Investor's Lens [12] - Mark Kahn - "Most successful entrepreneurs have some void that they are filling by what they do"

This series will look at leadership from the point of view of an investor or VC.

In each episode of this series, we will explore what traits, behaviors, or red flags investors see in the leaders that they work with - and how founders evolve over time as they become better leaders.

Mark Kahn is a Mark is a Managing Partner at Omnivore based in India. He is funding entrepreneurs building the future of agriculture and food systems.

In this thought-provoking conversation, Mark shares his remarkable journey from the United States to India, driven by a passion for agribusiness and the pursuit of transformative solutions for agriculture and rural economies. 

Discover how his experiences shaped him as a leader, why he believes the most successful entrepreneurs possess a unique darkness within them, and the crucial traits he seeks in founders before making investment decisions. 

Gain valuable insights on navigating success and failure, understanding the impermanence of triumph, and building resilience in the face of uncertainty. Mark's vision for Omnivore and their commitment to backing disruptors and visionaries in the agri-food sector will inspire and ignite your own leadership aspirations. 

Don't miss out on this engaging conversation that will leave you inspired and ready to take on your own leadership challenges.

You can find Mark at the below links

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-kahn-20490a/
• https://www.linkedin.com/company/omnivore-partners/

In the interview, Mark shares

• "We support entrepreneurs building breakthrough technologies for agriculture, food climate, and the rural economy." 
• "India is a unique agricultural ecosystem with a tremendous number of farmers. Solving the problem of Indian agriculture can build a better, more equal India." 
• "The most successful entrepreneurs have some tremendous darkness in them, some void they are filling through their work."
• "Intentionality is crucial. Founders need a real motivation to survive, not just to start up." 
• "Leaders should be secure in themselves and not need to be the smartest person in the room on everything." 
• "Resilience is more important than external validation. Success and failure are temporary imposters." 
• "Success and failure both have pitfalls. It's important to understand that they are fleeting moments in the journey." 
• "We look for founders who have a deep, psychological motivation for entrepreneurship, not just superficial reasons." 
• "Avoid the 'rich kid startup' syndrome where founders offload risk on institutional investors instead of investing their own family money." 
• "The real joy of being a VC is seeing ideas transform into scalable solutions through execution and witnessing the impact on rural India."