The GoingVC Podcast: Recent Episodes
GoingVC
The GoingVC Podcast - uncovering new paths into VC, diving deeper into alternative models, and addressing areas of weakness with Rachel (@rachmast), Austin and JJ (@jjmaclean) from the GoingVC team.
GoingVC is a global community and career development program for venture capital. To learn more or to checkout our guides, content, models and VC research checkout https://www.goingvc.com/blog
Feedback? We'd love to hear it: podcast@goingvc.com
👋 Hey Listener!
We're really excited to be bringing to you today our conversation with Kimmy Paluch of Beta Boom. As always, if you've got any questions, feedback, guest ideas, or just want to say hey, don't hesitate to shoot us a message at podcast@goingvc.com
👋 Hey Listener!
We're really excited to be bringing to you today our conversation with Maggie Vo and Olivia Gaudree of Fuel Venture Capital. As always, if you've got any questions, feedback, guest ideas, or just want to say hey, don't hesitate to shoot us a message at podcast@goingvc.com
👋 Hey Listener!
We're really excited to be bringing to you today our conversation with Jahn Karsybaev, a founding GP at Big Sky Capital. As always, if you've got any questions, feedback, guest ideas, or just want to say hey, don't hesitate to shoot us a message at podcast@goingvc.com
👋 Hey Listener!
We're really excited to be bringing to you today our conversation with Greg Ho, cofounder and President at Spring Mountain Capital, and founding partner at the West Harlem Innovation Network. As always, if you've got any questions, feedback, guest ideas, or just want to say hey, don't hesitate to shoot us a message at podcast@goingvc.com
Books mentioned in the episode:
- Life 3.0: Being Human in the Age of Artificial Intelligence by Deckle Edge
- The Jazz of Physics: The Secret Link Between Music and the Structure of the Universe by Stephon Alexander
👋 Hey Listener!
We're really excited to be bringing to you today our conversation with Brett Martin, Founding Partner of Charge Ventures. As always, if you've got any questions, feedback, guest ideas, or just want to say hey, don't hesitate to shoot us a message at podcast@goingvc.com
👋 Hey Listener!
We're really excited to be bringing to you today our conversation with Matt Cohen, Founding Partner of Ripple Ventures. As always, if you've got any questions, feedback, guest ideas, or just want to say hey, don't hesitate to shoot us a message at podcast@goingvc.com
👋 Hey Listener!
We're really excited to be bringing to you today our conversation with Jonah Midanik, Partner at Forum Ventures. As always, if you've got any questions, feedback, guest ideas, or just want to say hey, don't hesitate to shoot us a message at podcast@goingvc.com
👋 Hey Listener!
We're really excited to be bringing to you today our conversation with Joe Dormani, founding Principal at Thomson Reuters Ventures. As always, if you've got any questions, feedback, guest ideas, or just want to say hey, don't hesitate to shoot us a message at podcast@goingvc.com
👋 Hey Listener!
We're really excited to be bringing to you today our conversation with Ray Zhou (@rzhou186), cofounder of Affinity. As always, if you've got any questions, feedback, guest ideas, or just want to say hey, don't hesitate to shoot us a message at podcast@goingvc.com
Episode Chapters:
- Introduction - 0:00
- Ray’s Origin Story - 1:22
- Relationship Intelligence and the VC Tech Stack - 5:43
- Affinity’s Evolution - 21:24
- Technology’s Impact on Our Relationships - 23:37
- Favourite Books & Closing Thoughts - 34:09
Thanks for checking out the GoingVC Podcast—uncovering new paths into VC, diving deeper into alternative models, and addressing areas of weakness with Rachel (@rachmast), and JJ (@jjmaclean) from the GoingVC team.
👋 Hey Listener!
We're really excited to be bringing to you today our conversation with Stephanie Manning Cohen (@steph_manning07)! As always, if you've got any questions, feedback, guest ideas, or just want to say hey, don't hesitate to shoot us a message at podcast@goingvc.com
Episode Chapters:
- Introduction - 0:00
- Stephanie’s Origin Story - 1:03
- What is ‘Platform’? - 3:44
- The Platform Role - 5:43
- When Should Firms Start Building A Platform Team - 11:40
- Creating & Measuring Success - 17:15
- Platform Misconceptions - 29:47
- LH & Closing Thoughts - 32:01
Thanks for checking out the GoingVC Podcast—uncovering new paths into VC, diving deeper into alternative models, and addressing areas of weakness with Rachel (@rachmast), and JJ (@jjmaclean) from the GoingVC team.
👋 Hey Listener!
We're really excited to be bringing to you today our conversation with Brad Feld (@bfeld) and Matt Blumberg (@mattblumberg) about the re-release of their book Startup Boards: A Field Guide to Building and Leading an Effective Board of Directors.
Episode Chapters:
- Introduction - 0:00
- Brad & Matt’s Origin Stories - 1:31
- The Startup Board - 5:01
- VCs and the Board - 16:20
- Brad & Matt’s Superpowers - 24:27
- Taking Up The Mantle, Joining Your First Board - 28:12
- Closing Thoughts - 33:45
Books Mentioned by Brad & Matt:
- Loved by Martina Lauchengco (Matt)
- Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin(Brad)
- The Immortal King Rao by Vauhini Vara(Brad)
- Upgrade by Blake Crouch (Brad)
- Ministry for the Future by Kim Stanley Robinson (Brad)
Thanks for checking out the GoingVC Podcast—uncovering new paths into VC, diving deeper into alternative models, and addressing areas of weakness with Rachel (@rachmast), and JJ (@jjmaclean) from the GoingVC team. As always, if you've got any questions, feedback, guest ideas, or just want to say hey, don't hesitate to shoot us a message at podcast@goingvc.com!
👋 Hey! Thanks for checking out the GoingVC Podcast - uncovering new paths into VC, diving deeper into alternative models, and addressing areas of weakness with Rachel (@rachmast), and JJ (@jjmaclean) from the GoingVC team.
We're really excited to be bringing to you today our conversation with Diana Hsieh (@Dianasaur323). As always, if you've got any questions, feedback, guest ideas, or just want to say hey, don't hesitate to shoot us a message at podcast@goingvc.com!
Episode Chapters:
- Introduction - 0:00
- Diana’s Origin Story - 1:27
- VCs Say The Darndest Things - 10:51
- VCs & Social Selling - 13:40
- Life as a VC vs Founder - 17:26
- Hiring, Dutch Ovens and What Gets Diana Excited - 28:39
👋 Hey! Thanks for checking out the GoingVC Podcast - uncovering new paths into VC, diving deeper into alternative models, and addressing areas of weakness with Rachel (@rachmast), and JJ (@jjmaclean) from the GoingVC team.
We're really excited to be bringing to you today our conversation with Heather Hartnett (@HeatherHartnett). As always, if you've got any questions, feedback, guest ideas, or just want to say hey, don't hesitate to shoot us a message at podcast@goingvc.com!
Articles Rachel referenced in her first question:
- Building and Investing in the Human Needs Economy - Part 1
- The Future of Work is Human - Part 2
Articles Heather quotes re: piece she writes on firm founders / emerging VCs:
- Predictions For 2022 According To Emerging Managers In VC
- The Opportunity for Family Office To Outperform Over the Next Decade
Heather’s Forbes article referenced at the end:
- Joining An Existing Fund Versus Starting Your Own
Episode Chapters:
- Introduction - 0:00
- Heather’s Career Origin Story - 1:11
- Founding Human Ventures - 8:47
- Need to Haves’ & Heather’s Thesis - 11:10
- Founder-Funder Fit & the Founders of the Future - 17:58
- Human’s First Five Years - 22:38
- Building A More Diverse Ecosystem - 27:50
- Closing Thoughts - 37:58
👋 Hey! Thanks for checking out the GoingVC Podcast - uncovering new paths into VC, diving deeper into alternative models, and addressing areas of weakness with Rachel (@rachmast), and JJ (@jjmaclean) from the GoingVC team.
We're really excited to be bringing to you today our conversation with Michaeli Palank (@mpalank101) and Anubhav Srivastava (@anubhav0313). As always, if you've got any questions, feedback, guest ideas, or just want to say hey, don't hesitate to shoot us a message at podcast@goingvc.com!
Anubhav’s Book Recommendation: Moonwalking with Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything by Joshua Foer
Mike’s Book Recommendation: The Case for Space: How the Revolution in Spaceflight Opens Up a Future of Limitless Possibility by Robert Zubrin
Episode Chapters:
- Introduction - 0:00
- Mike and Anubhav’s Career Origin Stories - 1:12
- Venture Portfolio Construction - 10:53
- The Evolving Venture Stack - 33:21
- Celebrity Investors - 38:21
- From Hollywood to Sand Hill Road - 48:53
- 2022 and Closing Thoughts - 53:36
👋 Hey! Thanks for checking out the GoingVC Podcast - uncovering new paths into VC, diving deeper into alternative models, and addressing areas of weakness with Rachel (@rachmast), and JJ (@jjmaclean) from the GoingVC team.
We're really excited to be bringing to you today our conversation with Jonathan Chang (twitter: @thechangj /TikTok:@venturecapitalguy). As always, if you've got any questions, feedback, guest ideas, or just want to say hey, don't hesitate to shoot us a message at podcast@goingvc.com!
Jonathan’s Favourite VC/Startup TikToker’s:
- @turnernovak
- @trilliondollartam
- @joinentre
- @indexventures
- @rexwoodbury
Episode Chapters:
- Introduction - 0:00
- VCs as Creators and Becoming @VentureCapitalGuy on TikTok - 04:55
- Founding Gen-Z Scouts - 10:05
- Gen-Z Enterprise Investors? - 18:17
- Celebrity Investors - 19:53
- Learning’s From His First Year - 24:07
- 2022 and Beyond - 25:35
👋 Hey! Thanks for checking out the GoingVC Podcast - uncovering new paths into VC, diving deeper into alternative models, and addressing areas of weakness with Rachel (@rachmast), Austin and JJ (@jjmaclean) from the GoingVC team.
We're really excited to be bringing to you today our conversation with David Rosenthal (@djrosent). As always, if you've got any questions, feedback, guest ideas, or just want to say hey, don't hesitate to shoot us a message at podcast@goingvc.com!
Episode Chapters
- Introduction - 0:00
- David's Origin Story - 01:19
- The Unstructured Path - 10:11
- Luck - 15:18
- Junior vs. Senior POV - 19:26
- In It For The Long Haul? - 22:04
- Competitive vs. Cooperate - 24:50
- The Future - 30:08
👋 Hey! Thanks for checking out the GoingVC Podcast - uncovering new paths into VC, diving deeper into alternative models, and addressing areas of weakness with Rachel (@rachmast), Austin and JJ (@jjmaclean) from the GoingVC team.
We're really excited to be bringing to you today the first episode of a three-part conversation with Dylan Itzikowitz (@ditzikow). As always, if you've got any questions, feedback, guest ideas, or just want to say hey, don't hesitate to shoot us a message at podcast@goingvc.com!
Episode Chapters:
- Introduction — 0:00
- Dylan’s (Canadian) Origin Story— 1:17
- Putting On The Founder Hat — 8:56
- Levelling Up (How Does One Even Do It?) — 12:26
- Day In The Life At Expa — 18:23
- Picking An Accelerator, Diligence Is A Two Way Street — 24:09
- Looking To The Future & Closing Thoughts — 29:26
👋 Hey! Thanks for checking out the GoingVC Podcast - uncovering new paths into VC, diving deeper into alternative models, and addressing areas of weakness with Rachel (@rachmast), Austin and JJ (@jjmaclean) from the GoingVC team.
We're really excited to be bringing to you today the first episode of a three-part conversation with Cai Greeff (@CaiGreeff). As always, if you've got any questions, feedback, guest ideas, or just want to say hey, don't hesitate to shoot us a message at podcast@goingvc.com!
Editor's Note:Cai is going to be writing a series of blog posts that will go along with each episode to dive more deeply into the topics discussed, be sure to check it out!
Episode Chapters:
- Introduction — 0:00
- Cai's Origin Story — 2:21
- He'd Never Even Heard Of It | Is a CFA Relevant in VC? — 5:36
- One Asset Class Of Many — 9:56
- Manager Allocations — 18:20
- The GP, LP Relationship — 29:12
👋 Hey! Thanks for checking out the GoingVC Podcast - uncovering new paths into VC, diving deeper into alternative models, and addressing areas of weakness with Rachel (@rachmast), Austin and JJ (@jjmaclean) from the GoingVC team.
We're really excited to be bringing to you today our conversation with Julia Kahky (@JuliaKahky). As always, if you've got any questions, feedback, guest ideas, or just want to say hey, don't hesitate to shoot us a message at podcast@goingvc.com!
Episode Chapters:
- Introduction — 0:00
- Keeping It All In Perspective - Julia’s Origin Story — 1:12
- From GM to VC, Modern Lessons From A Century Old Company — 8:57
- All Experience Is Great Experience — 20:26
- 2021 and Beyond - the Enduring Magic of In-Person Experiences — 24:09
- Diversity in the Innovation Ecosystem - Past, Present and Future — 31:07
- The Importance of Storytelling and Closing Thoughts — 40:42
👋 Hey! Thanks for checking out the GoingVC Podcast - uncovering new paths into VC, diving deeper into alternative models, and addressing areas of weakness with Rachel (@rachmast), Austin and JJ (@jjmaclean) from the GoingVC team.
We're really excited to be bringing to you today our conversation with Anne Cocquyt (@annecocquyt). As always, if you've got any questions, feedback, guest ideas, or just want to say hey, don't hesitate to shoot us a message at podcast@goingvc.com!
Episode Chapters:
- Introduction & Anne's Background — 0:00
- Founding the Guild — 06:10
- What is Diversity? — 12:43
- Moving the Needle — 20:27
- Tactical Feedback for Founders and Investors — 35:12
- Closing Thoughts — 41:20
👋 Hey! Thanks for checking out the GoingVC Podcast - uncovering new paths into VC, diving deeper into alternative models, and addressing areas of weakness with Rachel (@rachmast), Austin and JJ (@jjmaclean) from the GoingVC team.
We're really excited to be bringing to you today our conversation with Paige Doherty (@paigefinnn). As always, if you've got any questions, feedback, guest ideas, or just want to say hey, don't hesitate to shoot us a message at podcast@goingvc.com!
Episode Chapters:
- Introduction — 0:00
- The Intersection of Arts and Technology - Paige's Origin Story — 1:18
- Learning in Public — 4:56
- Seed to Harvest, a Children's Book (for Adults) about VC — 7:53
- It's A Two-Sided Business — 12:17
- Introducing Behind Genius Ventures — 17:04
- New Year, New Pathways and Delirious Optimism — 24:37
- 1000 First-Angel Checks, 500 Syndicates and 100 New Managers, Paige's 10-Year Vision— 38:24
Links:
Seed-to-Harvest: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0578906457
Twitter: https://twitter.com/paigefinnn
👋 Hey! Thanks for checking out the GoingVC Podcast: Uncovering new paths into VC, diving deeper into alternative models, and addressing areas of weakness with Austin and JJ MacLean (@jjmaclean) from the GoingVC team.
We're really excited to be bringing to you today our conversation with Allie Felix (@alliemfelix) of Embarc Collective and special guest host Rachel Masterson (@rachmast). As always, if you've got any questions, feedback, guest ideas, or just want to say hey, don't hesitate to shoot us a message at podcast@goingvc.com!
Episode Chapters:
- Introduction — 0:00
- Manifestation and Allie's Origin Story — 1:50
- Density of Opportunity: Moving to New York Without A Job — 7:17
- Impact of Geography? — 10:54
- The Platform Role — 18:55
- Expanding Access to Startup Investing — 23:52
- Closing Thoughts — 29:48
Links:
- Decoding the VC Platform Role by Stephanie Manning at Lerer Hippeau
- Unapologetically Ambitious by Shellye Archambeau
- VC Platform Community
- Embarc Collective
👋 Hey! Thanks for checking out the GoingVC Podcast: Uncovering new paths into VC, diving deeper into alternative models, and addressing areas of weakness every second Monday with Austin and JJ MacLean (@jjmaclean) from the GoingVC team.
We're really excited to be bringing to you today our conversation with John Gannon cofounder of GoingVC. As always, if you've got any questions, feedback, guest ideas, or just want to say hey, don't hesitate to shoot us a message at podcast@goingvc.com!
Episode Chapters:
- Introduction — 0:00
- John’s Origin Story — 1:30
- It All Ends Up Fitting Together — 7:30
- Writing For Yourself — 12:04
- Founding GoingVC — 19:58
- Supporting A Diverse Ecosystem — 24:15
- Closing Thoughts — 33:40
Episode 9 - Startups, Surprise Meetings & Blockchain with Brittany Laughlin
👋 Hey! Thanks for checking out the GoingVC Podcast: Uncovering new paths into VC, diving deeper into alternative models, and addressing areas of weakness every second Monday with Austin and JJ MacLean (@jjmaclean) from the GoingVC team.
We're really excited to be bringing to you today our conversation with Brittany Laughlin (@br_ttany) the Stacks Open Internet Foundation. As always, if you've got any questions, feedback, guest ideas, or just want to say hey, don't hesitate to shoot us a message at podcast@goingvc.com!
Episode Chapters:
- Introduction — 0:00
- Brittany’s Origin Story — 2:10
- A Surprise Meeting with Fred Wilson — 11:04
- A Fantastic Learning Experience — 14:45
- Founding Lattice Ventures — 21:25
- There’s Plenty of Smart People Tinkering Around — 27:55
- Diversity in the Ecosystem. Great Strides, Still A Work-in-Progress — 37:41
- Closing Thoughts — 43:08
Once an Operator, Always an Operator with Elle Bruno
👋 Hey! Thanks for checking out the GoingVC Podcast: Uncovering new paths into VC, diving deeper into alternative models, and addressing areas of weakness every second Monday with Austin and JJ MacLean (@jjmaclean) from the GoingVC team.
We're really excited to be bringing to you today our conversation with Elle Bruno of Techstars. As always, if you've got any questions, feedback, guest ideas, or just want to say hey, don't hesitate to shoot us a message at podcast@goingvc.com!
Episode Chapters:
- Introduction — 0:00
- It wasn’t quick, it wasn’t easy — 4:20
- The Operator’s Superpowers — 8:05
- Only 2.8% — 11:27
- There’s more than one way to be an investor — 17:55
- FinTech around the World — 20:55
- Start — 32:58
- Closing thoughts—34:08
Link to the application for the WU/Techstars program Elle runs: https://www.techstars.com/accelerators/western-union
Strawberry Robots & 3D Printers, the Future of Food with Jonathan Hua
Hey! Thanks for checking out the GoingVC Podcast: Uncovering new paths into VC, diving deeper into alternative models, and addressing areas of weakness every second Monday with Austin and JJ MacLean (@jjmaclean) from the GoingVC team.
We're really excited to be bringing to you today our conversation with Jonathan Hua of Scrum Ventures. As always, if you've got any questions, feedback, guest ideas, or just want to say hey, don't hesitate to shoot us a message at podcast@goingvc.com!
Episode Chapters:
- Introduction — 0:00
- 2020—Zero Commutes, New Viewpoints — 1:26
- Jonathan’s Origin Story — 8:28
- To MBA, or not MBA, that is the question — 14:28
- Don’t knock the history majors — 17:58
- Hunger and waste in a world of plenty — 21:43
- AgTech’s rise and rise—to infinity and beyond? — 26:38
- Future Food—cultured proteins, vertical farms, and 3D printers, oh my! — 29:14
- Closing thoughts—39:35
❗Note: We’re still new at this and had some technical difficulties with the audio In the last few minutes. We think the content is great though and hope you enjoy!
Around the World with Ashish Aggarwal
👋 Hey! Thanks for checking out the GoingVC Podcast: Uncovering new paths into VC, diving deeper into alternative models, and addressing areas of weakness every second Monday with Austin and JJ MacLean (@jjmaclean) from the GoingVC team.
We're really excited to be bringing to you today our conversation with Ashish Aggarwal. Ashish’s a principal at Grishin Robotics and former Director of M&A at Opera Software. If you’re looking at starting a career in venture we think you’re really going to enjoy this one! We talked about Ashish’s story and his advice for those new to the industry, the skills and habits that have served him well in the industry, as well as the areas that get him excited in 2020.
If you've got any questions, feedback, guest ideas, or just want to say hey, don't hesitate to shoot us a message at podcast@goingvc.com
The Long Way Round with Meagan Loyst
👋 Hey! Thanks for checking out the GoingVC Podcast: Uncovering new paths into VC, diving deeper into alternative models, and addressing areas of weakness every second Monday with Austin and JJ MacLean (@jjmaclean) from the GoingVC team.
We're really excited to be bringing to you today our conversation with Meagan Loyst (@meaganloyst).
If you've got any questions, feedback, guest ideas, or just want to say hey, don't hesitate to shoot us a message at podcast@goingvc.com!
Episode Chapters
- Introduction
- Meagan’s Origin Story (1:20)
- Advice for Students—Just Get Started (10:35)
- The Life-Changing Magic of a Cold Email (16:49)
- Don't Stop Believin' (and Learning) (19:39)
- Finding Your Perfect Fit (27:17)
- Superpowers (31:52)
- Building an Inclusive Ecosystem (36:05)
- Closing Thoughts (and Favorite TV Show) (40:02)
Building a Transparent Ecosystem with Joe Milam
👋 Hey! Thanks for checking out the GoingVC Podcast: Uncovering new paths into VC, diving deeper into alternative models, and addressing areas of weakness every second Monday with Austin and JJ MacLean (@jjmaclean) from the GoingVC team.
We're really excited to be bringing to you today our conversation with Joe Milam. If you've got any questions, feedback, guest ideas, or just want to say hey, don't hesitate to shoot us a message at podcast@goingvc.com
Episode Chapters
- Joe’s Origin Story – 02:17
- The Startup Information Gap – 07:47
- AngelSpan – 09:24
- Building a Transparent Portfolio – 17:24
- Bell Mason Framework, a Rundown – 29:36
- Impact Investing: in the Eye of the Beholder – 34:40
- Joe’s Action Items – 36:56
Lessons from 250K Miles A Year With Paul Singh
👋 Hey! Thanks for checking out the GoingVC Podcast: Uncovering new paths into VC, diving deeper into alternative models, and addressing areas of weakness every second Monday with Austin and JJ MacLean (@jjmaclean) from the GoingVC team.
We're really excited to be bringing to you today our conversation with Paul Singh (@paulsingh).
If you've got any questions, feedback, guest ideas, or just want to say hey, don't hesitate to shoot us a message at podcast@goingvc.com
Episode Chapters
- Introduction
- Paul’s Origin Story – 01:54
- Being Everywhere Else | Trekking Across North America – 10:35
- Angels, Syndicates and Microfunds – 15:50
- Learning to Make ‘The Bet’ – 22:20
- Paul’s Advice for Angels – 24:55
- Results Junkies – 33:30
- Geography, Geography, Geography – 36:29
- Wrap-up & Closing Thoughts – 41:03
Exploring Mission-Driven Ventures with Nettra Pan
👋Hey! Thanks for checking out the GoingVC Podcast: Uncovering new paths into VC, diving deeper into alternative models, and addressing areas of weakness every second Monday with Austin and JJ MacLean (@jjmaclean) from the GoingVC team.
We're really excited to be bringing to you today our conversation with Nettra Pan (@nettra).
If you've got any questions, feedback, guest ideas, or just want to say hey, don't hesitate to shoot us a message at podcast@goingvc.com
Chapters:
Introduction
Nettra’s Background & Research - 01:57
Traditional vs. Social Ventures - 05:44
Fundraising For & Investing in Social Ventures - 10:30
Social Venture Performance - 19:41
Wrap-up & Closing Thoughts - 22:52
👋 Hey! Thanks for downloading the first episode of the Going VC podcast. We're really excited to be bringing to you today our conversation with Sree Kolli. New episodes premiere every second Monday at 6 AM Eastern.
If you've got any questions, feedback, guest ideas, or just want to say hey, don't hesitate to shoot us a message at podcast@goingvc.com
Episode Segments:
Introduction
Sree’s Career Story - 02:12
Banking vs. Venture Capital - 07:03
Breaking into Venture Capital - 14:41
Founding Conduit - 25:39
Closing Thoughts - 33:32
The GoingVC Podcast: Uncovering new paths into VC, diving deeper into alternative models, and addressing areas of weakness every second Monday with Austin and JJ MacLean (@jjmaclean) from the GoingVC team.
GoingVC is a global community and career development program for venture capital. To learn more or to check out our guides, content, models, and VC research checkout www.goingvc.com/blog
Feedback? We'd love to hear it: podcast@goingvc.com