In this conversation, Kelly Perdew, co-founder and managing partner of Moonshots Capital, discusses the critical role of extraordinary leadership in startup success, drawing from his military background and experience as a venture capitalist. He emphasizes the importance of personal branding for founders, the challenges of navigating government contracts, and the necessity of transitioning from a hands-on founder to a more strategic CEO role. Perdew also shares insights on identifying red flags in startups and the future vision for his investment firm.

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Kelly is the Managing General Partner of Moonshots Capital, a seed-stage VC firm that invests in technology companies founded by extraordinary leaders. He has been investing in and advising leading U.S. start-ups since 2004, including LinkedIn (LNKD), Pandora (P), TrueCar (TRUE), Gretel, and ID.me. He has invested in 114 companies, amassing 27 exits and 12 unicorns.

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• (00:00) - The Importance of Extraordinary Leadership
• (02:58) - Military Experience and Its Impact on Leadership
• (05:48) - The Role of Media and Personal Branding for Founders
• (08:52) - Navigating Government Contracts and Dual-Use Technologies
• (11:57) - The Transition from Founder to CEO
• (14:41) - Identifying Red Flags in Startups
• (17:28) - The Future Vision for Moonshots Capital