Touching base, circling back, pinging — if you think the language of job-hunting, interviewing and meeting making is crazy making (and, honestly, also sounds the sort of things only a Navy submariner would say), dating in the nation’s capital gives it a run for its money. From the guy who sent an email after a first date asking, “Please review the attached material,” to the workplace martyr who stood up his date to “RE-OPEN THE GOVERNMENT, JANE,” any of the two-dozen DC Dating Stories collected by Washingtonian should make you feel at least slightly better about the dating and/or job-interview process — or, at least, that you’re not alone.

The best way to learn is by doing. That’s why Josh Kopelman, cofounder of First Round Capital, tells VC investors to roll up their sleeves and get their hands dirty with their own startups. Whether launching a company or joining an early-stage venture, investors can gain the kind of deep knowledge and experience that goes far beyond just writing checks — and will help them make sure that the founders they invest in win over the long term. That may be one reason why Kopelman managed to be an early investor in Uber, LinkedIn and Blue Apron, and sold his own startup to eBay for $390 million. Check out his interview this week with “Off the Sidelines“ — an investor education podcast produced by us at Technical.ly in partnership with Project Entrepreneur, a program by UBS.

READ FULL ARTICLE HERE