carry structures, and more — I broke it all down in this explainer so you can dive in when you're ready.

How to Excel in Venture — according to Andrew Reed of Sequoia Capital

Now that we’ve covered the basic structure of a venture fund, the next question is: how do you actually excel in venture?

In his conversation on the Technology Brothers Podcast Network (TBPN), Andrew Reed shared a simple but powerful framework. Success in VC, he explained, comes down to mastering four core competencies — and none of them require an MBA or a decade of operating experience.

Here’s what they are:

Sourcing is about finding promising companies early, often before anyone else is paying attention. This is where your network, public presence, and ability to spot early signals give you a real edge.

Picking is developing the judgment to know which startups have real potential. It requires curiosity, critical thinking, and an intuitive sense for markets, timing, and people.

Winning means convincing the best founders to choose you as their investor. This isn’t about having the most money — it’s about trust, relationships, and being someone founders want in their corner.

Company building is what happens after the investment. It’s about helping with hiring, strategy, and support when things get chaotic. This is where long-term value is created — and where you prove you’re more than just a check.

You don’t have to master all four to break in. But you do need to pick a lane — and start proving it in public.

Putting It Into Practice

So, now that we understand the structure of venture and what it takes to excel, how can we actually get started?

Let’s draw some parallels from Andrew Reed’s journey — and then I’ll show you how I’ve been putting the same principles into play, building signal, trust, and judgment in public.

The Case of Andrew Reed

Let’s break down how Reed made his mark:

These differentiators were rare in 2017 — but today, they’re available to anyone willing to show up consistently and build in public.

My Own Path (So Far)

I'm putting in the work — no hypotheticals, just reps.

No credentials are necessary — just consistency, curiosity, and the nerve to keep showing up.

What’s Changed Since 2017

Back in 2017, building a public voice in VC was contrarian. Today, it’s the baseline.

What Andrew Reed did early in his career — post with personality, build relationships online, show conviction in public — felt risky back then. But now? It’s the playbook.

The ecosystem has shifted. What used to be insider advantage is now fully visible and increasingly accessible:

And the punchline? You don’t even need to win — you just need to keep showing up.
(See also: “never kill yourself.”)

X is a literal Arena now — and everyone’s watching the game play out in real time.
The rules have changed. The doors have opened. The seats are unlimited.

You don’t need to be chosen — just choose yourself.

The infrastructure is already here — all you need to do is give yourself permission.

What you do with that agency is what sets you apart.

How to Build Credibility Today

If there’s one thing both Reed’s story arc and my own illustrate, it’s this: credibility isn’t given — it’s built. There are no handouts — you’ve got to take matters into your own hands. And in 2025, the building blocks are fully available to anyone willing to engage and execute.

Here’s how to build credibility from the ground up:

Publish clear, critical thinking

Writing is one of the best ways to demonstrate proof of work — and one of the fastest ways to show how you think, what you notice, and where you’re placing bets. Reed did this through X. I’ve done it through my own essays and X threads.

Ship proof of work

You don’t need to be a partner to write a memo or share your take on a deal. Reed built conviction in public around Robinhood. I’ve hosted Spaces, built out DAOs, and shared frameworks such as this one.

Learn the game

You can get up to speed on VC’s inner workings through programs like VC University, operator blogs, and first-hand interviews.

Build community in public

X is not just a feed — it’s a coordination layer. Reed built early trust with founders online. I’ve done the same by consistently showing up, hosting Spaces, and supporting others in the ecosystem.

Help founders

Credibility compounds when you’re useful. Make intros, offer feedback, be early to a project and help however you can. You don’t need a checkbook to be helpful — just initiative.

And above all: your word is everything.

Say what you mean. Follow through. Be someone others can trust — especially when no one’s watching. That’s what builds real reputation, both online and off.

This is how credibility is built today — in public, over time, through action.

There’s no shortcut, but there’s no gate either.

Just a blank canvas — and what you choose to signal on it.

The New Playbook

The gatekeeping era of venture is over. What used to be closed-door, high-pedigree, backchannel-only is now fully visible — and increasingly permissionless.

This is the new playbook:

But above all: develop conviction.

Conviction is the scarcest resource in the industry today. In a world full of reaction, hedging, and echo-chambers, having a point of view — and standing by it — is what sets you apart.

As for me, I’m still figuring it out.

I come from the music industry — I built an artist management company, consulted for labels and publishers, and saw firsthand what it takes to support creators. More recently, I’ve worked in DAOs like ENS, helping shape governance, narrative, and coordination at the protocol level.

Now I’m applying what I’ve learned to venture. And I’m sharing the journey in public so others can learn — or build — alongside me.

If you're curious about what kind of VC I want to become

It’s someone who bridges culture and capital, who understands that value creation doesn’t just come from code or spreadsheets — it comes from story, structure, and having a point of view.

I want to help creators, builders, and founders shape the next wave of cultural and technological infrastructure — whether that’s through onchain networks, media primitives, or entirely new distribution models.

ROI matters — but what drives me is legacy: finding purpose-market fit and designing spaces where transformation is inevitable.

That’s the idea behind House Agustín — a container for meaning, a design philosophy for cultural and creative infrastructure, a foundation for scenius, and a commitment to designing with intention.

The real power isn’t being seen — it’s designing what others step into. It’s about being a great host, shaping the conditions for scenes to emerge — creating the space where new worlds can take root.

Because when the right elements collide and shared context forms — that’s when the real magic happens.

That’s when scenius takes over.

To me, this is what venture is about at its best: Creating scenius — then opening the door for others to shape it with you.

I’m building FAUST to carry this vision forward — a fund rooted in culture, designed for the onchain era.

Through it, I’ll publish research on how capital, creativity, and coordination interact — and develop media frameworks for cultural infrastructure, grounded in my experience across music, DAOs, and public work.

The research, the frameworks, the community design — it’s all part of becoming the kind of investor, curator, and cultural architect this next era demands.

If you want to follow along — or start your own path into venture — you’re invited.
Reach out at m@agustin.house or learn more about me at estmcmxci.eth.

The playbook is public. The arena is open.
Let us build.