Thanks for being here. If this was forwarded to you, you can subscribe here to join The Root 9 Community.
On Wednesdays, we’ll reflect: See below for some some of what I’ve learned from the week to inspire reflection. 🙂
W.I.L.T.W (What I Learned This Week)
I recently learned about a connection to Modern Day VC that made me reflect on how history impacts business today, in ways we might not realize. It turns out the blueprint for venture capital wasn't born in a Silicon Valley office. Instead, it had it’s origin in the structured financing of 18th-century American whaling voyages.
In his book VC: An American History, Tom Nicholas traces the contemporary investment model back to maritime expeditions. The parallels are really fascinating. Whaling agents essentially functioned as the original ‘general partners’. They pooled capital from wealthy individuals and distributed it across several different ships. How does this relate to VC? risk diversification. They understood that the majority of voyages might barely break even or fail entirely, but a single "home run" voyage could offset every loss and generate massive wealth for the group.
This skewed, long-tail return profile draws parallels to the heartbeat of VC. It’s easy to think of our current business structures as products of the digital age, yet sometimes they are older tactics applied to new problems.
When we look closer at why this matters today, we see that history shapes business through two primary legacies:
It leaves us with tools like specific contract structures and legal norms.
It leaves us with stories about what constitutes success.
These stories and tools are copied and tweaked long after the original context has vanished. The connection between whaling and venture capital is fascinating because it proves that our methods for financing innovation aren't random. They are the result of solving a specific historical problem: how to fund a long, dangerous journey into the unknown.
We’ve taken the mechanics used to hunt for oil in the Atlantic and repurposed them to hunt for the next breakthrough in software or medicine. It’s a reminder that while the "what" of our work changes constantly, the "how" is often rooted in the oldest human ambitions.
Want to live with intention and find more joy in your daily life? The Root 9 Community is for you. You’ll get inspiration, reflection, and mindful indulgence straight to your inbox three times a week. Unlock your potential for a more balanced, fulfilling life, one week at a time. Join The Root 9 Community here and find your balance.