My grandfather passed away two weeks ago, and I couldn’t bring myself to write about it until today. I wanted to write something because he’s been my best friend for the last decade.
Bill Draper was a wonderful man. As my wife says, “The last true gentleman.” He was curious and interested in people, and had a gift of making everyone feel heard. This skill set led to a lot of great successes in life and business.
Yes, he founded Sutter Hill, and helped institutionalize venture capital over the last 70 years, but did you know he proposed to my grandmother (who was engaged at the time) after three days of knowing her? A marriage that lasted until she passed away 9 years ago.
To some he was larger than life, to others a best friend. He was constantly dressed in a suit looking like James Bond, which contrasted wonderfully with my t-shirt and orange pants situation during our breakfasts.
For context, I’ve been having breakfast with my grandfather every two weeks for the last 9 years, ever since my grandmother passed in 2018. Here’s a blog about one from 2018.
Based on everything I have said thus far, you can tell that he was the real deal.
I went to boarding school for high school at Andover in Massachusetts, 3,000 miles away from home, and the first package I ever received from the mail room was from “Grammy and Pops,” it was 80 pounds of pies and candy. I was 5’3 and 90 lbs my freshman year of high school, and I had to lug 80 pounds of pies and candy a half mile to my dorm… that box of treats lasted through the entire year.
When Pops and I started having breakfasts in 2018, I knew my grandfather as a grandfather. He was wise, well dressed, had worked in Venture Capital, and had worked for the UNDP in the government. He had gone to Yale. Pops had been there for all major life events for me but as we had breakfasts it filled in the cracks of life that only conversation and experience can.
“Bobby Frick once shot himself in the leg with a rifle bullet. He road down a hill on his bike with a flamethrower to attract the attention of the girls too.”
“Fidel Castro still owes me $20.”
“Women seem to be wearing their hair down more than they used to.”
“Bhutan is the most beautiful country I have ever been to.”
“Grammy would want me to say that it’s ‘i’ not ‘Me’”
“Never pass up a chance to go to the bathroom”
“Yeah, there were three times in the War where I should have died.”
I cherished my breakfasts with my grandfather. Everyone on my team knew that Fridays were going to most likely be near Woodside California, because I would be at Bucks with Pops.
In the times of us having breakfast, he became my best friend. In those nine years, there has been a market crash, I wrote a book about our breakfasts, there was a pandemic, children were born, grandchildren were born, Boost VC raised four funds, kids grew, graduations happened… we never missed breakfast.
Last week he missed it. And god damn it, that was hard, because I miss him.
So in honor of my grandfather, give someone a compliment today, it was one of his many extraordinary abilities, his ability to compliment.
Later Pops. I bet there’s a Buck’s location wherever you are now. Enjoy the pancakes.
Adam I met your pops 30 years ago when I was a young man & new to the valley. Although i didn’t know him well, he was always kind and thoughtful and easy to talk to. Wish i had gotten to know him better, but happy to have crossed paths with him, as well as you & your dad and siblings. That panel discussion we did together ten years back was one of the most fun times I ever had onstage. What a wonderful life he lived… we are all richer for it. Here’s to your pops! 💪🏼🕊️🥰
I bought the equipment for the audiobook. It was something he joked about with me. He mentioned it at DU's breakfast when I sat with him. It is about half done.