Don’t be a know-it-all, be a learn-it-all! 🧠📖

Katie Jacobs Stanton is one of the most amazing people I’ve spoken to. I’ve learned so much about venture and beyond from this one conversation and I hope you do too. I left it feeling inspired, introspective, and hopeful! From being an early employee at Yahoo, Google and Twitter, working at the White House, to running Moxxie Ventures, we break it all down on episode 026 of “New to Venture”! If you want to feel inspired about a career in tech and VC, tune in.

Key Takeaways:

1️⃣ Prioritization of time becomes crucial as you get older and shoulder more responsibilities. You should be constantly asking yourself, “How can I best spend the time I have to do important things that move the needle?!”

2️⃣ Think of life as a co-opetition not a competition! Don’t focus on competing against the best in industry, focus on learning from them. 

3️⃣ Choose your networks carefully. Being an early employee at the PayPals, Googles, and Stripes of the world is an amazing thing. Alumni of those companies go off and change the world. Aim to be in those circles. 

4️⃣ Once a relationship feels transactional, both parties know it. 

5️⃣ Follow your energy instead of “passion.” Move towards the people, ideas and topics that give you energy, not drain it.

6️⃣ Be slow to hire, fast to fire. Even though you might need extra hands on deck at the moment, in the long run it’s way worse to hire the wrong person.

Timestamps:

(00:00) - Introductions

(02:31) - Katie rocking out on the bass guitar

(04:58) - Katie’s massive road trip

(09:24) - Shaking things up

(12:15) - Best practices for high achievers

(16:10) - It’s all about the people

(22:25) - Katie’s most transformative moments

(25:56) - How pivotal life moments change investing strategy 

(28:55) - Hiring and building a firm

(32:37) - Finding greatness

(37:21) - Where “Moxxie” comes from

(40:13) - The difference between a good investor and a good GP

(43:14) - Highlights and lowlights

(48:17) - Ceremonial final Qs