大器晚成：500 Startups创始人Dave McClure的创业投资启示录
大器晚成：500 Startups创始人Dave McClure的创业投资启示录
Late Bloomer: The Entrepreneurial and Investment Insights from Dave McClure, Founder of 500 Startups
编者按：500 Startups创始人Dave McClure回顾自己跌宕起伏的职业生涯。从互联网泡沫时期的失意，到PayPal时期的迷茫，再到40岁发现投资天赋的传奇经历。
Editor's Note: Dave McClure, founder of 500 Startups, reflects on his roller-coaster career - from the frustration during the dot-com bubble, the confusion at PayPal, to discovering his investment talent at age 40.
"大多数时候，我都觉得自己挺失败的。但是往好了想，我觉得自己也许只是大器晚成。"
"Most of the time, I feel like a failure. But looking at the bright side, maybe I'm just a late bloomer."
McClure分享道："我知道很多人会不理解这点，但在我成长期间，我总是身边孩子中最聪明的。我的母亲、老师，连我自己都觉得我以后会做成伟大的事情。"
McClure shared: "I know many people won't understand this, but growing up, I was always the smartest kid around. My mother, teachers, even myself all believed I would accomplish great things."
早期经历：天赋与现实的落差
Early Years: The Gap Between Talent and Reality
McClure虽然学业优异（跳过八年级和高中跳级），但大学时期发现"聪明不代表一切"。他沉迷各种娱乐活动，差点毕不了业。
Despite academic excellence (skipping 8th grade and high school), McClure realized in college that "being smart doesn't mean everything." He indulged in various entertainments and almost failed to graduate.
25-26岁时，他来到加州寻找自我，勉强成为程序员，30岁前创立第一家咨询公司，经历多次起伏后低价被收购。
At 25-26, he came to California to find himself, barely becoming a programmer. Before 30, he founded his first consulting firm, which went through many ups and downs before being acquired at a low price.
PayPal时期：职业生涯的转折点
The PayPal Era: Turning Point of Career
2001年加入PayPal后，McClure与比他小十岁的斯坦福、MIT毕业生共事，三年间虽取得成绩但未获晋升。"离开时我甚至庆幸没人发现我就是个不知道到底该做什么的糊涂虫。"
After joining PayPal in 2001, McClure worked with Stanford and MIT graduates ten years his junior. Though achieving some results in three years, he got no promotion. "When leaving, I was even glad no one found out I was just a confused guy who didn't know what to do."
投资天赋的发现
Discovery of Investment Talent
2004年开始天使投资后，McClure发现自己似乎有投资天赋，成功投资了Mint.com、SlideShare等潜力公司。
After starting angel investment in 2004, McClure found he seemed to have investment talent, successfully investing in promising companies like Mint.com and SlideShare.
2007年在斯坦福教授Facebook相关课程后，他决定成为风险投资家。2008年第四季度加入Founders Fund，一年内成功投资Twilio、Credit Karma、Lyft等公司。
After teaching a Facebook-related course at Stanford in 2007, he decided to become a venture capitalist. Joining Founders Fund in Q4 2008, he successfully invested in Twilio, Credit Karma, Lyft and others within a year.
500 Startups的创立
Founding of 500 Startups
2010年，在多位投资人帮助下，McClure创立500 Startups基金。"从那时起，我们成功投资了一些好公司，并制造了大量的'小赌注'。到目前为止，它看起来起作用了。"
In 2010, with help from several investors, McClure founded 500 Startups. "Since then, we've successfully invested in some great companies and made lots of 'small bets.' So far, it seems to be working."
"我依然希望自己心中有火，能够活出自己，当我只剩一个残缺灵魂和一份舒适生活时，才不会后悔自己当初的选择。"
"I still want to keep the fire inside me, to live authentically, so when I'm left with only a broken soul and a comfortable life, I won't regret my choices."
即将46岁的McClure表示："我仍然想把生命发挥到淋漓尽致...我仍然在赌我的墓志铭上会刻有'大器晚成'，而不是'失败'。"
Approaching 46, McClure said: "I still want to live life to the fullest...I'm still betting my epitaph will say 'late bloomer' rather than 'failure.'"
