Education
Democratize Venture Newsletter
The Democratize Newsletter is a free resource from Doriot University, where founder Gerry Hays shares insights on the venture space, the entrepreneurial mindset, and his evolving vision for the future of Doriot. It’s a space for bold ideas, honest reflections, and a reimagined approach to building and funding startups.
Posted Friday, June 27, 2025 @ 5:00pm ET
Teaser: One of the biggest misconceptions about entrepreneurship is that it starts outside of you—that it’s about spotting a gap in the market, launching an MVP, and charging ahead with sheer will.
Posted Friday, June 20, 2025 @ 5:00pm ET
Teaser: The one thing I tell my students about entrepreneurship is this: the most vital thing you can prepare for is rejection. Not product-market fit. Not your pitch deck. Rejection.
Posted Friday, June 13, 2025 @ 5:00pm ET
Teaser: For decades, venture capital has operated behind closed doors—defined by stealth, secrecy, and selective disclosure. Founders share only what they must….
Posted Friday, June 06, 2025 @ 5:00pm ET
Teaser: As founders, we’re trained to always be selling. But Mark Cuban's point is powerful: people don’t buy your product or invest in your company first—they buy……
Posted Friday, May 30, 2025 @ 5:00pm ET
Teaser: We’re constantly chasing, striving, pushing for more. How often do we pause to look around and realize… we’re already living inside the very life we once asked for?
Posted Friday, May 23, 2025 @ 5:00pm ET
Teaser: Clarity and consistency in your message and value proposition make all the difference. Founders who are “all over the board” tend to lose credibility fast.
Posted Friday, May 16, 2025 @ 5:00pm ET
Teaser: In short, Singapore is perhaps the greatest startup in the history of the world, proving that imagination, vision, and focus are the underpinnings of success.
Posted Friday, May 09, 2025 @ 5:00pm ET
Teaser: That was the moment I first truly noticed the voice—and began to understand the difference between my voice and my presence.
Posted Friday, May 02, 2025 @ 5:00pm ET
Teaser: We're all human. And many of us carry deep-rooted fears — some of which trace back to early childhood. Think about it: we enter this world with nothing but….
Posted Friday, April 25, 2025 @ 5:00pm ET
Teaser: In one of the most groundbreaking studies in education and psychology, Dweck and her team found that Children praised for being “smart” gave up when they hit a challenge.
Posted Friday, April 18, 2025 @ 5:00pm ET
Teaser: This is a quantum leap—what Peter Thiel would call a Zero to One moment. And I’m not afraid to say it: We have a real opportunity to fork venture…..
Posted Friday, April 11, 2025 @ 5:00pm ET
Teaser: What I’ve come to realize is this: it’s easy to feel fearless when you stay hidden. As long as I stayed in the background, avoiding full vulnerability, fear stayed quiet.
Posted Friday, April 04, 2025 @ 5:00pm ET
Teaser: Human beings are wired for agency. We thrive when we feel we can influence outcomes, no matter how small. Psychologists call this the locus of control….
Posted Friday, March 28, 2025 @ 5:00pm ET
Teaser: Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has
Posted Friday, March 21. 2025 @ 5:00pm ET
Teaser: Optionality means having the right, but not the obligation, to make a move when the time is right. It’s the ability to watch, wait, and act when conditions are in your favor….
Posted Friday, March 14, 2025 @ 5:00pm ET
Teaser: Listen, people — the isn’t about Republicans vs. Democrats. It’s now about about wealth and power, and we’re witnessing both being consolidated by….
Posted Friday, March 07, 2025 @ 5:00pm ET
Teaser: Family-and-friends financing is also fundamentally discriminatory, disproportionately limiting opportunities for entrepreneurs from underrepresented backgrounds.
Posted Friday, February 28, 2025 @ 5:00pm ET
Teaser: For better or for worse, we’ve tried to graft the traditional venture model onto retail investors, and it hasn’t worked. VCs get paid to analyze deals full-time — it’s their job. Retail investors?
Posted Friday, February 21, 2025 @ 5:00pm ET
Teaser: But Shinn puts it more bluntly: Complaining is the Law of Decrease. It contracts possibilities, drains energy, and locks us into the very problems we’re frustrated about.
Posted Friday, February 14, 2025 @ 5:00pm ET
Teaser: Panic attacks stem from a battle between uncertainty and control. Founders live in the Grit Zone, pushing forward despite unknowns. But when uncertainty becomes overwhelming….
Posted Friday, February 07, 2025 @ 5:00pm ET
Teaser: The one thing I know about the venture business is that no matter how good you are at picking winners, if you don’t price the equity correctly, you won’t make money.
Posted Friday, January 31, 2025 @ 5:00pm ET
Teaser: In early-stage investing, there is no absolute proof. So what investors tend to rely upon are patterns, biases, and gut reactions. But, unfortunately, this process has real consequences.
Posted Friday, January 24, 2025 @ 5:00pm ET
Teaser: What we do know, however, is that advertisers and social media companies are experts at exploiting the concept of instant gratification. The algorithms are…..
Posted Friday, January 17, 2025 @ 5:00pm ET
Teaser: If Elon Musk has questions about where the world is heading, it’s a wake-up call for all of us. It’s time to start forming communities and collectives across…..
Posted Friday, January 10, 2025 @ 5:00pm ET
Teaser: Pride tells us to play it safe. Stick to what’s predictable, what’s reliable. Pride says, “You’ve got a reputation to uphold. What would people think if you failed?
Posted Friday, January 03, 2025 @ 5:00pm ET
Teaser: Crossing this line takes us into the realm of strong attractors, beginning with courage, then neutrality, willingness, acceptance, reason, joy, and ultimately love.
Education
Democratize Venture Newsletter
The Democratize Newsletter is a free resource from Doriot University, where founder Gerry Hays shares insights on the venture space, the entrepreneurial mindset, and his evolving vision for the future of Doriot. It’s a space for bold ideas, honest reflections, and a reimagined approach to building and funding startups.
Posted Friday, June 27, 2025 @ 5:00pm ET
Teaser: One of the biggest misconceptions about entrepreneurship is that it starts outside of you—that it’s about spotting a gap in the market, launching an MVP, and charging ahead with sheer will.
Posted Friday, June 20, 2025 @ 5:00pm ET
Teaser: The one thing I tell my students about entrepreneurship is this: the most vital thing you can prepare for is rejection. Not product-market fit. Not your pitch deck. Rejection.
Posted Friday, June 13, 2025 @ 5:00pm ET
Teaser: For decades, venture capital has operated behind closed doors—defined by stealth, secrecy, and selective disclosure. Founders share only what they must….
Posted Friday, June 06, 2025 @ 5:00pm ET
Teaser: As founders, we’re trained to always be selling. But Mark Cuban's point is powerful: people don’t buy your product or invest in your company first—they buy……
Posted Friday, May 30, 2025 @ 5:00pm ET
Teaser: We’re constantly chasing, striving, pushing for more. How often do we pause to look around and realize… we’re already living inside the very life we once asked for?
Posted Friday, May 23, 2025 @ 5:00pm ET
Teaser: Clarity and consistency in your message and value proposition make all the difference. Founders who are “all over the board” tend to lose credibility fast.
Posted Friday, May 16, 2025 @ 5:00pm ET
Teaser: In short, Singapore is perhaps the greatest startup in the history of the world, proving that imagination, vision, and focus are the underpinnings of success.
Posted Friday, May 09, 2025 @ 5:00pm ET
Teaser: That was the moment I first truly noticed the voice—and began to understand the difference between my voice and my presence.
Posted Friday, May 02, 2025 @ 5:00pm ET
Teaser: We're all human. And many of us carry deep-rooted fears — some of which trace back to early childhood. Think about it: we enter this world with nothing but….
Posted Friday, April 25, 2025 @ 5:00pm ET
Teaser: In one of the most groundbreaking studies in education and psychology, Dweck and her team found that Children praised for being “smart” gave up when they hit a challenge.
Posted Friday, April 18, 2025 @ 5:00pm ET
Teaser: This is a quantum leap—what Peter Thiel would call a Zero to One moment. And I’m not afraid to say it: We have a real opportunity to fork venture…..
Posted Friday, April 11, 2025 @ 5:00pm ET
Teaser: What I’ve come to realize is this: it’s easy to feel fearless when you stay hidden. As long as I stayed in the background, avoiding full vulnerability, fear stayed quiet.
Posted Friday, April 04, 2025 @ 5:00pm ET
Teaser: Human beings are wired for agency. We thrive when we feel we can influence outcomes, no matter how small. Psychologists call this the locus of control….
Posted Friday, March 28, 2025 @ 5:00pm ET
Teaser: Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has
Posted Friday, March 21. 2025 @ 5:00pm ET
Teaser: Optionality means having the right, but not the obligation, to make a move when the time is right. It’s the ability to watch, wait, and act when conditions are in your favor….
Posted Friday, March 14, 2025 @ 5:00pm ET
Teaser: Listen, people — the isn’t about Republicans vs. Democrats. It’s now about about wealth and power, and we’re witnessing both being consolidated by….
Posted Friday, March 07, 2025 @ 5:00pm ET
Teaser: Family-and-friends financing is also fundamentally discriminatory, disproportionately limiting opportunities for entrepreneurs from underrepresented backgrounds.
Posted Friday, February 28, 2025 @ 5:00pm ET
Teaser: For better or for worse, we’ve tried to graft the traditional venture model onto retail investors, and it hasn’t worked. VCs get paid to analyze deals full-time — it’s their job. Retail investors?
Posted Friday, February 21, 2025 @ 5:00pm ET
Teaser: But Shinn puts it more bluntly: Complaining is the Law of Decrease. It contracts possibilities, drains energy, and locks us into the very problems we’re frustrated about.
Posted Friday, February 14, 2025 @ 5:00pm ET
Teaser: Panic attacks stem from a battle between uncertainty and control. Founders live in the Grit Zone, pushing forward despite unknowns. But when uncertainty becomes overwhelming….
Posted Friday, February 07, 2025 @ 5:00pm ET
Teaser: The one thing I know about the venture business is that no matter how good you are at picking winners, if you don’t price the equity correctly, you won’t make money.
Posted Friday, January 31, 2025 @ 5:00pm ET
Teaser: In early-stage investing, there is no absolute proof. So what investors tend to rely upon are patterns, biases, and gut reactions. But, unfortunately, this process has real consequences.
Posted Friday, January 24, 2025 @ 5:00pm ET
Teaser: What we do know, however, is that advertisers and social media companies are experts at exploiting the concept of instant gratification. The algorithms are…..
Posted Friday, January 17, 2025 @ 5:00pm ET
Teaser: If Elon Musk has questions about where the world is heading, it’s a wake-up call for all of us. It’s time to start forming communities and collectives across…..
Posted Friday, January 10, 2025 @ 5:00pm ET
Teaser: Pride tells us to play it safe. Stick to what’s predictable, what’s reliable. Pride says, “You’ve got a reputation to uphold. What would people think if you failed?
Posted Friday, January 03, 2025 @ 5:00pm ET
Teaser: Crossing this line takes us into the realm of strong attractors, beginning with courage, then neutrality, willingness, acceptance, reason, joy, and ultimately love.
Education
Democratize Venture Newsletter
The Democratize Newsletter is a free resource from Doriot University, where founder Gerry Hays shares insights on the venture space, the entrepreneurial mindset, and his evolving vision for the future of Doriot. It’s a space for bold ideas, honest reflections, and a reimagined approach to building and funding startups.
Posted Friday, June 27, 2025 @ 5:00pm ET
Teaser: One of the biggest misconceptions about entrepreneurship is that it starts outside of you—that it’s about spotting a gap in the market, launching an MVP, and charging ahead with sheer will.
Posted Friday, June 20, 2025 @ 5:00pm ET
Teaser: The one thing I tell my students about entrepreneurship is this: the most vital thing you can prepare for is rejection. Not product-market fit. Not your pitch deck. Rejection.
Posted Friday, June 13, 2025 @ 5:00pm ET
Teaser: For decades, venture capital has operated behind closed doors—defined by stealth, secrecy, and selective disclosure. Founders share only what they must….
Posted Friday, June 06, 2025 @ 5:00pm ET
Teaser: As founders, we’re trained to always be selling. But Mark Cuban's point is powerful: people don’t buy your product or invest in your company first—they buy……
Posted Friday, May 30, 2025 @ 5:00pm ET
Teaser: We’re constantly chasing, striving, pushing for more. How often do we pause to look around and realize… we’re already living inside the very life we once asked for?
Posted Friday, May 23, 2025 @ 5:00pm ET
Teaser: Clarity and consistency in your message and value proposition make all the difference. Founders who are “all over the board” tend to lose credibility fast.
Posted Friday, May 16, 2025 @ 5:00pm ET
Teaser: In short, Singapore is perhaps the greatest startup in the history of the world, proving that imagination, vision, and focus are the underpinnings of success.
Posted Friday, May 09, 2025 @ 5:00pm ET
Teaser: That was the moment I first truly noticed the voice—and began to understand the difference between my voice and my presence.
Posted Friday, May 02, 2025 @ 5:00pm ET
Teaser: We're all human. And many of us carry deep-rooted fears — some of which trace back to early childhood. Think about it: we enter this world with nothing but….
Posted Friday, April 25, 2025 @ 5:00pm ET
Teaser: In one of the most groundbreaking studies in education and psychology, Dweck and her team found that Children praised for being “smart” gave up when they hit a challenge.
Posted Friday, April 18, 2025 @ 5:00pm ET
Teaser: This is a quantum leap—what Peter Thiel would call a Zero to One moment. And I’m not afraid to say it: We have a real opportunity to fork venture…..
Posted Friday, April 11, 2025 @ 5:00pm ET
Teaser: What I’ve come to realize is this: it’s easy to feel fearless when you stay hidden. As long as I stayed in the background, avoiding full vulnerability, fear stayed quiet.
Posted Friday, April 04, 2025 @ 5:00pm ET
Teaser: Human beings are wired for agency. We thrive when we feel we can influence outcomes, no matter how small. Psychologists call this the locus of control….
Posted Friday, March 28, 2025 @ 5:00pm ET
Teaser: Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has
Posted Friday, March 21. 2025 @ 5:00pm ET
Teaser: Optionality means having the right, but not the obligation, to make a move when the time is right. It’s the ability to watch, wait, and act when conditions are in your favor….
Posted Friday, March 14, 2025 @ 5:00pm ET
Teaser: Listen, people — the isn’t about Republicans vs. Democrats. It’s now about about wealth and power, and we’re witnessing both being consolidated by….
Posted Friday, March 07, 2025 @ 5:00pm ET
Teaser: Family-and-friends financing is also fundamentally discriminatory, disproportionately limiting opportunities for entrepreneurs from underrepresented backgrounds.
Posted Friday, February 28, 2025 @ 5:00pm ET
Teaser: For better or for worse, we’ve tried to graft the traditional venture model onto retail investors, and it hasn’t worked. VCs get paid to analyze deals full-time — it’s their job. Retail investors?
Posted Friday, February 21, 2025 @ 5:00pm ET
Teaser: But Shinn puts it more bluntly: Complaining is the Law of Decrease. It contracts possibilities, drains energy, and locks us into the very problems we’re frustrated about.
Posted Friday, February 14, 2025 @ 5:00pm ET
Teaser: Panic attacks stem from a battle between uncertainty and control. Founders live in the Grit Zone, pushing forward despite unknowns. But when uncertainty becomes overwhelming….
Posted Friday, February 07, 2025 @ 5:00pm ET
Teaser: The one thing I know about the venture business is that no matter how good you are at picking winners, if you don’t price the equity correctly, you won’t make money.
Posted Friday, January 31, 2025 @ 5:00pm ET
Teaser: In early-stage investing, there is no absolute proof. So what investors tend to rely upon are patterns, biases, and gut reactions. But, unfortunately, this process has real consequences.
Posted Friday, January 24, 2025 @ 5:00pm ET
Teaser: What we do know, however, is that advertisers and social media companies are experts at exploiting the concept of instant gratification. The algorithms are…..
Posted Friday, January 17, 2025 @ 5:00pm ET
Teaser: If Elon Musk has questions about where the world is heading, it’s a wake-up call for all of us. It’s time to start forming communities and collectives across…..
Posted Friday, January 10, 2025 @ 5:00pm ET
Teaser: Pride tells us to play it safe. Stick to what’s predictable, what’s reliable. Pride says, “You’ve got a reputation to uphold. What would people think if you failed?
Posted Friday, January 03, 2025 @ 5:00pm ET
Teaser: Crossing this line takes us into the realm of strong attractors, beginning with courage, then neutrality, willingness, acceptance, reason, joy, and ultimately love.