How to be labeled less as a founder and investor

TL;DR

Label avoidance is a core habit for Micky Malka, who describes himself as an entrepreneur at heart and investor by design. He writes essays to build conviction, study patterns from Buffett, and emphasizes long term thinking over conforming to existing molds. His approach blends fluid identity with disciplined learning and feedback.

Transcript

Thanks for doing this, Mickey. >> David, it's a pleasure to be here with you. >> There's so many times in our previous conversations where I'm listening to you speak and I'm like, [ __ ] Mickey really does think and act a lot uh very similar to like a lot of history entrepreneurs that I read all these biographies about for Founders Podcast and one ... Read More

Key Insights

• Label avoidance is a deliberate stance for Malka, aimed at reducing conformity and preserving long term adaptability.
• He describes himself as entrepreneur at heart and investor by design, enabling him to shift roles as needed without being boxed into one identity.
• Writing essays is a foundational habit that converts ideas into articulated theses, fostering deeper understanding and future orientation.
• Essays often start long but can be boiled down to napkin explanations, indicating a focus on core principles over complexity.
• Buffett and long term value investing strongly influence Malka, shaping his approach to money, patience, and disciplined thinking.
• Conviction is essential for a joyful, infinite game in investing, and writing helps maintain that conviction through feedback and revision.
• Malka values non conformity in founders, arguing that the best entrepreneurs push beyond current expectations and improve the world.
• He seeks labels only for personal relationships (friend, partner, father), rejecting career labels as limiting and unnecessary.
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Questions & Answers

Q: What does Micky Malka say about labels and how they affect a founder's thinking

Malka says he hates being labeled because labels force conformity and obscure clear perception. He believes that avoiding labels allows him to see through what exists today and to imagine what the world could look like in the future. This non conformist stance is part of his rebel approach to life and business.

Q: How does Malka view himself in terms of roles and identity

He describes himself as an entrepreneur at heart, an investor by design, and sometimes both or neither. This flexible self view lets him adapt to different needs, learning paths, and opportunities without being constrained by a fixed label, which aligns with his belief in continuous growth.

Q: Why are essays important to Malka’s process

Writing essays matters because it forces you to articulate complex ideas clearly. Essays let Malka test, share, and refine theses, which helps him gain conviction and avoid being swayed by short term noise. The process of drafting and revising over months or a year sharpens thinking.

Q: How long does it take Malka to develop a thesis

A thesis can take a year or more to mature. The process includes thinking, articulating, testing, sharing, receiving feedback, and revising. This extended timeline ensures the thesis is robust and aligned with a long term vision rather than fleeting trends.

Q: What influence does Buffett have on Malka

Malka became a Buffett admirer early, starting to invest at 13 and reading annual letters. Buffett’s disciplined pattern of decision making, focus on core principles, and understanding of money shaped Malka’s approach to investing, teaching him to reduce noise and concentrate on durable ideas.

Q: What does Malka say about the pattern in Buffett’s thinking

The key is that Buffett uses the same decision making pattern across different economic contexts. Malka emphasizes the discipline to cancel noise and concentrate on a few critical factors, which can be learned by studying his letters and annual meetings, even as market conditions change.

Q: How does Malka describe the environment of Ribbit Capital

Ribbit does not operate like a traditional fund; there are no fixed partners assigned to companies, decisions are made by the group, and the team can read Malka’s inbox. This collaborative, transparent structure supports rapid learning and alignment with long term goals.

Q: What personal labels does Malka value

Malka says he would love to be labeled as a great friend, a great partner, and a good father. These personal labels matter to him, while professional labels like investor or entrepreneur do not, as they constrain rather than reflect his evolving path.]} } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } }

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Malka avoids labels by design and prefers to remain fluid in his roles, which helps him stay open to growth and new opportunities.

• He defines himself as an entrepreneur at heart and an investor by design, allowing for flexibility and ongoing learning.

• Writing essays is central to his thinking process, helping him articulate theses, gain conviction, and test ideas over time.