Bill Draper, Draper Richards – Exclusive VIDEO

07.08.08 | Category: Power Zen, Samurai, Simplicity, Uncategorized, Unexpected, Valley History, Video

Bill Richards, Draper Richards and Drue Kataoka

Step inside William H. Draper III’s James Bond-like San Francisco office. Bill Draper is one of the West Coast’s first venture capitalists, starting his VC career in 1962. He was founder of Sutter Hill Ventures and led it for 20 years. In the eighties, he served in diplomatic positions such as head of the Export-Import Bank and chief of the United Nations Development Program. Currently, he is the General Partner of Draper Richards and Director of the Draper Richards Foundation. ValleyZen interviewed his son Tim Draper in 4 episodes. All great epics have their prequel. So…

Episode 1 highlights include:

  • Bill on Breakthrough Simplicity
  • Bill unleashes his silver “Samurai Sword”
  • Bill is the real 007. Dr. Yes reveals topsecret technology!
  • Swordplay with Dr. Yes?
  • Bill shares how he spots talent and potential early on.
  • Bridge Zen overlooking Bill’s breath-taking view of San Francisco
  • Bill talks about his VC son, Tim Draper

    • The ValleyZen video is here or embedded below–>

    Tune in next week for EPISODE 2 of the Bill Draper interview where he takes us on a car ride!

    Bill Fenwick and Drue Kataoka
    Bill Fenwick & Drue Kataoka

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8 Comments so far

  1. Aliya 07.08.08 at 11:23 am

    Great interview, Drue! I expecially enjoyed your ideas on Zen and freedom. If peace is the essence of Zen, then as Malcolm X once said: “You can’t separate peace from freedom because no one can be at peace unless he has his freedom.”

    Really looking forward to the next installment!

  2. Drue Kataoka 07.08.08 at 11:28 am

    Thanks Aliya — You always have a great quote to illuminate and enrich any discussion. Stay tuned for Episode 2!

  3. Borcho 07.08.08 at 6:31 pm

    Drue, Thank you for this informal interview with Bill Draper. Looking forward to Episode 2!

  4. Jason Cyr 07.09.08 at 8:53 am

    As an aspiring entrepreneur it is always insightful to get inside the heads of VCs, especially those as renowned and successful as Bill (and Tim) Draper. Video interviews truly blow away the standard “text only” interview format and your editing skills seem to be getting better all the time. :-)

    Keep up the good work and thanks for the great piece!
    - jc

  5. Drue Kataoka 07.09.08 at 11:34 am

    BL Ochman just did a great post following up on the importance of the art of fun and Bill’s extraordinary ability to measure talent from looking an entrepreneur in the eye!

    http://www.whatsnextblog.com/archives/2008/07/bill_draper_zen_venture_funding_and_the_art_of_keeping_it_fun.asp

  6. Mark Evans 07.09.08 at 6:54 pm

    Delightful interview; simple and full. I marvel at those with the patience to pursue simplicity in innovation and the far off horizon that usually comes with it.

  7. Tyson Hendricksen 07.10.08 at 8:59 am

    Drue,

    Awesome interview. You have a way of disarming people and coaxing them to share interesting, unpracticed and often personal accounts of their Valley experiences. Its a side we don’t get to see of these legends.

    Great work!

    Tyson

  8. Ishmael’s Corner » If A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words … Part II 07.28.08 at 9:28 pm

    [...] an eclectic blog called Valley Zen – promotes itself as the intersection of Zen and technology; I thought that was Nolan [...]

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