Trailblazers by Erica Wenger

This week our host, Erica Wenger, chats about her most recent essay: Getting Off The Alphabet Train!

On this episode Erica dives into her newest essay which challenges the traditional VC funding model. Getting off the Alphabet Train explores the shift away from traditional VC funding, where startups chase valuations through seed and Series rounds.

Instead, a new wave of “elephant” companies is prioritizing profitability, community-driven growth, and long-term sustainability over constant fundraising. The essay highlights how changing market conditions and new funding models are reshaping the startup landscape.

Read the essay here: Getting Off The Alphabet Train

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Erica Wenger: @erica_wenger

Dear Twentysomething: @deartwentysomething

This week, we chat with Jacqueline Blackburn!

Jacqueline is a Principal at Decisive Point and leads the acceleration portfolio. Jacqueline graduated from the United States Naval Academy and led forward-deployed teams in the Naval Explosive Ordnance Disposal Community. She was responsible for training and building small teams for no-fail missions in the Middle East and Africa.

Prior to Decisive Point, she spent several years at J.P. Morgan working closely with founders and building out their early-stage Technology and Disruptive Commerce practice.

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Jacqueline Blackburn: @therealistjac

Decisive Point: @decisivepointvc

Erica Wenger: @erica_wenger

Dear Twentysomething: @deartwentysomething

This week, our host, Erica Wenger, goes solo to break down the secrets to hosting a standout curated tech event.

From timing it just right to crafting the perfect guest list. Erica shares insider tips on how to create an event that’s both high-value and high-impact. You’ll learn what makes a great tech gathering, how to foster meaningful conversations, and the key elements that separate a forgettable meetup from an exclusive must-attend experience.

Whether you’re planning your first event or looking to elevate your approach, this episode is packed with expert insights to help you curate a tech event that people will be talking about long after it’s over.

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Erica Wenger: @erica_wenger

Dear Twentysomething: @deartwentysomething

This week we chat with Grace Clarke!

Grace Clarke is the founder of GGC Consulting, redefining how brands grow by building community-powered flywheels, not funnels, growing brands like Graza, Madewell, Jones Road, Estee Lauder, Target, Google.

She is also the founder of GraceAI, a marketing strategy and calendar generator (basically an AI clone of her brain). She also runs the Gen Z Board of Directors, an insights network of young people, is an artist, and splits her time between New York and Paris.

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Grace Clarke: @graceclarke

GGC: grace-clark.com

Erica Wenger: @erica_wenger

Dear Twentysomething: @deartwentysomething

This week we chat with Eli Weiss!

Eli has spent the last decade building and operating early-stage startups. He is particularly known for his work around the convergence of Customer Experience and Customer Retention at DTC brands such as Jones Road Beauty, OLIPOP, and many more. 

After years of building brands that put the customer first, he’s switched to the tech side to help build the future of Customer Retention at Yotpo.

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Eli Weiss: @eliweisss

Yotpo: @yotpo

Erica Wenger: @erica_wenger

Dear Twentysomething: @deartwentysomething

This week we chat with Brett Perlmutter!

Brett is the founder of Bulletpitch. Bulletpitch is redefining venture through media. Their flagship product is a publication that highlights and performs high-level diligence on top-tier startups. The publication has become a staple for 1000s of investors and has helped companies raise millions of dollars by being featured. Bulletpitch also has an events arm, where they have hosted everything from intimate breakfasts, pitch events, and large gatherings of 500+. 

Brett is also the GP and syndicate lead for  Bulletpitch+, an investment syndicate, which offers deal-by-deal investment opportunities to hundreds of LPs.

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Brett Perlmutter: @brettperl

Bulletpitch: @bullet_pitch

Erica Wenger: @erica_wenger

Dear Twentysomething: @deartwentysomething

This week we chat with Nihal Mehta!

At Eniac, they call Nihal the human Rolodex, thanks to the thousands of connections he has made with some of the world’s top companies and brands. He developed many of these connections (and scar tissue!) over the past 20+ years while founding five startups: Philly2nite -> UrbanGroove -> Chapter 7 bankruptcy; ipsh! -> acquired by Omnicom (NYSE: OMC); buzzd -> LocalResponse -> acquired by BlueCava.

Early in his career, Nihal honed his ability to spot top entrepreneurial talent by investing in Admob (acquired by Google), Swiftkey (acquired by Microsoft), Tapad (acquired by Telenor), Tala, and Uber, to name a few. Nihal and his wife are now angel investors and LPs in almost 100 underrepresented founders and fund managers.

Nihal is a co-founder of the non-profit “Project Ahimsa,” providing scholarships to disadvantaged youth in India, where his parents immigrated from in the early 1970s. Nihal also recently co-founded initiatives like Help Main Street to help restaurants survive the pandemic, and The 100k Pledge, a social justice tracker of economic empowerment to Black communities. You might catch him running down the Hudson River weekday mornings with founders and his #pitchandrun crew.

Outside of the office Nihal loves to spend time with his wife Reshma and is a big supporter of her non-profit Girls Who Code and her initiative “Moms First.” Around town, you will usually see him with his sons Shaan and Sai and beagle-bulldog Stanley. Nihal is the life of the party, which is why he always spearheads Eniac events.

Nihal graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a BA in Philosophy and a BSE in Computer Science.

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Nihal Mehta: @nihalmehta

Eniac Ventures: @EniacVC

Erica Wenger: @erica_wenger

Dear Twentysomething: @deartwentysomething

This week our host, Erica Wenger, takes a step back to reflect on the highs, lows, and lessons of 2024 while looking ahead to the opportunities of 2025.

In this episode, she shares her personal process for year-end reflection, breaking it down into eight fool-proof buckets to help you identify what went well, what didn’t, and how to grow. From celebrating wins to recalibrating for the future, she provides actionable insights and tools to help you visioncast your best year yet.

Whether you're wrapping up the year or gearing up for 2025, this episode is packed with inspiration and practical steps to set your sights on 2025 with clarity and intention.

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Erica Wenger: @erica_wenger

Dear Twentysomething: @deartwentysomething

This week we chat with Dennis Hegstad!

Dennis is an experienced entrepreneur and founder, having co-founded LiveRecover, an SMS marketing company for Shopify merchants that scaled to thousands of users and drove over $100 million in additional revenue.

He also founded OrderBump, a Shopify app for upsells, which he quickly grew and sold within just 100 days.

Currently, Dennis is the co-founder of Vigilance, and Internet Research Unit.

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Dennis Hegstad: @dennishegstad

Internet Research Unit: @IRU_DCE

Erica Wenger: @erica_wenger

Dear Twentysomething: @deartwentysomething

This week we chat with Lisa Mayer!

Lisa Mayer is the co-founder & CEO of Boss Beauties, a next gen tech company backed by Serena Ventures, the $100M+ venture fund founded by world class athlete Serena Williams. Boss Beauties inspires & elevates the next generation of women & girls to be everything they want to be through technology, content, and education.

Boss Beauties was first born in emerging tech and they have had massive traction in the web3 space, launching multiple collections of digital collectibles that consumers have spent over $50M collecting and trading since 2021. They also partnered with Mattel & Barbie launching the first collection of digital collectibles celebrating the 250 careers Barbie has had since its inception. 

Lisa’s work has impacted thousands of high school and college-aged girls all over the world spanning across 15 countries and over 400 educational institutions. In addition to Barbie, Lisa has grown the brand to highlight & celebrate women through live events and global collaborations with partners that include Rolling Stone, Marvel, and the New York Stock Exchange and her work has been featured by Forbes, Fortune, and Apple.

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Lisa Mayer: @lisacmayer

Boss Beauties: @BossBeauties

Erica Wenger: @erica_wenger

Dear Twentysomething: @deartwentysomething