Joseph Alalou of Daring Ventures says too many VCs choose "performance" over discovery — prioritizing brand-building over finding overlooked talent. In this episode, he shares how his journey from washing cars at Enterprise to investing in underdog founders shaped his contrarian view of venture capital. We talk about cultural gatekeeping, the myth of meritocracy, and why cereal in a rental car's back seat might teach you more about resilience than any Ivy League seminar.