Everybody wants to know the founder after the monster round. I love the random Saturday call before the world knows their name. A few months ago, I met an insanely gifted founding team at a pitch competition here in Miami. I’ve been tracking their momentum ever since. Saturday, the founder and I exchanged a few texts, then jumped on an impromptu call. They were laser-focused on the only things that matter: the technology, the customers, the team and the execution. Their résumés are wild. Every co-founder holds a doctorate in a field like computer science or robotics. Any one of them could take the safe path into Big Tech and make life-changing money. Instead, they chose to build. That decision says more about them than the degrees ever could. There will be hurdles. There always are. But the discipline, tenacity and clarity are already unmistakable. By the time the press releases, big rounds and accolades arrive, everyone will say it was obvious. It never is. That’s why I love being in the corner early.