Creating a circle of trust can create explosive business growth. I discuss how to do that with my guest, Jonathan Hung.

Jonathan is a successful VC and entrepreneur. He has evolved from his role as a prolific angel investor with over 150+ pre-seed and pre-IPO investments under his belt to becoming the Managing Partner for Entrepreneur Ventures.

Jonathan believes that everyone thinks entrepreneurship is all about fundraising. That’s one aspect of building a business. Jonathan is dedicating his upcoming book to his father. He was a great entrepreneur who came to this country with nothing and along with Jonathan’s mom they built an amazing company. Entrepreneurship is about building trusted relationships from business partners to advisors and mentors.

The Importance of Being Real

Jonathan’s perspective on life is that you’re going to meet a lot of fakes. A lot of people who try to sell you an idea by telling you it’s all going to be roses, but really, will they be helpful in the long run, right? You must find people that you could trust to work with you. You can easily like somebody, but can you actually trust them? That’s why the subtitle of Jonathan’s upcoming book is “Why trust drives venture capital success.”

Jonthan built his career based on people that he trusted, and who have trusted him. That’s how he’s built success.

How to Build Trust

It’s the simplest things. It’s not just saying “I’m going to write you a check.” It’s about both parties being be very communicative. That means doing things like giving regular updates. Having great communication is the most important rule. It also means asking for help. If you don’t ask, it’s always no. The number one rule in sales that you ask. That you keep going, you don’t take discouragement. You know, it sucks sometimes, right? Getting turned down and you might have to hear a thousand no’s before you get to that one yes. But when you get to that yes, it was all worth it. It was all worth it.

For Jonthan building trust is showing up. It’s doing the hard work. It’s not about just executing, it’s also about showing people how you did it because some people think it’s just how like the ends justify the means. For Jonathan it’s about growing as a human being. It’s about finding those people you can trust because you can count on them.

Neither of you over promise and under deliver. Jonathan is a big believer that you don’t over promise and then under deliver. He’s always about under promising and over delivering because he’s had people in his past who he’s invested in give that gave him crazy numbers. He would think, “How are you going to do that? How are you going to 10x your business in a year?” Sometimes that makes no sense.

Jonathan also loves people who give him a plan. It’s all about the execution. It’s how you go through with something. That’s how you build trust, in his opinion.

We also dive into topics such as:

The definition and examples of a circle of trust.
How you can start to intentionally build a circle of trust.
The types of people that should be in your circle of trust.
Why nobody that’s successful has done it by themselves.
How to approach the right people to bring them into your circle of trust.
Why you should practice being a “giver”.
How to maintain a circle of trust over time once you’ve built yours.
The role vulnerability plays in building your circle of trust.
Jonathan’s philosophy of “living your life in quarters” and how to embrace it.
The one thing, above all else, that you need to do to build a successful circle of trust.

…and other golden nuggets of advice!

You can get my book here: “Idea Climbing: How to Create a Support System for Your Next Big Idea”

About My Guest

Idea Climbing Podcast Jonathan Hung

Jonathan Hung is a seasoned venture capitalist and entrepreneur with a proven track record in governance, strategic growth, and financial expertise. He led his family’s textile business across the U.S. and Asia before transitioning into venture capital, where he has invested in more than 250 companies and 50 funds.

Today, Jonathan is the Managing Partner of Entrepreneur Ventures, a fund he co-founded with Entrepreneur Media, deploying capital into innovative startups and helping founders build profitable businesses. He also manages his family office fund, J Heart Ventures. His success in raising millions for venture funds, combined with cross-border operational expertise, positions him as a leader in capital growth and value creation.

Learn more about Jonathan!

Website / Portfolio

Want to learn more about entrepreneurship? Check out “How to Create a Millionaire Mindset”!

How Entrepreneurs Can Build a Circle of Trust with Jonathan Hung