Inspirations from the VC classroom

I just wrapped up the Foundations of Venture Capital at Columbia Business School, a half-semester, six-week course for MBA and EMBA students that I teach about once a year. One of my favorite aspects of teaching is bringing in fantastic guest speakers through whom I can help break stereotypes and myths about the industry. It’s also an excellent opportunity for me to learn and be inspired by trailblazers and leaders in VC investing.? In addition to providing technical advice and knowledge, each speaker imparted wisdom and life lessons I will be taking forward with me, and I would love to share some of them with you.

Nichole Wischoff: She is the embodiment of the word "trailblazer." In addition to highlighting how important heart and hustle are to success, she shows how building a robust personal brand and presence can be a differentiator, even in an industry that has eschewed such an?approach. She isn’t afraid to put her ideas, process, and work-in-progress out there; talk about refreshing authenticity! More importantly, she shares what she learns and knows (no gatekeeping knowledge) in hopes of helping others. This is how one can become the rising tide that lifts all boats.

Tapan Shah: Students and I marvel at how many chapters of the?career arc he’s walked through and how openly he is willing to share his successes and disappointments. His stories have a common thread: you never know who you will meet and what door will open. From how he met his wife to how he came about every incredible opportunity, there’s always an element of serendipity. How does he always find himself in the right place at the right time with the right people? His persona, energy, and openness attract opportunities; his magnetism and attitude make you want to embark on new endeavors with him.

Gopi Vaddi: A student asked, “Is there anything you would do differently in your career?” In addition to a few memorable investment deals, he paused meaningfully and said, “I would have sought out mentors sooner.” Even though he has a thriving and impressive career, he reminded us that we can all use guidance. I am sure he’s a fabulous mentor to many now, as?witnessed by how he approaches students. I think about this quite often, too, and this is a reminder that I need to put more effort into seeking out mentors.

Lastly, I wanted to share throuple of advice I shared with the students. If you have been following me for a while, I am sure you’ve heard me say them, but they are worth repeating (I repeat them to myself, too).

1. Relationships are everything! Deals, investments, and?opportunities are all built through relationships. Invest in people, especially when you do not need anything in return. Give and contribute freely. Take sparingly.
2. Build conviction in your decisions. Successful leadership, management, and personal happiness result from building firm (and timely) conviction about your choices. How do you build conviction? Facts, experience, and?intuition. Otherwise, it’s just stubbornness. Conviction can also be combined with agility and flexibility to create an ultimate winning combo.
3. You are valuable. Be in the company of colleagues, partners, and friends who value you. You won’t be able to convince those who don't?anyway. But always strive to see value in others.

Huge thank you to my wonderfully curious and enthusiastic students for inspiring me throughout the course; I can't wait to see where you go next; and to my fantastic TA, Sherry Wang, for keeping us running at pace, sanity intact!

WHERE YOU AT

I recently launched a new exciting series called “Where you at” in my newsletter, “Frying Bigger Fish.”?This series explores diverse professional journeys and asks questions we all want to know, like: How did you figure out your career goals? Are you happy at your job? How much do you make? We are collecting anonymous submissions for full journeys or questions/dilemmas. Come be nosy, comment, and ask your own questions!

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