34 PUNCHMAGAZINE.COM {punchline} a recent breakfast, telling his grandfather about needing to hire new people and trying to figure out how he could efficiently divide his time. Bill suggested delegating more responsibilities to a colleague, leaving Adam to marvel, “He will say something so obvious that I have overlooked— and the problem is fixed.” Motivated to share all that he has learned from his grandfather and his own experience, Adam wrote Breakfast with Pops: A Venture Capital Handbook. The slim volume is a primer on how the VC world works, with snappy chapter headings like “Welcome to Breakfast” (a mini-tribute to Pops), “VC in 5 Words,” great feedback on the handbook, mainly because it is a quick and easy read. “It breaks down venture capital in terms that anyone can understand, which is the exact reason why I wrote the book.” When asked if he and his grandfather click because of their similar personalities, Adam points out that Pops is an “active and engaged grandfather to eight grandchildren and has a fantastic relationship with all of us.” And as for their special bond? “I learn from his experiences and I remind him of his younger days, coaching T-ball, meeting incredible entrepreneurs, fundraising. We are a mirror of each other.” “Trust” and “Luck.” The book concludes with a helpful list of start-up lingo definitions and, for those of us not familiar with this sphere, it is comforting to read that the “single most important thing in venture capital is people.” In the book, Adam quotes Bill’s advice: “People are the heart of the whole business.” And although there have been seismic changes since Bill’s generation of entrepreneurs held sway, Adam points out that many things remain the same. “The fun part of the book has been finding out what hasn’t changed,” he notes. “The people part is such a core part—and that is one of my grandfather’s super powers.” Adam says that he has gotten Find Breakfast with Pops on Amazon.com
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