The Power of Questions
When Mark was in high school, he was fascinated by the way people learn through questions. There was an article on how judges were trained to ask questions in ways that truly opened up the respondents’ perspective and led to the truth.
As a CEO, Mark learned the power of asking questions to help executives move towards a common point of view or to bring out alternative perspectives. It is not a tool of command and control, but rather a tool for bringing out the best in others.
Dave learned the same techniques at MIT, where he focused on how to ask the right question at the right time to gain unique insights. Most recently, Dave pulled on this skill at the Web3 Imagine in Action event at MIT where he asked Peter Diamandis about his view of the world.
Asking questions well is so important to a process of getting great returns in venture capital that we have just finished training the entire Vestigo team on this skillset. We wanted to share a bit of this with you in this issue.
A leading takeaway from this training was around the importance of not leading your interviewee. Instead, pose open ended questions that are simple statements of a problem you are trying to explore. This is in contrast to asking a direct question that reinforces your point of view. Another key learning focused on interview preparation. We have always been big believers in planning before an important meeting and then following up with participants. It’s surprising how little of this seems to occur despite the importance of the task you are trying to accomplish. We implore all of our readers to deep dive into the powerful art of question asking. We’d love to learn your takeaways!
- Dave & Mark
Envisions Interview
The Power of Questions
w/ Jeanette Mellinger, Head of UX Research at BetterUp
Vestigo Attends Imagination in Action Web3 Summit
With the summer sun blazing down in Boston, we were very excited to have members of the team meet up for the Imagination in Action Web3 Summit hosted at the MIT Media Lab. Mixed with 400+ Explorers and 175+ Imaginators, it was nothing less than an event full of brilliant minds and creative ideas. Being my first event with Vestigo, I had a fantastic opportunity to meet new faces with whom, in a short time, I learned a lot.
Among them was governance moderator Jonte Harrell from ZenLedger. He was the only moderator of the day I witnessed that began by asking questions directly to the audience. He asked a question many battle with, do you trust technology? As I sat and pondered the question, the room watched as select individuals raised their hands and nodded signifying yes, while many others sat in silence, signifying no. This simple question prompted intense thought from the audience and led me to the edge of my chair for the rest of the panel.
Our very own Dave Blundin also included some excellent insights and interview skills during the event. With a star-studded panel, he made sure to ask questions directly to certain panelists and gave everyone a chance to share their thoughts. The “Economics - Adopting Crypto” panel was one of my favorites of the day because of this. What formed from this collaboration was a compelling conversation on tokens and equity that felt complex and complete.
The Imagination in Action event was a great example of modern conferences deriving from in-person experience. It was incredible to be in a close space with some of the people I look up to most in the world. It is not every day an intern stands next to the first engineer at Twitter.
- Abby Draeger
Portfolio Updates
ForMotiv Selected for AI Fintech 100 List
ForMotiv was selected as one of the Top 100 AI FinTech Companies for 2022 by FinTech Global, a worldly leading provider of FinTech information services, B2B media products and industry events!
ReSource Pro Acquires towerIQ
We are excited to announce that towerIQ has been successfully acquired by ReSource Pro, an insurance-focused business solutions company that integrates people, process, technology, and data analytics!
ReSource Pro
ZenLedger's Jonté Harrell at Imagination in Action Summit
Jonté Harrell, CFO at ZenLedger, moderated a panel on governance and protection at the Imagination in Action Web3.0 Summit! Panelists included founders and executives from Civics, Proxy, Wellville, Breach, and Public Consulting Group.
Maria Gracia Santillana Linares
Interesting Reads
Maze
Apply to One of Our Portfolio Companies!
Our mailing address is:
Vestigo Ventures
1 Kendall Sq Ste B2101
Cambridge, MA 02139-1588
Add us to your address book
DISCLAIMER: The information presented in this newsletter is intended for general informational purposes only and may not reflect current law or regulations in your jurisdiction. By reading our newsletter, you understand that no information contained herein should be construed as legal, financial, or tax advice from the authors or contributors, nor is it intended to be a substitute for such counsel on any subject matter. No reader of this newsletter should act or refrain from acting based on any information included in, or accessible through, this newsletter without seeking appropriate professional advice on the specific facts and circumstances at issue from a professional licensed in the reader's state, country, or other appropriate licensing jurisdiction. This newsletter and its content should not be considered a solicitation for investment in any way.