About Larry Orr
As one of the longest standing Trinity partners, Larry was an early investor in iconic and enduring companies like Starbucks and Extreme Networks. His impressive portfolio spans nearly three decades and includes 12 acquisitions and 7 IPOs.
When I first meet entrepreneurs, I try to understand what constitutes victory for them and then identify their unique gifts, biases and blind spots.
What is one pitfall which entrepreneurs should try to avoid?
We all tend to want to work with people who may be too much like ourselves. While team members must share vision, passion and core values, I've found in my experience that the best teams (and boards) have diverse functional expertise, as well as differing styles, perspectives and biases. I find it exciting to see visionaries, problem solvers and devil’s advocates challenging each other in a trust-based environment.
What is important about the relationship between VC and entrepreneur?
My wife likes to say that trust is the most essential element of a marriage; I say the exact same thing about the relationship between an entrepreneur/CEO and investor/board member. It’s hard to know for sure that you can trust someone unless you have seen them in tough situations facing strong temptations to act badly but choosing not to. Those are the people whose relationships I treasure the most.
What is the most rewarding thing about being a VC?
Over the years, my definition of success has evolved from developing a strong investment track record to maximizing the success of others -- both entrepreneurs and my colleagues at Trinity. When I first meet entrepreneurs, I try to understand what constitutes victory for them and then identify their unique gifts, biases and blind spots. People say that I have the ability to quickly zero-in on the essence of situations. I relish the role of trusted consigliere, helping people leverage their strengths while mitigating their biases or blind spots.
