Sequoia’s Doug Leone says it hires people with “a shock in their system”
atShruti · x · 2026-07-22
In a quoted Sequoia comment, partner Doug Leone says the firm deliberately looks for people with “a shock in their system” — people who were shunned, overachieved, were left by a parent, or grew up in intense rivalry.
He includes himself in that bucket, saying he came from Europe, was abused in high school, and was “pissed off.” The point of the quote is that Sequoia believes early-life friction can produce unusually driven founders and operators.
The reply adds a personal take, calling it a kind of “middle child syndrome,” but the substance is the Sequoia hiring philosophy.
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