The Learning Corner by Precursor

Mia Farnham, Charles Hudson
  • 5.0 (7)
  • INVESTING
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Welcome to the Learning Corner, a weekly Precursor Ventures podcast, where members of the Precursor team walk through their favorite articles and news snippets across the venture ecosystem.

  1. 6D AGO

    Episode #60: The 2025 Venture Review feat. Hunter Walk (Homebrew, Screendoor) and Peter Walker (Carta)

    This end‑of‑year episode of The Learning Corner by Precursor brings together our first podcast guests, Hunter Walk (Homebrew, Screendoor) and Peter Walker (Carta) for a wide‑ranging conversation on how venture capital has evolved in 2025. We unpack ballooning early‑stage valuations, the distortion created by media attention, and how few companies actually sit at the top of the market. We also discuss today’s exit landscape, growing pressure for liquidity, the rise of secondaries, and what recent IPOs and M&A activity mean for funds of different sizes. We close by examining what early‑stage venture really looks like today, from changing GP‑LP dynamics to faster paths to scale and the push to build more with smaller teams.

    33 min

  2. DEC 11

    Episode #59: Pivots Rarely Work, Missionary Founders, Does Seattle Hate AI?

    In this week’s episode, we break down Ben Casnocha’s shift in thinking on whether good ideas matter more than good founders, Aaron Harris’ challenge to the “missionary founder” trope, and Jonathon Ready’s exploration of why AI is getting eye rolls from engineers in Seattle. We discuss how these takes intersect with early-stage investing and what signals we should be looking for as the startup landscape keeps evolving.

    18 min

  3. DEC 4

    Episode #58: Charles Schwab Acquisition of Forge Global, Holding "Venture Zombies" Forever, What Is Burnout Actually?

    In this episode of The Learning Corner by Precursor, Mia Farnham is joined by Charles Hudson and Missy Martin to unpack three timely reads. First, we explore Charles Schwab’s $660M acquisition of Forge Global and what it signals about the mainstreaming of alternative assets for retail investors. Next, we dig into TechCrunch’s coverage of “venture zombies” and the rise of “hold forever” investors acquiring stalled startups. Finally, we reflect on a powerful essay by Sinéad O’Sullivan that reframes burnout as an identity collapse—not a productivity issue—and what that means for founders, operators, and investors alike.

    24 min

  4. NOV 20

    Episode #57: Founder update signals, AI is a bubble and that's good and bad, YC's call to build "fundable" companies

    This week on The Learning Corner by Precursor, Mia Farnham and Charles Hudson dive into three thought-provoking reads shaking up the venture ecosystem: First, we break down Ben Zises’ take on why consistent founder updates may signal future success — and why that doesn’t always align with our own portfolio data. Next, we explore M.G. Siegler’s “Hey, There’s a Bubble” and what today’s AI funding frenzy reveals about hype cycles, economic dissonance, and the uneasy optimism baked into bubbles. Finally, we unpack Kyle Harrison’s “Build What’s Fundable” and its take on YC’s shifting tone, consensus capital, and the rising prevalence of ‘slop startups’—and what it means for early-stage builders trying to think independently in a world that rewards conformity.

    17 min

  5. NOV 13

    Episode #56: VC is Hard, Unconcentrated Fund Math, Cluely Growth Updates

    We kick things off with a short but sharp post from Ben Choi reminding us that “VC is hard”—not just because of performance pressure, but because navigating fund dynamics and relationships is a game in itself. Then we dive into a provocative piece by Stefano Bernardi questioning the obsession with concentrated funds, and unpack why diversification often outperforms even the best instincts. Finally, we revisit the Cluely hype cycle, with CEO Roy Lee reflecting on the downside of viral traction and what happens when the market stops being impressed.

    17 min

  6. NOV 6

    Episode #55: Unsafe SAFEs, 15 Charts on the Future of VC, Big CPG Leveraging Gen AI, Sequoia Changes Guards

    This week on The Learning Corner, Mia and Charles break down four of the most thought-provoking reads shaping the tech and venture ecosystem right now: • Unsafe SAFEs in the Age of AI: Jason Lemkin calls out a troubling new trend where founders in hyped AI deals walk away with investor cash—without building a thing. • 15 Charts That Explain How Tech and Venture Are Changing in 2025: Ruben Dominguez drops a chart-heavy update covering everything from AI app churn to why so many junior VCs leave the industry. • Oreo-maker Mondelez is using GenAI to slash marketing costs: Mondelez teams up with Publicis and Accenture to roll out a $40M AI tool, cutting costs—and possibly creativity—in CPG advertising. • Sequoia Names New Co-Leads as Roelof Botha Steps Down: With Roelof Botha stepping down, Sequoia is signaling a new chapter

    22 min

  7. OCT 30

    Episode #54: Teaching Students to Challenge AI, Is AI The New Shadow Bank?

    First up, we dive into “Beyond True or False: Teaching Students to Interrogate AI Unreliability”, a Substack by Nick Potkalitsky, which proposes a new framework—borrowed from literary theory—for teaching students to critically evaluate AI-generated content. We discuss how this lens can help people move beyond simple trust/distrust binaries and become better co-creators with AI. Then, we explore “Is AI the New Shadow Bank? (Yes…)”, a piece that draws parallels between today’s AI economy and the pre-2008 shadow banking system. Instead of mortgage-backed securities, today’s collateral is GPU access, compute contracts, and foundation models—and we ask: is the real innovation the credit system AI is built on?

    16 min

  8. OCT 23

    Episode #53: The Magic of DTC, Power of Iteration Speed, Secondaries in Term Sheets

    We’re digging into three thought-provoking topics shaping the current startup and investing landscape: 🧼 Coterie’s $650M Exit & the Return of DTC M&A – We break down Brian Sugar’s “One Brand is Luck, Two is Strategy,” and why pure-play DTC brands with strong economics and customer devotion are back on the radar for modern acquirers. ⚡️ Iteration Speed & the Path to Series A – Hadley Harris of Eniac Ventures shares why iteration speed is the best predictor of Series A readiness, and how founders can prioritize feedback loops and kill ideas quickly to increase their odds. 💸 Secondaries in Term Sheets – A recent Axios note suggests Menlo Ventures is now pre-negotiating secondary sale conditions into early-stage term sheets. We unpack what this means, why it matters, and whether this becomes a new norm.

    21 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
7 Ratings

About

Welcome to the Learning Corner, a weekly Precursor Ventures podcast, where members of the Precursor team walk through their favorite articles and news snippets across the venture ecosystem.

Information

  • Creator
    Mia Farnham, Charles Hudson
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2025
  • Episodes
    60
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 The Learning Corner by Precursor
  • Show Website
    The Learning Corner by Precursor

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