Our first exit aligned perfectly with what Day One is about. In addition to investing, our job is playing magic with words. So Acquired.io was acquired!

Acquired.io, which was one of our first investments, has been acquired by Adjust. As this is Day One’s first exit, I wanted to reflect on this relationship, how this investment happened and what we learned from it.

Investors often overlook trusting their own experience, in favor of following where the market goes, and following other people’s thoughts. On the other hand, noticing my own experience, saying “yes” to truthful connection — and paying attention to the simple things and small details — has helped me see through many distractions.

Andrey was one of the first people I met at Runa Capital seven years ago, where he was running Foresight Ventures. We reconnected years later after he and Max sold their first company, Appscotch. Andrey was one of the first people I met when I moved from New York to San Francisco.

When I started angel investing, and later the fund, I was not closely looking into adtech. When Andrey started Acquired.io, I was hesitant about going into this market. What convinced me was Andrey’s trajectory, and seeing how quickly he was developing as an entrepreneur — and as a human being. He observed my previous work in PR over many years, and saw the value in this service being handled directly by a VC firm versus typical, inefficient agencies. What sold me was that Andrey so clearly understood the value of PR and sincerely wanted to work with us on the PR side. We realized that with his level of understanding, deep vision of the market and focus on customers, that he would be great to work with as well.

Andrey didn’t really ask about the check size, and I’ve learned how important it is for founders to care more about your expertise than the size of the check.

We supported the launch of Acquired, and stayed in close contact. Andrey was tremendously helpful in getting the unique idea for Day One Ventures off the ground. Very few people could make so many amazing LP introductions, and provide so much advice on strategy. What was most important was his belief in our team and Day One’s value. This was a great reminder that what we do is very much needed in the market.

Seeing Acquired sign significant customers was very uplifting. Andrey is a true customer-centric founder; he wouldn’t sleep at night if he didn’t know that his customers’ needs were fully taken care off. I remember when he came to Burning Man for only one day, because he just couldn’t just leave his company behind.

Andrey introduced us to Superhuman, which has become one of the most inspiring investments that we’ve made at Day One. This is proof that there are no coincidences when it comes to who you choose to surround yourself with.

I strongly believe that the more you give, the better. Being a reliable and giving person influences your life path; whoever doesn’t believe in this is simply being lazy in their own execution of becoming ego-less. I’ve met many giving people in this business, but few who are as giving as Andrey. He puts other things and other people first, before what he thinks of you, or his own personality.

I’ve learned a lot working with Andrey. He never overlooks the small details, and always makes something out of any opportunity you bring to him. He thinks both deeply and clearly, and is both realistic and open-minded. He executes broadly and focuses narrowly at the same time.

As with everything, there were ups, downs and new ideas, and I value that we kept everything transparent and clean throughout our relationship.

When this opportunity came up, we knew it would be amazing if this product could be accessible to a wider audience of customers through the Adjust network. The moment felt light and timely, and we believed that the market overall would benefit from this acquisition. We couldn’t be happier with this exit, which came a little more than eight months since we launched Day One Ventures.

Working with Acquired.io has taught me invaluable lessons that every investor should think about when working with founders. I notice the personal qualities of founders before many other things, and value founders who don’t reduce relationships into a marketing buzzword. As of today, I am doubling down on founders who are fast, perfect in their execution, giving and customer-obsessed.

I am extremely grateful for this partnership, which has grown into a great friendship and trusted relationship. Andrey and Max, I can’t wait to see you start your next venture. Whatever it is, you should call it IPOed.io! We’d love to be the first investor in it.

I’ve put together some of realizations that brought me through amazing, crazy and exciting 2017th.

Read and put below the number of the one which resonates with you the most. 😉

0. Love. Fall in love. Respond to love with love and respond to hate with love.

1. Everyone has a heart. You can talk to everyone if you speak from your heart.

2. We are beings created from energy. We can raise our energy level or lose it. It’s very easy to feel if you energy is up or down. Whatever raise our energy level is good for us.

3. We have soul, mind and body. If you want to move fast equally invest in each one every day.

4. The more time you spend with yourself the wiser you are. Meditate every day. If you don’t feel balanced and happy mediate twice more. Still not stable? Meditate even more.

5. Every day is a day one. Every day is an opportunity to start life from scratch and make another attempt the be the best version of yourself.

6. Habits influence our trajectory the most. Pay most of attention on what is not changing in your life.

7. Always be well-slept. It’s the only way to be the best for the world and for yourself.

8. Don’t think bad about people and don’t doubt about them. Communicate. Don’t hold negative emotions about someone in yourself.

9. Simplify everything you can.

10. Evaluate your level of development by how much clarity you have.

11. Give away, pay, share gratefully and with an open heart.

12. Chose love over fear. It’s a universal decision-making too.

13. Give away love when you don’t want to. If you don’t feel like you have love left give away more.

14. The simplest way to express love is kindness. There is always an opportunity to express it by simple acts or just a warm-hearted smile or hug.

15. You can create our of love much more than out of will-power. Think about what you’ve done for people you love.

15. Money is a problem solver and tool. Appreciate this energy and tool making life easier. You won’t have good relationships with money if you hate them.

16. Money is like water. The more it moves the better. Use money to do magic. Give them to solve problem which didn’t seem to be solvable. Generosity (not just hard work as many people think) is what create wealth. Money is not yours. Money is coming through you. If you want more money to come give away first. Don’t hold.

17. The greater gift than money is your time.

18. You are embedding the qualities of people around you. Everyone leaves a stamp on you.

19. Thinking too much of yourself make us miserable. Think of others or even better — about ideas and about the way how the world works.

20. If you feel anxiety start repeating ‘thank you’ in your mind. Thank the world for whatever you have. Thank everyone you know. The anxiety will disappear in seconds or minutes.

21. Don’t overthink. Just do. Decide fast, don’t waste energy on deciding.

22. Always allow yourself to fall in love. If you don’t know what to do with you life look around and fall in love. Love what is closer to you.

23. Whatever came from love is great. Best things come from sources where you invested unconditional love. Never directly. For example you’ve been in love with someone and has done a lot for this person. People who came in your life through this person will bring you nothing than good.

24. Trust good sources. Keep expanding ‘channels’ of good things and keep giving back. For example if you had great experience with someone keep engaging.

25. Notice when things are off and leave before its late. You can come back later. Engagement with people when you don’t feel chemistry anymore (neither work nor personal) is bad and won’t bring anything alive and beautiful in your life.

26. Manifest things, don’t push and don’t try hard. Let them happen.

27. Our mother’s love save us during the whole life. Create the world comfortable and great for our mothers. Notice and use opportunities to do that. Say you mother how much you love her, it’s always timely.

28. The harder is situation the more you can use it to grow. Don’t miss on the opportunity to grow.

29. Your story is a source of your power. Grow and expand through understanding your story.

30. Speak truth. Don’t get into any situations where you won’t be able to speak truth. Hiding part of the story close to lie.

31. Speak less and listen more.

32. Big heart is what differentiate true leaders.

33. We live in the fastest and largest transition since the beginning of humanity. We must be very advanced creatures since someone put us in this kind of times and environment.

Much love in 2018 and always.