When I told my grandfather I was moving from product management to venture capital his first question was, “How has anything you have done prepared you for what you will do as an investor?” It was a good question that frankly caught me off guard. I impetuously rattled off some answers. Product management is actually one of the most common backgrounds for early stage investors, a notion that was initially validating for me. Many VCs hire people from similar backgrounds because it’s easier to narrow the funnel and because they believe it’s a proven formula for success.