Tim Guleri - Legendary VC & Tech Founder with Multiple IPO Exits | Building Billion-Dollar Tech Companies

Tim Guleri is a seasoned venture capitalist and managing partner at Sierra Ventures, a Silicon Valley-based early-stage technology-focused venture capital firm. With over two decades of experience in the technology industry, he has a strong track record of identifying and nurturing successful startups. Before joining Sierra Ventures, he co-founded Scopus Technology, which went public in 1995 and was later acquired by Siebel Systems for $460 million, and Octane Software, which was acquired by E.piphany in 2000 for $3.2 billion.
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Tim Guleri is a seasoned venture capitalist and managing partner at Sierra Ventures, a Silicon Valley-based early-stage technology-focused venture capital firm. With over two decades of experience in the technology industry, he has a strong track record of identifying and nurturing successful startups. Before joining Sierra Ventures, he co-founded Scopus Technology, which went public in 1995 and was later acquired by Siebel Systems for $460 million, and Octane Software, which was acquired by E.piphany in 2000 for $3.2 billion.
➡️ Show Links
https://www.linkedin.com/in/timguleri/
➡️ Podcast Sponsors
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Vanta - https://www.vanta.com/scott
Federated Computer - https://www.federated.computer
Cornbread Hemp - https://cornbreadhemp.com/success (Code: Success)
Create Like The Greats Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/lu/podcast/create-like-the-greats/id1653650073
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➡️ Talking Points
00:00 - Intro
05:23 - The Common Thread in Tim’s Journey
08:01 - Born Entrepreneur or Learned Skill?
10:31 - How Entrepreneurs Find Their Focus
18:30 - Tim’s Career & Investment Philosophy
22:08 - Sponsor Break
24:46 - The Evolution of Sierra Ventures
30:27 - Founder Traps in Venture Capital
35:08 - Managing Risk at Sierra Ventures
40:57 - Finding Investors: Tips for Founders
49:50 - Sponsor Break
52:03 - The Biggest Challenge for First-Time Entrepreneurs
57:24 - Riding Trends vs. True Innovation
1:00:26 - Is There an Undiscovered Playbook for Distribution?
1:03:17 - Scaling Without Crashing
1:08:05 - Making High-Stakes Decisions with Confidence
1:12:28 - Smart Exit Strategies for Entrepreneurs
1:17:03 - Final Thoughts from Tim Guleri