Irrationality: The Modern Founder’s Superpower with Founder of Cocoa, Carmen Alfonso Rico #134

Irrational obsession is the most rational investment strategy that exists.

For those with a passion, and who believe the world is theirs to earn, you’ve a like-minded soul in Carmen Alfonso Rico, an angel investor actively seeking Founders with more than a mere passion.

Discover what sets Founders apart, the mindset systems behind how Carmen operates, and how to rewrite the playbook on early stage investing… 

Lee and Carmen discuss:

• Obsession as a Founder's superpower
• Irrational, passionate commitment being more valuable than rational decision-making
• Recognising the patterns in startups
• Cultural differences in risk-taking between territories
• Founders’ need for deep self-awareness, responsibility for mistakes, and a relentless commitment to personal and professional growth
• The novels that have helped to develop empathy, a crucial skill for understanding founders

Carmen Alfonso Rico: 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/calfonsorico/

Cocoa:

https://www.cocoa.vc/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/calfonsorico/

Articles mentioned: 

https://paulgraham.com/greatwork.html

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/27/opinion/persistence-work-difficulty.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare

Get in touch: lee@extrology.com

Extrology:

https://www.extrology.com/

https://www.instagram.com/extrologypodcast/

https://www.tiktok.com/@extrology

https://substack.com/@extrology

https://www.youtube.com/@extrology

Lee Cooper:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/leecooperrecruiter/