Extensive media and online coverage of the business arena, news of start-ups, mergers, and deals are familiar headlines these days. But that wasn't always the case. The early years of venture capital were a far cry from today's very public dealings. Alan Patricof, one of the pioneers of the venture arena, offers a behind-the-scenes look at the past 50 years of the industry. From buying stock in Apple when its market valuation was only $60 million to founding New York Magazine to investing in AOL, Audible, and more recently, Axios, his discerning approach to finding companies is almost peerless.

All of Patricof's investments--from Xerox to Venmo--share certain qualities. Each company had sound product with wide appeal, the economics were solid, and the management team was talented and committed to seeing their visions come to fruition.