New to Venture

This is the story of the ultimate finance resume! 💰💼📈​​ From Harvard to Investment Banking at Goldman Sachs to investing at a PE Megafund to becoming a founding investor for Softbank and then creating a VC firm, Kevin Jiang, GP at Mangusta Capital has accumulated top tier finance experiences like trading cards. In episode 025 of “New to Venture”, we dive deep into his experiences working with s...

This is what you learn from talking to the hyper-elite! 🤯 From interviewing the all-time greats like Stephen Curry, Will Smith, and Ray Dalio to leading brand and content strategy for a top VC firm, Melody has done it all! I sat down with Melody Hahm, the Director of Platform & Community at Harlem Capital to take a walk down memory lane. In this episode, Melody shares many important life less...

Venture capital and ROI are inextricably linked. But what about ROR? 🤝 This was one of my favorite episodes to record so far. I sat down with Heston Berkman, Founder and Partner of Banter Capital to go over his many learnings over the past decade. Episode 023 of “New to Venture” is an absolute cheat code for those starting in VC. From the importance of relationships, to building a VC firm this ep...

Video Games Meets Venture Capital?! 🎮 I sat down with my good friend Jonny Zhang , who may have the best job on the planet. Jonny invests in games at the illustrious General Catalyst as well as invests in the brightest student founders as a lead for GC Venture Fellows . Jonny found a way to combine his passion for video games with the world of venture capital. If you’re looking to do the same, ma...

This is the secret to making a top 1% podcast. Be stubborn.  Episode 21 of “New to Venture” marks a special milestone in my life. “If you make it to episode 21, you are in the top 1% of podcasters. Survival is more important than skill.” This was my north star for the past year and in celebration of achieving it, this episode is going to be different. No all-star VC guest. No questions asked. Just...

This is the story of one of the great VCs of NYC🗽 I sat down with Brian Smiga, serial entrepreneur and co-founding partner of Alpha Partners, to take a walk down memory lane. From sitting in a hot tub with Marc Benioff to starting a TEDx conference in his town, Ep 020 of “New to Venture” is packed with stories and perspectives from a seasoned entrepreneur and VC. If you want to last a long time i...

How you can become a Venture Capitalist … without ANY money! 🤯 I sat down with Alex Pattis, the King of SPVs and the General Partner of Riverside Ventures, to break down a unique way to invest in your favorite private companies. A normal VC firm pools capital together to create a fund and invests out of that fund. The syndicate system invests in startups on a deal by deal basis! If any of that is...

Is Imposter Syndrome actually a good thing? I sat down with the amazing Chelsea Zhang, Principal at Equal Ventures to share stories and lessons for the next generation of VCs. Almost every young VC struggles with imposter syndrome, but they’re not alone! This episode is jam-packed with comforting advice, harsh realities, tons of passion and even more honesty. If you’re exploring the VC career path...

Harvard → Consulting → Growth Equity → Venture?  I sat down with Matt Hawes, an investor at 645 ventures, to talk about all things venture. What is it like to work at a massive firm? How does one build thoughtful investment theses? What does success look like as you rise up the ranks? Find out on Ep 017 of “New to Venture”! Key Takeaways: - Invest with discipline. Macroeconomic trends will change...

Honesty is the best policy! I sat down with Julia Maltby, the Principal at Flybridge Capital Partners to have an honest conversation about the hardest parts of working in venture, the MBA experience, and building personal conviction. Episode 016 of “New to Venture” is jam packed with valuable lessons for the next generation of VCs and some fantastic stories! Tune in :) Here are some key takeaways...

Legendary Football Player 🏈 + Elite Startup Founder🚀 = Top VC Firm!?! Here are some key takeaways from our conversation: - In the world of startups and VC, you’ll be surrounded by people with insane success, track records, seniority, and experience. Regardless, it’s important to follow your gut, advocate for your beliefs, and have confidence in your own abilities! - If you’re starting a career i...

In the world of VC, people are everything! I sat down with the legendary Lily Lyman, General Partner at Underscore.vc to talk about all things people. How do you pick the right founders? How do you find the right VCs to join your investment team? How do you choose the right business partners? Find out on episode 014 of New to Venture! Here are some key takeaways from our conversation: - “Choose th...

There is SO much more to VC than writing checks❗ In episode 013 of “New to Venture”, I sat down with Katie Mulligan, the Director of Platform at Pillar VC, to go behind-the-scenes of one of the top early stage firms! Platform is the backbone of most VC firms, so I’m excited to give you all an inside look. In this episode, we also share fun stories like my experience interviewing for an internship...

Pro-gamer turned entrepreneur turned VC investor? 🤯 In episode 012 of “New to Venture”, I sat down with a friend and fellow Northeastern Alumni,  Kasey Zhang. Kasey is a VC investor at Audacious Ventures, one of the best up-and-coming early stage VC firms. Kasey has always impressed me with his drive, knowledge, and intelligence. I hope he does the same for you! Listen to two Northeastern Huskies...

Learn how this VC is lifting stigmas in frontier wellness!  Misunderstood markets and non-traditional verticals hold so much unrealized value! From breathwork studios, to cannabis tech, to MDMA therapy, most venture capital dollars overlook the massive value in these untapped markets. In episode 011 of “New to Venture”, I sat down with Helene Servillon, Founding Partner at JourneyOne Ventures. We...

So this is venture capital, but even cooler? 🤔 In episode 010 of “New to Venture”, I had the pleasure of speaking to Jane Chen, Principal at Blue 9 Capital. When people think of venture capital investing, they think of the big VC firms like Accel and Sequoia Capital. What people don’t know is that family offices also invest in startups and can perform just as well! VC is already such a secretive...

Ready to hear some of the best VC stories? 🤯 This episode of “New to Venture” perfectly encapsulates the very reason I created this podcast. In episode 009, Patrick Chung, General Partner at Xfund, shares some crazy stories from investing in Sam Altman, meeting the Prince of Wales, and seeing a legendary VC investor jump into a pool with a full suit on. Patrick is as sharp as a tack, extremely ki...

Want to break into venture capital and startups?🦄💸 In episode 008 of “New to Venture”, I had a blast sharing stories with Aidan Kittredge, Program Manager at Techstars. Over the years, Aidan has taught me so much about being an upstanding member of the venture ecosystem and I hope she does the same for you! In this episode, Aidan and I discuss all things VC from the secretive recruiting process,...

What changes as VCs gain more experience? 🌱📈 In episode 007 of “New to Venture”, I sat down with the amazing Robin Li, Partner at GGV Capital. Robin has cemented herself as a pillar in the VC ecosystem especially within women and AAPI groups. Outside of being an elite investor, Robin puts in a lot of effort to nurture the next generation of VCs and build community. In this episode, Robin’s deep...

What’s the difference between great VCs and the best ones? 🔝😎 If you’re going to listen to any episodes of “New to Venture”, make sure you listen to this one. Jason Shuman, General Partner at Primary Venture Partners, keeps it real about the world of VC while providing practical advice to reach the next level. I definitely wish I could listen to this when I started my first VC internship. In thi...

What’s the secret to in-person networking? 🤝📈👥 I sat down with a staple of the New York City venture ecosystem and super-connector, Shai Goldman, to talk about the importance of building your network! With 20+ years of experience, Shai has built a reputation in the startup community as a big supporter of founders, doing all that he can to help them reach their next milestone. On this episode of...

Where does Venture Capital fit within the finance ecosystem?🏦 On this episode of “New to Venture”, I sat down with Senior Vice President at UBS, Brenda O’Connor Juanas. My mind was absolutely blown when I attended her workshop at TheVentureCity summit earlier this year. You may recognize Brenda from TV as she appears frequently on major news outlets like Fox Business Network, BNN Bloomberg, and C...

How do you differentiate yourself when applying to roles in Venture Capital? 🗣 On this episode of “New to Venture”, I caught up with one of the rising stars in VC, Jonathan Chang. About a year and a half ago, I remember watching Jonathan’s Tiktoks to prepare for my VC interviews! Jonathan has become a celebrity amongst the aspiring VCs of Gen Z. I can’t think of anyone better to have on my podcast...

Have you ever wanted to create and build a VC firm?🧐 I talked to the wonderful Gisuseppe Stuto about his journey creating 186 Ventures, one of top up-and-coming pre-seed & seed stage VC firms. Giuseppe has been so impactful in the Boston startup ecosystem as well as mentoring the next generation of VCs. It’s such an honor to have him as a guest! Here are just a few of his other crazy accompli...

I couldn’t have asked for a better first guest than the one and only David Kidder. I remember my dad used to read David's books to me every night before bed, and now he’s a guest on my show. Here are just a few of his crazy accomplishments: - Ernst and Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year in 2008  - Serial Entrepreneur with 3 exits - Co-author of multiple New York Times bestselling series - Angel...