Done Deals

Done Deals presents firsthand accounts from venture capitalists who shaped the technology industry through their investment decisions. The interviews capture key moments in venture capital history from the 1960s through the 1990s tech boom. Each chapter features a different VC pioneer discussing their most significant deals and investment philosophies. The narratives include funding decisions behind companies like Apple, Intel, Cisco, and other transformative tech businesses that emerged from Silicon Valley. The book provides direct insights into how venture capitalists evaluate opportunities, structure deals, and work with entrepreneurs to build companies. The interviewed VCs share their frameworks for identifying promising technologies and teams, along with lessons learned from both successes and failures. At its core, Done Deals documents the evolution of venture capital's role in technological innovation and entrepreneurship. The collection of perspectives reveals how the intersection of capital, technology, and human ambition drove multiple waves of industry creation.

Most readers describe Done Deals as a detailed historical account of venture capital through firsthand stories from VC pioneers. The book covers major deals and watershed moments told by participants. Readers appreciated: - Primary source material from VC industry founders - Behind-the-scenes details of notable tech investments - Clear explanations of complex deals - The focus on early Silicon Valley development Common criticisms: - Content feels dated (published in 2000) - Too much focus on 1960s-1980s deals - Limited coverage of late 1990s internet boom - Some interviews lack depth Ratings: Amazon: 4.0/5 (12 reviews) Goodreads: 3.7/5 (23 ratings) One reviewer noted it "provides unique historical perspective but needs an updated edition." Another called it "a time capsule of early venture capital that new investors should read." The interviews and deal analyses draw consistent praise, while readers wanted more recent case studies and modern context.

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🔷 The book features candid interviews with pioneering venture capitalists like Arthur Rock, who helped fund Intel and Apple in their early days 🔷 Author Udayan Gupta spent over 15 years as a reporter for The Wall Street Journal, specializing in venture capital and private equity coverage 🔷 Several deals discussed in the book highlight investments made during the 1970s when the entire venture capital industry was worth less than $400 million (compared to hundreds of billions today) 🔷 The book includes detailed accounts of the funding behind tech giants like Cisco Systems, which received its initial VC investment from Sequoia Capital's Don Valentine in 1987 🔷 Many featured VCs in the book were trained at famous firms like Fairchild Semiconductor, which became known as a "mother company" that spawned numerous Silicon Valley startups and venture capitalists