The Road Untraveled: VC Perspectives with Brian Hollins

Andrew Boston, Partner, Founders Circle Capital

Learn how Andrew focuses on building the network and skill sets of his portfolio company founders and how the secondary market is addressing opportunities in a COVID19 environment.

Key Takeaways:

1. Getting founders in front of successful, experienced leaders who have led teams through tough times can be very helpful as they tackle unprecedented times especially given many of them are facing a recessionary market for the first time.

2. The secondary market will likely slow down for some time, but is not directly correlated to the VC funding environment which will likely see the full impact of COVID19.

3. Really understand the impact of a RIF, as they are challenging and can often hurt morale. Be honest as a leader and share the uncertainty with your teams.

Mar Hershenson, Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Pear VC

Key Takeaways:

1. Daily check-ins are critical, and teams should increase scheduled communication to help employees feel heard during these times. 

2. Deployment of capital in the seed stage is somewhat insulated, and will likely continue to be strong. 

3. To the extent they need to raise, founders should circle back with investors they know who understand their business and have tracked their progress to date. Share a succinct plan that acknowledges the scenario we are in, and if needed, look into alternative sources of funding where available.

Lo Toney, Founder and Managing Partner, Plexo Capital

Key Takeaways:

1. Most fund managers have only invested in a bull market. Many firms will need to adjust to the new norms, and founders should be confident that their investors can withstand turbulent times. 

2. Make the C-suite available for one-on-one meetings for those who may not be comfortable asking questions in an all hands at a time like this. Their insights may be valuable to the broader message you are trying to send, so be open to alternative forms of communication.

3. Go back to existing investors for inside rounds where possible- they understand the business well, and are hopefully ready to help you through these turbulent times in return for additional ownership in their winners.

From personal wealth, to building camaraderie at NEA, hear what Amit is doing to maintain a state of normalcy through the next few months.

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From SuperBowl champion to full time investor, Ryan has been surrounded by effective leaders through multiple market turns. Learn what makes a strong leader effective, and how to embrace adversity at a time like this.

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As a lead investor at a global growth equity fund, hear how Jocelyn thinks about communicating with founders, stress testing through turbulent times, and lessons on maintaining company culture digitally.

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With experience in both consumer and enterprise early stage investing, hear how Jamison is following the news, what he is hearing from founders, and advice on working from home for those used to traveling.

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Notorious for being ready to “meet a founder anywhere”, hear how Arteen is adjusting to working from home, “recession” vs “pandemic” investing and how WndrCo is supporting it’s portfolio companies.

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From Microsoft to helping launch a growth equity platform for Bessemer Venture Partners, hear how Elliott and the BVP team are “watching the world” and preparing their portfolio companies for success in times of uncertainty.

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