--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I would have loved to invest in…" description: "\"I would have loved to invest in Salesforce when I was active in venture. I didn't know the founder, Marc Benioff, well enough, and he didn't really rel..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/729/aneel-bhusri-13782_business_i-would-have-loved-to-invest-in-salesfor_841002.jpg" --- # I would have loved to invest in Salesforce when I was… ![“I would have loved to invest in Salesforce when I was active in venture. I didn't know the founder, Marc Benioff, well enough, and he didn't really rely on venture capital, but I remember the first time I met him and got to talk about Salesforce when they were still private. I thought, 'Damn, that…” quote by Aneel Bhusri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/729/aneel-bhusri-13782_business_i-would-have-loved-to-invest-in-salesfor_841002.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/729/aneel-bhusri-13782_business_i-would-have-loved-to-invest-in-salesfor_841002.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/729/aneel-bhusri-13782_business_i-would-have-loved-to-invest-in-salesfor_841002.jpg) > “I would have loved to invest in Salesforce when I was active in venture. I didn't know the founder, Marc Benioff, well enough, and he didn't really rely on venture capital, but I remember the first time I met him and got to talk about Salesforce when they were still private. I thought, 'Damn, that is going to be a huge company.'” [Aneel Bhusri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aneel-bhusri/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Recognizing potential early can be missed without personal connections or deep knowledge of founders. **In simple terms:** Missing early opportunities without personal insight. Key Takeaway Build relationships to uncover hidden opportunities. Themes networking investment insight entrepreneurship Mood reflective analytical Type business advice When to use this quote - startup scouting - venture meetings - founder introductions Key Concepts venture capital founder dynamics market foresight Questions to Reflect On - How can investors improve founder access? - What signals indicate future unicorns? A Different Perspective Limited access to founders can hinder early detection. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Entrepreneurship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/entrepreneurship/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Venture capital](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/venture-capital/) ## Related quotes > [You know what works in venture capital? A group of incredibly smart, connected people who have the financial wherewithal and risk appetite to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-lacy/you-know-what-works-in-venture-capital-a-group-of-incredibly-smart/) [Sarah Lacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-lacy/) > [I'm hard-pressed to think of companies that don't need venture capital that are going after big opportunities. I think, in almost all cases, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aneel-bhusri/i-m-hard-pressed-to-think-of-companies-that-don-t-need-venture/) [Aneel Bhusri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aneel-bhusri/) > [I am a partner at CrunchFund, a venture capital firm with investments in many startups around the world. I am also a limited partner…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-arrington/i-am-a-partner-at-crunchfund-a-venture-capital-firm-with-investments/) [Michael Arrington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-arrington/) > [Hedge funds, private equity and venture capital funds have played an important role in providing liquidity to our financial system and improving the efficiency…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-reed/hedge-funds-private-equity-and-venture-capital-funds-have-played-an/) [Jack Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-reed/) > [I don't think a lot of people have been entrepreneurial about venture capital.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-kopelman/i-don-t-think-a-lot-of-people-have-been-entrepreneurial-about-venture/) [Josh Kopelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-kopelman/) > [These inventors were elevating the formulation of entrepreneurial ideas to the status of a visionary activity. Though forced to justify their efforts in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/these-inventors-were-elevating-the-formulation-of-entrepreneurial/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [Nominally, I stated a company. Practically, it's a venture capital firm that allows me to be an investor in early stage companies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-hinkie/nominally-i-stated-a-company-practically-it-s-a-venture-capital-firm/) [Sam Hinkie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-hinkie/) > [Venture capital is a dynamic and people-driven business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jurvetson/venture-capital-is-a-dynamic-and-people-driven-business/) [Steve Jurvetson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jurvetson/) > [There's nothing wrong with raising venture capital. Many lean startups are ambitious and are able to deploy large amounts of capital. What differentiates them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ries/there-s-nothing-wrong-with-raising-venture-capital-many-lean-startups/) [Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) > [When you - when you - and this is still going on today - are making your money by pushing paper around, when you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-dean/when-you-when-you-and-this-is-still-going-on-today-are-making-your/) [Howard Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-dean/) > [When people start talking about venture capital and finances and how to create this and do that, a lot of it, I swear, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-hawk/when-people-start-talking-about-venture-capital-and-finances-and-how/) [Tony Hawk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-hawk/) > [Harvard and Yale concentrated with venture capitalists that got the best calls and brainpower. Very few firms made most of the money, and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/harvard-and-yale-concentrated-with-venture-capitalists-that-got-the/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) > [I delivered lectures, and I was also a consultant for international companies in finance, both private equity and big venture capital funds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ehud-barak/i-delivered-lectures-and-i-was-also-a-consultant-for-international/) [Ehud Barak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ehud-barak/) > [All markets have boom and bust cycles, and I think venture capital market has even more exaggerated boom and bust cycles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-wilson/all-markets-have-boom-and-bust-cycles-and-i-think-venture-capital/) [Fred Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-wilson/) > [Unfortunately, 'climate' has become a dirty word - obviously in politics, but even to some degree in my world, in venture capital. People hesitate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-williams/unfortunately-climate-has-become-a-dirty-word-obviously-in-politics/) [Evan Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-williams/) ## More by Aneel Bhusri > [We work as a team, and that is a huge part of why we have been successful; we run fast as a team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aneel-bhusri/we-work-as-a-team-and-that-is-a-huge-part-of-why-we-have-been/) [Aneel Bhusri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aneel-bhusri/) > [Because everybody else was investing in the consumer Internet, I did, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aneel-bhusri/because-everybody-else-was-investing-in-the-consumer-internet-i-did/) [Aneel Bhusri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aneel-bhusri/) > [I think, in general, data protection really matters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aneel-bhusri/i-think-in-general-data-protection-really-matters/) [Aneel Bhusri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aneel-bhusri/) > [We spend a lot of time looking at the things we like: Amazon, Google, Facebook.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aneel-bhusri/we-spend-a-lot-of-time-looking-at-the-things-we-like-amazon-google/) [Aneel Bhusri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aneel-bhusri/) > [I'm not a stock expert by any means. Stocks go up; they go down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aneel-bhusri/i-m-not-a-stock-expert-by-any-means-stocks-go-up-they-go-down/) [Aneel Bhusri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aneel-bhusri/) > [All you can worry about as CEO is making sure your company continues to build great products, deliver the revenue, and keep your customers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aneel-bhusri/all-you-can-worry-about-as-ceo-is-making-sure-your-company-continues/) [Aneel Bhusri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aneel-bhusri/) > [There's nothing slowing down about the shift to the cloud. I don't see anything on the horizon that is changing that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aneel-bhusri/there-s-nothing-slowing-down-about-the-shift-to-the-cloud-i-don-t-see/) [Aneel Bhusri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aneel-bhusri/) > [I'm hard-pressed to think of companies that don't need venture capital that are going after big opportunities. I think, in almost all cases, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aneel-bhusri/i-m-hard-pressed-to-think-of-companies-that-don-t-need-venture/) [Aneel Bhusri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aneel-bhusri/) > [Happy employees build great products, and they take care of customers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aneel-bhusri/happy-employees-build-great-products-and-they-take-care-of-customers/) [Aneel Bhusri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aneel-bhusri/) > [San Francisco is a wonderful city, but you do have housing issues. If tech companies don't do the right thing, they can dislocate a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aneel-bhusri/san-francisco-is-a-wonderful-city-but-you-do-have-housing-issues-if/) [Aneel Bhusri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aneel-bhusri/) > [There's talent everywhere; we just have to make technology accessible to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aneel-bhusri/there-s-talent-everywhere-we-just-have-to-make-technology-accessible/) [Aneel Bhusri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aneel-bhusri/) > [Tablets are more intuitive than a PC or laptop. They also have more real estate than a smartphone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aneel-bhusri/tablets-are-more-intuitive-than-a-pc-or-laptop-they-also-have-more/) [Aneel Bhusri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aneel-bhusri/) > [What I hope is, over time, users should not have to read a training manual. They should say, 'I totally get the Workday iPad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aneel-bhusri/what-i-hope-is-over-time-users-should-not-have-to-read-a-training/) [Aneel Bhusri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aneel-bhusri/) > [I have long been fond of comparing Workday strategy to the process of sending a rocket to the moon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aneel-bhusri/i-have-long-been-fond-of-comparing-workday-strategy-to-the-process-of/) [Aneel Bhusri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aneel-bhusri/) > [I would be amazed if Oracle does not buy NetSuite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aneel-bhusri/i-would-be-amazed-if-oracle-does-not-buy-netsuite/) [Aneel Bhusri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aneel-bhusri/) [Explore all 49 Aneel Bhusri quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aneel-bhusri/) ## More Business quotes > [Companies with cultures that celebrate diverse opinions and encourage the exchange of ideas have an advantage when solving difficult problems. 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It's like whatever I do business wise, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/snoop-dogg/i-m-a-business-first-and-foremost-so-whatever-my-business-is-it-s/) [Snoop Dogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/snoop-dogg/) > [Many early-stage entrepreneurs make one simple mistake: Describing this 'big picture' in vague concepts and words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunil-nagaraj/many-early-stage-entrepreneurs-make-one-simple-mistake-describing/) [Sunil Nagaraj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunil-nagaraj/) > [Nobody has a crystal ball, and part of evolving a business plan is to say, 'I might have said we're going left, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-kavanaugh/nobody-has-a-crystal-ball-and-part-of-evolving-a-business-plan-is-to/) [Ryan Kavanaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-kavanaugh/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) > [ “\[S\]ometimes, when you are a food person, the possible irrelevance of what you are doing doesn’t cross your mind until it’s too late. (Once,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/s-ometimes-when-you-are-a-food-person-the-possible-irrelevance-of/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) > [If you have a different mindset, you will have a different outcome: if you make different choices from your peers, your life will then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ma/if-you-have-a-different-mindset-you-will-have-a-different-outcome-if/) [Jack Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ma/) > [“Some say the Earth is angry Because he wants no company; I say the Earth is angry Because he lives alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/some-say-the-earth-is-angry-because-he-wants-no-company-i-say-the/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [ If the State does not acquire supremacy over \[vast private\] enterprises, it becomes their puppet, and they become the real State. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/if-the-state-does-not-acquire-supremacy-over-vast-private-enterprises/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [It's not just that families can't buy a home or start a business without some savings tucked away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cooper/it-s-not-just-that-families-can-t-buy-a-home-or-start-a-business/) [Jim Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cooper/) > [I'm not into business at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-mercury/i-m-not-into-business-at-all/) [Freddie Mercury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-mercury/) > [I've long believed one of the mainsprings of our own liberty has been the widespread ownership of property among our people and the expectation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/i-ve-long-believed-one-of-the-mainsprings-of-our-own-liberty-has-been/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) [Browse all 39,016 Business quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I would have loved to invest in Salesforce when I was active in venture. 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