I had the privilege of sitting down with Rachel Coffman who is the Operations Manager at Footwork.vc. Together, she answered 25 of my questions about VC Platform and VC Operations from experience working at Footwork.vc and Susa Ventures. This is the most colorful episode we've ever recorded on the pod, and I'm so proud to present this to you. Here are the topics we talked about: - Rachel, why venture capital of all things? And how did you enter the industry? - What motivated you to move from suc...
Sep 24, 2024•1 hr 31 min•Ep. 12
For Episode 11, I sat down with Cuco Vega who is the Head of Platform at Leap Global Partners, a firm with a global footprint in the United States and Latin America! Pretty unique. Cuco had interesting insights to share on how he conducts VC Platform, and I'm honestly so happy that I got to jazz with him. Here are the topics we covered: - The current state of San Francisco (as of Q2 2024). - What "VC Platform" means to Cuco and his team at Leap Global Partners. - How Cuco's team adds value to th...
Jul 10, 2024•49 min•Ep. 11
I spend the legendary episode number 10, with none other than Richard Hughes who is the Operating Partner at Gutter Capital, a fund I deeply admire because of how they treat their founders and the depth of the care they provide for their success. Richard helps his founders find and retain the most talented candidates at every level from entry-level to the C-suite. It's not everyday that I come across someone who is this passionate and great at their work, and I deeply recommend you listen to thi...
May 08, 2024•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 10
Finally, I sit down with Dani from Forum Ventures where she leads Platform for 380 startups, with a 6-person Platform team! We went into extreme detail to learn how they've built a community of founders/investors/mentors so well, and how they continue delivering tiptop value to their startups even at this scale. We left no stone unturned, and we'd love for you to listen to the full episode! Here are the topics we discussed: - How the venture capital scene differs in Canada versus US. - What type...
Apr 30, 2024•50 min•Ep. 9
What a unique episode. My admiration for Divya went up tenfold when I learned why she does what she does, and how she entered the world of venture capital. Often times we forget the weight of our own "why" and this episode reminded me about how our whys truly drive our behaviors. Divya is a VC Partner at Graham & Walker. Here are the topics we cover: - Divya's career path, as she went from leading Marketing in India to now being a VC Partner in Seattle! - How and why Graham & Walker is s...
Apr 22, 2024•59 min•Ep. 8
It's my first time hosting someone with such a unique background, who obsesses about communications and everything that surrounds it. Her perspective is truly one of a kind, and there's so much I learned in such a short amount of time talking to her. I'm so proud to be sharing this with you. Galina is the Head of Communications at Vibranium VC. Here are the topics we cover: - How Galina landed in venture capital, coming from an innovations and communications background. - How she uses her commun...
Apr 14, 2024•44 min•Ep. 7
What a detailed interview. One of a kind. Julian and I went into specifics of how their fund ( Maze ) operates and how exactly they support their portfolio founders through a unique blend of VC Platform services. Great talk! Julian is the Product Analyst at MAZE. Here are the topics we cover: - How she landed her VC Platform role, despite being from a non-finance background originally. She was a teacher, a graphics design, and much more before getting into Venture Capital! I personally love Juli...
Apr 02, 2024•53 min•Ep. 6
What a power-packed episode. I remember feeling electric after we finished recording this. Oliver has to be one of the smartest and most confident individuals I've met from the VC Platform industry this week. He had strong conviction behind his words, and I personally loved the story behind how him and his team think about their fund's brand, identity and support system (i.e., VC Platform) for founders. Incredible episode, took me hours to edit but that's because it's that good! Haha. Oliver is ...
Mar 22, 2024•58 min•Ep. 5
It's my first time hosting two wonderful guests on the same episode, and it couldn't have gone better. Rachel and Emily, although early in the VC Platform roles at their own funds, were so honest and candid about their learnings, experience and advice! I learned so much about the industry thanks to them both, but also a personal reminder on the importance of being grounded and honest. I'm so happy to be sharing this episode with you! Rachel is the Operations & Community Coordinator at Alate ...
Mar 13, 2024•45 min•Ep. 4
I sat down with D'Arcy Jade Whelan from Outward VC to learn about how she and her team support early stage fintech founders post-investment. This 30ish minute episode is jampacked with information and I'm so excited to finally release it! Here are the topics we cover: D'Arcy studied Art History before getting into VC. And so naturally, I had to ask how she adapted to the fast-paced world of venture capital when she first joined the fund. We all have had episodes of imposter syndrome at some poin...
Mar 07, 2024•34 min•Ep. 3
Today I had the pleasure of talking with Eugenia Shevchenko from Accion Venture Lab to learn about how she supports her founders post-investment. Follow her for Mexico City tips on Instagram - @eugi_topmxfav ! Here are the topics we cover: What advice would you give to a future VC Platform associate who wants to be their best self? What does "VC Platform" mean to you? And how do you differentiate yourselves at Accion Venture Lab? What does the day-to-day look like for someone like Eugenia who is...
Mar 01, 2024•31 min•Ep. 2
Today we sat down with Abbie Strabala from True Wealth Ventures to learn about her fund and how they support founders post-investment. Here are the topics we cover: What’s unique about the investment and platform roles in a VC fund? What advice do you have for an up and coming VC Associate? How has "VC Platform" (i.e., post-investment support) changed over the years? How does Abbie's fund support female founders today? And how can other funds learn to better support their founders? This podcast ...
Feb 15, 2024•34 min•Ep. 1
