He was born in Jamaica & received his undergraduate degree from Northeastern University. After working a few years in consulting, he decided to move to London to pursue career and athletic opportunities.

After returning from playing professional basketball in Europe, he received his MBA from Cornell University only to have unsuccessfully pitched an investment deal to his team at Intel Capital that has successfully achieved exponential growth. Fast forward a few years and now he is a successful venture capitalist at Cross Culture VC,  a board member of Kaufman Fellows, and a a mentor to several entrepreneurs.

Marlon Nichols has the type of drive and vision that most people can only dream of. As a partner in the unique firm, Cross Culture Ventures, Marlon knows what it takes to turn a dream into a reality.

In this frank discussion with Roshawnna, Marlon talks about the personal journey that has carried him to his lofty position. Though Marlon is highly technically educated, much of what he chooses to illuminate in this discussion is the inter-personal dynamics that can make or break a person’s success in reaching their goals.

Marlon shares insights in to what investors look for in an idea and a team, as well as illustrating the points from his own path that could be used by anyone that wants to take their career to the next level. Marlon’s dedication to his craft is inspiring and the knowledge that he shares in this conversation with Roshawnna would be a great help for anyone looking to take their career to the next step!

Roshawnna and Marlon discuss:

• [3:30] Marlon shares the story of his beginnings as an entrepreneur.
• [11:00] As a Venture Capitalist, Marlon outlines some of the tech industry trends that he is excited about right now.
• [12:30] There are always some bumps in the road. Marlon relays a story about a regret in a deal that he could not land and the lessons that he learned from this and used moving forward.
• [14:30] Marlon talks about how he built his inter-personal skills to further his career success.
• [16:30] How differing perspectives can teach you things about yourself.
• [17:00] Mentors have played a huge role in Marlon’s life and career.
• [24:30] Marlon talks about what makes Cross-Culture Ventures unique and the types of investments that the firm prefers to make.
• [27:00] Marlon talks about what he and his team look for in a founder, idea and company to invest in.
• [35:00] The importance of networking and making friends for getting in front of investors.
• [37:00] Marlon talks about the impact that maintaining his health and fitness have on his mental clarity and productivity.