More Martino theories: On investing in start-ups, West Coast life, and poker
Why doesn't Bullpen Capital require a product demonstration before investing?
"If I need to see the product demo to understand the product/market fit, then something must be wrong. I should be able to see how good the product is from customer acquisition metrics, sales metrics, and retention metrics. If I see the product demo, all I can do is bias my view on the product/market fit by falling in love (or not) with some feature, UI, or work flow. Why listen to my product bias when I can actually look at the numbers?"
What did you miss most about Philadelphia the 15 years you lived in Silicon Valley?
"It's got to be a hoagie. A Wawa hoagie is just ... when it's 2 in the morning and you're coding all night, you kind of want one."
How often do you play poker?
"Not enough. I used to play a lot more, but, you know, the day job seems to get in the way."
What was your career plan when you were in college?
"To do exactly this. I was that kid who was 20 and hated being in school because I couldn't do what I wanted to do, which was this."
What was Josh Kopelman's best advice to you?
"It's the one I'm scared of: 'Do all of what you can while you can, because at a certain age the kids start missing you.' And I'm just about there."