Judging VC Skill: The Hardest Open Problem in Finance?

One life skill working in finance teaches people is how to act disappointed, even insulted, at being offered an absurd amount of money for one year’s work. Every bonus season, analysts throughout the industry psych themselves up to be performatively bummed that The Number wasn’t even higher. This is not just about greed; it’s also a cultural performance that gives you camaraderie and job security. “If you’re not fighting me over thousands of dollars,” you boss might wonder, “are you really going to fight for me over millions?”