New to Venture

“This is the last time you’re going to see me graduate”  Molly Cantillon stated these words to her parents at her HIGH SCHOOL graduation. They weren’t amused… Years later, she dropped out of Stanford, moved into a hacker house (sharing just a mattress topper), and raised money from OpenAI. I sat down with Molly, founder of NOX, a company rethinking how humans communicate in this AI-native world. D...

Where do VCs get money from? Welcome to LP land. The mysterious world where people who fund VCs live.  Nate Leung, Partner at Sapphire Partners and Co-Founder of OpenLP, gives us a peek into the backbone of the venture ecosystem, and it’s wilder than you think… Episode 049 is live. Here’s what I learned: 1️⃣ Great investors ≠ Great fund managers. You can pick winners all day. But if you can’t deli...

VC is a young person’s game. More time. More energy. Stronger pulse on what’s next. It’s one of the few industries where being young is actually your edge. But here’s what most young VCs get wrong: They try to think like their partners instead of developing their own taste. Chauncey Kerr Hamilton, Partner at XYZ Venture Capital, breaks it all down in episode 048 of New to Venture. Here’s what I le...

My first in-person podcast. Ever.  I kept thinking about it. A LinkedIn lurker who’d never posted. A kid with a computer and too many questions about venture. Now I’m sitting across from Bryan Kim at a16z. Real conversation. Real energy. Pinch-me moment. Bryan’s invested in companies that became the fabric of our society. Partiful, how we gather. Cluely, the AI assistant everyone’s talking about....

“If you have to ask someone to be your mentor, they are not your mentor.” Meet Grace , a partner at Amplify Partners and the person that dropped that massive truth bomb. In our conversation, Grace didn’t hold back. And honestly? The VC industry needs more people willing to say the hard thing. Here are some of my favorites: 1️⃣ Work-life balance in VC? No shot. To compete against the best investors...

When everyone said it was too early to invest, Manu Kumar , founder of K9 Ventures and HiHello , said it was too late. Meet the man who coined the phrase “Pre-seed.” In 2008, Manu Kumar saw something others missed. While VCs were waiting for traction, the best founders were building in garages with credit cards. So he coined a term that would reshape how we think about early-stage investing: Pre-S...

🎯 Why Specializing as a VC Is a Game Changer 🎯 Natan Reddy, Principal at Ironspring Ventures, unpacks the hidden edge of being a specialist investor in industrial tech. In episode 044 of New to Venture, Natan and I get into the weeds of early VC life, from building your network from scratch to hosting high-impact events. If you’re looking to supercharge your first few years in venture, this one’...

🔥The Blood, Sweat & Capital Behind a VC Firm 🔥 Jonathan Lehr, co-founder and General Partner at Work-Bench, brings a rare mix of enterprise GTM expertise, community-first values, and long term consistency to early-stage investing. In episode 043 of New to Venture, Jon pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to build a VC firm from scratch, from Fund I to the recent $160M Fund IV! This...

🌱Lessons from a career crafted through serendipity 🌱 Bo Ren , Managing Director at SVB , has truly mastered the art of serendipity! In episode 042 of New to Venture , Bo takes us through the many twists and turns of her career and the valuable lessons learned along the way. We dive deep into mentorship, curiosity, and soft power. This one’s full of heart and wisdom, don’t miss out! 📚 My key tak...

🚀 Tips from a “full-stack” VC investor! 🚀 Crissy Costa Behrens, Principal at the powerhouse Insight Partners , has done it all. From being an operator, early-stage investor, growth-stage investor, and board member, her wide-ranging experience gives her a unique edge in venture. In episode 041 of New to Venture , Crissy shares her journey and top advice for the next generation of VCs. Don’t miss...

Many of my venture friends have raved about Peter, Founder at Stellation Capital, and now I completely understand why. From founding Rough Draft Ventures, HackHarvard, and Harvard Ventures(just to name a few), he’s become a cornerstone of the venture community. I got my start in venture through the Boston startup ecosystem, and I’ve been so fortunate to experience firsthand the ripple effects of h...

This is the hidden truth about product growth & venture capital! Episodes like this are why I started the show. Charley Ma , Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Pathlight Ventures , is a true master of product growth. From being the first business hire at Plaid to the Head of growth at Ramp and Alloy, Charley has helped scale some of the best companies of this generation! Charley has a sharp ey...

VC relationships aren’t built in term sheets - they’re built over time 🤝⏳ In venture, the long game matters. Both in supporting companies from day 1 and in building lasting relationships. Megan Kelly, Partner at Threshold, joins me on episode 038 of New to Venture where we discuss tips and tricks to make the most out of your early years as a VC investor. Megan brings incredible insights from her...

“The mentee knows the rules, but the mentor knows the exceptions” Derek Chu , Principal at FirstMark , is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to startups. In this episode of New to Venture, he shares his thoughts on the art of consumer venture capital, what “great” looks like, and his career journey so far. Some of my new favorite quotes are sprinkled throughout the episode, so don’t miss out! My...

This conversation forced me to rethink my understanding of venture. 🤯 Yoni Rechtman, Principal at Slow Ventures, brings a keen eye and deep insight to the world of VC. In episode 036 of New to Venture, Yoni and I navigate between the nitty gritty and big-picture dynamics of the industry. His thoughtful approach and deep understanding of the game we play are on full display as he tackles some burn...

How pizza helped me land a legendary VC for my podcast?!?! 🍕 In late 2024, a once in a lifetime opportunity to work at the phenomenal Eniac Ventures popped up. It was a dream role for me. Being based in NYC, I overheard tons of positive feedback about the small, but mighty team and I was dying to be a part of their story.  If you’ve been tuning in to the podcast, you’ll know that networking is a...

There truly is no single right path into VC!  Christine Choi, Partner at M13, is one of the most interesting and introspective people I’ve ever met. From being on the founding team of Teach for America to putting together massive music festivals, Christine is a master executor! In episode 034 of New to Venture, Christine and I take a walk down memory lane as she shares lessons from the many differ...

This is the ultimate masterclass for building relationships with VCs! In my many episodes of New to Venture, no one has been applauded as much as the illustrious Rebecca Kaden, General Partner at Union Square Ventures. It was such an honor to have her on the show to delve into VC relationships. Whether it is with a co-investor, board member, or friend, episode 033 will help take your relationships...

Learn these 7 important things about VC from a legendary Midas List investor! We’re starting 2025 with a bang on New to Venture! Nerd out with Ross Fubini, Founding Managing Partner at XYZ Venture Capital, on episode 032 about all things VC and beyond. This one is an episode for the ages because there is a heartwarming surprise guest appearance by another fantastic investor in the episode! Tune in...

What happens when a VC podcaster interviews another VC podcaster? 🗣️🗣️ It was such an honor to sit down with one of the biggest VC content creators in the game! Grace Gong, Host of the Smart Venture Podcast, has over hundreds of interviews with leaders in technology under her belt. Join us on Ep 031 of “New to Venture” to get the inside scoop on VC podcasting and beyond! Key Takeaways: 1️⃣ “You ar...

Didn’t make the Forbes 30 list this year?  Learn from a previous Forbes 30 under 30 Venture Capital Standout on Ep 030 of “New to Venture” and maybe next year will be the year! It was such an honor to have Paige Finn Doherty, founding partner of Behind Genius Ventures on the show. Paige is one of the most interesting people I’ve met. From being an author, podcaster, music festival VIP host, and of...

What goes into creating a VC firm?  As an aspiring fund manager, this conversation was exactly what I needed! I sat down with Manish Patel, founder of Nava Ventures to take a walk down memory lane. From working with Google’s exec team (including Larry Page), teaching at Stanford University, and building Nava Ventures, Ep 029 is packed with great stories and even better lessons. Manish is incredibl...

Here is some advice from one of the best operators turned VC! 🔧👩🏼‍💻💸 I had a blast sitting down with Lucy Deland, General Partner at Inspired Capital. As a NYC truther, she has seen the city blossom into the exciting startup land that it is today. Episode 028 of New to Venture is packed with great stories from creating the legendary Paperless Post to being in the same class as Mark Zuckerberg...

If people want to regulate you, you’re the real deal! 🧑‍⚖️🏛⚖️ With every large innovative company, regulation comes knocking. Think Coinbase, Fanduel, Bird Scooters, and Lemonade. The biggest companies of this generation all faced intense regulatory scrutiny. That's where Tusk Venture Partners comes in! On episode 027 of New to Venture, I sat down with Jordan Nof, Co-founder & General Partner...

Don’t be a know-it-all, be a learn-it-all! 🧠📖 Katie Jacobs Stanton is one of the most amazing people I’ve spoken to. I’ve learned so much about venture and beyond from this one conversation and I hope you do too. I left it feeling inspired, introspective, and hopeful! From being an early employee at Yahoo, Google and Twitter, working at the White House, to running Moxxie Ventures, we break it al...