Bradley Miles' Guide to Breaking Into Venture Capital: Learn How to Think Like an Investor

Dan Cooper: I found it useful. Informative and practical guide for those interested in breaking into the venture capital industry.

United States on Mar 19, 2023

Vikalp Mathur: It gives a good starting point to understand the VA circle and start up terminologies.. worth while to invest 3-4 hours reading it

India on Jan 26, 2021

matthieu b.: Great tips, especially how to handle meetings

France on Oct 31, 2020

Outdoors Nerd: A rare resource for those in and aspiring to work in Venture Capital. This is part text book and part inspirational introduction.

The author’s companion website is surprisingly unloved and would normally lose a star because the content is quite high level (it is always good to go back to basics when studying); however it also includes a wealth of third party links and resources to go much deeper.

United Kingdom on Dec 15, 2019

Thirumurugan: A wonderful read.It summaries the industry and it's expectations. I liked the most from interviews from other investment professionals.It made to see the holistic picture for getting into this industry.

India on May 19, 2019

Amazon Customer: This book is a good introductory text for anyone hopeful in better understanding the investor's perspective, with a tilt towards VC and growth oriented investing. I'm a two year professional, currently in a non-financial services finance role. I've managed my own investments in my personal savings and with analysts coming from backgrounds in PE. This guide follows a practical approach but is straightforward and simple enough for anyone coming from different backgrounds to start thinking the way investors think.

To offer some criticism, I would say that it is very introductory. I didn't think that it covered enough of the VC sphere to be more than an introductory piece. I was looking to have a deeper understanding and will be looking for other texts to build on what I was able to pick up in this book. But for a 100 page book and a cheap sticker price, it's a good go-to for a short refresher on topics that are very relevant to approaching VC investing.

United States on Sep 11, 2017

ML: I am an MBA graduate with a couple of years of working experience trying to transition into venture capital. I’ve read several career books from major publishers and countless online blogs about the same topic, and talked to several venture capitalists. I have to say this is a must-read for anyone who is trying to make the same career transition. The book is very well written, very informative and is structured in a way that can quickly help you understand how the venture capital world works. Since I already graduated, some details in the book are not directly applied to me, but the lessons I learned are still very helpful for me to form a game plan to go forward.

The best thing I found from the book is the research-driven approach that Bradley used to break into VC. After reading the book, I decided to focus on one investment area that interests me. Since then I find that my learning about the VC world is much more structured, and my conversations with people in the VC and startup world are more interesting. I asked more targeted questions, and the insights and supports I gained from these contacts are much more relevant and helpful. I cannot thank Bradley enough for...

United States on Jul 15, 2017

Amazon Customer: This book covers it all! It is a one of kind resource with all you need to know about VC.

As a student in London trying to break into the enigmatic industry that is VC, this book has been my main source of knowledge, tips and hacks to #BreakintoVC. I've studied and made notes on this book and constantly refer back to it when I need.

Bradley, the author, has been extremely helpful with his advice and support helping me set up s VC club at my university.

Make sure to make use of all the online resources mentioned in the book!

United Kingdom on Jul 14, 2017

Matt Snow: This is the first time in my life I've ever written a product review and it could very well be the last, but it would be a disservice if I did not share how valuable this book is.

This book is hands down the very first read necessary for those interested in breaking into Venture Capital. Bradley systematically break downs venture capital (and general principles of investing) while giving practical advice, such as how to start a college venture club, how to prepare for a VC interview should you land one, and the base knowledge you need to actually hold your weight in this field. In addition to this content, the end of the book is filled with case studies of students entering VC, providing an in depth understanding of the various paths that can lead you to this amazing industry. The glossary at the end is also a gold mine in and of itself. This is not a book you read once - it is a book you read multiple times and keep referencing when you need to check a key understanding.

In addition to the value of the book, Bradley is an extremely responsive author. Humble, passionate, and open - Bradley interacts with his readers in a way that very few authors do. I was able to...

United States on Jun 17, 2017

Az: While many of the reviews here rightly praise Bradley here for the remarkably lucid roadmap he provides for breaking into the notoriously opaque VC landspace, I think the books greatest asset lies not in answering the question of How, but more importantly, Why?

Indeed, nearly every aspect of the How is covered in great detail, by elucidating the structural underpinnings of venture capital down to the nuts and bolts. A novice with zero knowledge of VC terminology can come out of this book with an impressively fluent command of the dynamics needed to navigate the spaces.

More impressive, in my opinion, is his explication of the Why;
After describing his brief stint in Investment Banking while attending an Ivy League University, the author shares his path that led him into a landscape that he genuinely feels passionate and excited about, a passion that exudes from the page. The sense of community, individual responsibility, and possibility that meet at the intersection of Venture Capital.

After searching for a book to teach me the How, I coincidently found a book that taught me to ask a more important question, a question with infinitely more implications then...

United States on Apr 10, 2017