Your Biggest Danger Is an Inbound

Jacques Benkoski, General Partner at US Venture Partners, shares lessons from decades of experience as an operator, CEO, and VC. He challenges common startup myths and offers a framework for market entry that emphasizes strategy over luck. Jacques explains why focus—not speed—is the key to building category leadership, and why the venture ecosystem has become noisier, faster, and harder to navigate. He also opens up about the psychological toll of startup leadership and why founders need thought partners, not just capital. In this episode, you’ll learn: [01:00] From Belgium to Israel to Silicon Valley: Jacques’ global path into tech and AI [05:20] “This time it’s different” is rarely true—how founders should think about hype cycles [11:00] Why more capital doesn’t mean an easier path for founders [13:30] The venture industry is now a volume business—but founders need depth, not scale [15:00] What founders get wrong about market entry—and why randomness is the enemy [17:30] Focused beats first: how Medigate won in cybersecurity by narrowing in on medical devices [30:00] The importance of reflection, walking without your phone, and finding a mentor [37:00] Jacques' nonprofit passion: creating dialogue between communities in conflict The nonprofit organization Jacques is passionate about: Technion About Jacques Benkoski Jacques Benkoski is a General Partner at US Venture Partners (USVP), where he invests in enterprise software, AI, and cybersecurity startups. He has over 20 years of experience as a VC, following a successful career as a startup CEO and tech executive. Jacques is also the author of Market Entry Strategy, a hands-on guide for founders navigating early customer acquisition. A passionate advocate for founder wellbeing and long-term thinking, Jacques mentors entrepreneurs around the world. About U.S. Venture Partners U.S. Venture Partners (USVP) is a leading Silicon Valley venture capital firm with a strong focus on early-stage companies in enterprise software, cybersecurity, and healthcare. With more than $4 billion raised since its founding in 1981, USVP has backed over 500 companies including Box, Guidewire, Trusteer, and Medigate. The firm brings decades of operational expertise and deep sector insight to help founders scale with clarity and discipline. Subscribe to our podcast and stay tuned for our next episode.