Nissue #22: Geoff Donaker, Founder & General Partner at Burst Capital, My Old Boss.
I’ve gotten to do a lot of cool stuff over my career, but probably the highlight was working on the founding team at Yelp, where I helped lead brand and community from 2005-2010. Over that course of time, there was a guy named Geoff Donaker who somehow got stuck being my boss!
Geoff was Yelp’s Chief Operating Officer and, without a doubt, is one of the main reasons the company not only had a successful run towards its IPO but has continued to maintain its position as the best source for finding real reviews about local businesses around the world. In 2017, about a year after he left Yelp, Geoff started Burst Capital, which has quietly become one of the best early-stage venture capital firms in Silicon Valley.
I love that we’ve remained in contact all these years — swapping old Yelp stories, sharing dad advice, considering both start-ups and start-downs, and each writing our own newsletters — so it’s with great respect and a certain pleasure that I bring you The Don's 5-star answers to my Proust-like questions.
Nish: What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Geoff: My happiness recipe has two key ingredients: family and a body of water. Sittin’ on the dock of the bay…
Nish: What was your worst job ever?
Geoff: I did a bunch of gardening and irrigation work in high school. Overall this was great, but one time a client had me dig a ditch for a couple of weeks. That was an educational taste of real work.
Nish: What was your first job ever?
Geoff: I was a camp counselor for several summers in high school and college. Those were awesome jobs. Kids, sun, water. What’s not to like?
Nish: What was your best job ever?
Geoff: Sitting next to Nish at Yelp, of course! [Editor’s Note: Correct answer.]
Nish: What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
Geoff: I avoid conflict more than I should.
Nish: What is the trait you most deplore in others?
Geoff: Failure to recognize the role of luck in their success. As a friend describes this attitude: “He was born on third base, but thinks he hit a triple.”
Nish: What’s some advice you’d give to yourself at 23?
Geoff: Slow down a little. It’s not a race.
Nish: What is your greatest extravagance?
Geoff: Afternoon cat naps are the best.
Nish: You have dinner reservations for 4 at Noma, excluding family and close friends, who are the 3 people (alive, dead, or imaginary) you’d invite?
Geoff: Kevin Hart, Matthew McConaughey, Amy Schumer, and my Dad. I would be laughing so hard that I wouldn’t even try to get in a word edge-wise.
Nish: What is the theme song of your professional life?
Geoff: Adventure of a Lifetime by Coldplay.
Nish: What is your motto?
Geoff: You’re the same person tomorrow that you are today, except for the people you meet and the books you read.
Nish: What is something you’re really excited about right now?
Geoff: Summer 2021. Seeing my teenage kids out with their friends… just being kids.
Bonus photo:
