Smart Venture Podcast
The best information diet for future CEOs. Subscribe to our video podcast on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/c/GraceGongSmartVenturePodcast Host Grace Gong talks to the most influential people in business, venture capital, and tech. From executives to billionaire founders, Grace helps you get smarter one episode at the time. SVPpro.com LinkedIn: @GraceGong IG/Tw: @GraceGongGG FB: @SmartVenturePodcast
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#161 Acrew Capital’s Founding Partner Lauren Kolodny, Alumni Ventures Independent Board Director
02/27/2025
#161 Acrew Capital’s Founding Partner Lauren Kolodny, Alumni Ventures Independent Board Director
Lauren Kolodny is a Founding Partner of Acrew Capital. Lauren leads the fintech thesis area at Acrew. She has made investments in companies including Chime, Clara, Divvy, Gusto, Klar, Papaya, Pie, & Plaid. Prior to co-founding Acrew, Lauren was a partner at Aspect Ventures. Previously, Lauren worked in product marketing at Google, where she led a number of launches for Workspace, including Google Drive. You can learn more about: How AI is Transforming the Future of Financial Services The Evolution of Payments Technology Cross-Border Financial Solutions in a Global Economy #FintechFuture #VCInsights #AIBanking #StartupGrowth #DigitalFinance ===================== YouTube: @ Newsletter: @ LinkedIn: @ TikTok: IG: Twitter: ===================== Join the SVP fam with your host Grace Gong. In each episode, we are going to have conversations with some of the top investors, superstar founders, as well as well-known tech executives in silicon valley. We will have a coffee chat with them to learn their ways of thinking and actionable tips on how to build or invest in a successful company. Follow my other podcast Venture with Grace on: Apple: Youtube: Spotify:
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#160 StepStone Group Partner Seyonne Kang
01/21/2025
#160 StepStone Group Partner Seyonne Kang
Seyonne Kang is a Partner at StepStone Group. As of September 30, 2024, StepStone was responsible for approximately $682 billion of total capital, including $176 billion of assets under management. She is a member of the private equity team, focusing on venture capital and growth equity investments. Prior to StepStone, Ms. Kang was a partner with Greenspring Associates, a venture capital and growth equity investment firm that merged with StepStone in 2021. Before that, she spent seven years in investment management with a focus on private capital. Before moving into investment management, Ms. Kang spent about a decade on Wall Street in institutional equities where she served in a variety of functions, including software stock research and distribution of IPOs, follow-on offerings and convertible financings. Ms. Kang earned an AB with honors from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor and an MBA from the University of California at Berkeley. You can learn more about: Evaluation framework for first-time fund managers How emerging managers can build credibility with institutional LPs Advice on building long-term LP relationships from scratch ===================== YouTube: @ Newsletter: @ LinkedIn: @ TikTok: IG: Twitter: ===================== Join the SVP fam with your host Grace Gong. In each episode, we are going to have conversations with some of the top investors, superstar founders, as well as well-known tech executives in silicon valley. We will have a coffee chat with them to learn their ways of thinking and actionable tips on how to build or invest in a successful company. Follow my other podcast Venture with Grace on: Apple: Youtube: Spotify:
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#159 Olaplex Inc. (Nasdaq: OLPX)'s ex- President and CEO, Moroccanoil's ex - Global CEO, JuE Wong
09/22/2024
#159 Olaplex Inc. (Nasdaq: OLPX)'s ex- President and CEO, Moroccanoil's ex - Global CEO, JuE Wong
JuE Wong is the former President & CEO/ Executive Board Director of Olaplex Inc. (Nasdaq: OLPX). Prior to Olaplex, she was the Global CEO/ Executive Board Director of Moroccanoil, the President of Elizabeth Arden, and an Independent Board Director of The Red Door by Elizabeth Arden. Other notable companies she has served as a leader include Murad and Perricone MD, among others. You can learn more about: How to Be the CEO of an Iconic Cosmetic Brand The Career Journey of a Public Company CEO How to Lead a Hyper-Growth Company and Turn Around a Company #BeautyCEO #CorporateLeadership #WomenInBusiness #HyperGrowth #BusinessTurnaround #OlaplexAlum ===================== YouTube: @ Newsletter: @ LinkedIn: @ TikTok: IG: Twitter: ===================== Join the SVP fam with your host Grace Gong. In each episode, we are going to have conversations with some of the top investors, superstar founders, as well as well-known tech executives in silicon valley. We will have a coffee chat with them to learn their ways of thinking and actionable tips on how to build or invest in a successful company. 🚀 This episode is brought to you by . 🚀 Get ready to ignite your passion for innovation at the 4th Annual InnoFest, happening at the iconic Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco on September 25th and 26th! This two-day event, brought to you by LG NOVA, is your chance to dive into the future with industry leaders and cutting-edge startups shaping HealthTech, AI, CleanTech, Life Sciences, Smart Life, Mobility, and more. And here's something extra special—I'll be hosting a panel at InnoFest, guiding a dynamic discussion on the future of AI and the workforce. Join me, along with other thought leaders, as we explore the trends and technologies driving innovation and positive change. Don't miss out on this unique opportunity to be part of the conversation and help create a brighter, more innovative tomorrow. Register today at and be part of the movement at InnoFest 2024!
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#158 Cisco’s EVP & Chief Product Officer, Box's ex-CPO & CSO, JLL & Equinix Board Member, Jeetu Patel
09/21/2024
#158 Cisco’s EVP & Chief Product Officer, Box's ex-CPO & CSO, JLL & Equinix Board Member, Jeetu Patel
Jeetu Patel is Cisco’s Executive Vice President and Chief Product Officer. He combines a bold vision, steeped in product design and development expertise, operational rigor, and innate market understanding to create high growth businesses. He is relentlessly focused on building world class products that solve Cisco customers’ biggest problems – bringing the power of the Cisco portfolio together to connect and protect every aspect of their organization in the era of AI. Previously he was Cisco’s Executive Vice President and General Manager of Security and Collaboration where he led the strategy and development for these businesses and held P&L responsibility for the multibillion-dollar portfolio. In this role, Jeetu led with his creative vision and intense focus on innovation and swift execution. Together with his team, he transformed and positioned our Security and Collaboration portfolios for success and growth. In both areas, he reinvigorated organic innovation, championed key inorganic investments, and drove simplification across these portfolios with a fanatical focus on design and user experience. Prior to joining Cisco in 2020, Jeetu was the Chief Product Officer (CPO) and Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) at Box, a role he pioneered. He led the company’s product and platform strategy, setting the company’s long-term vision and roadmap for cloud content management in the enterprise. He transformed Box from a single product application to a multi-product platform used by 100K customers representing 69% of the Fortune 500. The discipline, quality standards, performance metrics, and stability Jeetu instilled fueled the platform’s growth – nearly quadrupling revenues to $700M+. Box’s growth scaled to reach over 60M users with over 50% of customers using multiple products. He also created the Box Platform business unit where he led product strategy, marketing and developer relations – driving products from incubation stage to mature offerings. Before joining Box, Jeetu was General Manager and Chief Executive of EMC’s newly acquired Syncplicity business unit, a cloud service for Enterprise File Sync Sharing (EFSS) and collaboration. One of the first SaaS-based solutions offered by EMC, Jeetu spearheaded the company’s acquisition. He created a world class leadership team, secured some of the market’s largest customers and led the group to become one of the fastest growing EFSS companies in a highly competitive market. Other key roles at EMC included CMO for the Information Intelligence Group and Chief Strategy Officer, where he drove the organic and inorganic strategy for the division’s cloud and mobile growth. He currently serves on the boards of JLL, an American commercial real estate services company, and Equinix, the world’s digital infrastructure company™. You can learn more about: 1. Building World-Class Products 2. Leadership and Vision 3. Impact of AI #TechLeadership ===================== YouTube: @ Newsletter: @ LinkedIn: @ TikTok: IG: Twitter: ===================== Join the SVP fam with your host Grace Gong. In each episode, we are going to have conversations with some of the top investors, superstar founders, as well as well-known tech executives in silicon valley. We will have a coffee chat with them to learn their ways of thinking and actionable tips on how to build or invest in a successful company. 🚀 This episode is brought to you by . 🚀 Get ready to ignite your passion for innovation at the 4th Annual InnoFest, happening at the iconic Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco on September 25th and 26th! This two-day event, brought to you by LG NOVA, is your chance to dive into the future with industry leaders and cutting-edge startups shaping HealthTech, AI, CleanTech, Life Sciences, Smart Life, Mobility, and more. And here's something extra special—I'll be hosting a panel at InnoFest, guiding a dynamic discussion on the future of AI and the workforce. Join me, along with other thought leaders, as we explore the trends and technologies driving innovation and positive change. Don't miss out on this unique opportunity to be part of the conversation and help create a brighter, more innovative tomorrow. Register today at and be part of the movement at InnoFest 2024!
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#157 Intuit Ventures’ Managing Director, ex- M12 Microsoft’s Venture Fund Partner Adam Coccari
09/20/2024
#157 Intuit Ventures’ Managing Director, ex- M12 Microsoft’s Venture Fund Partner Adam Coccari
Adam Coccari is the Managing Director of Intuit Ventures, Intuit’s Venture Capital team responsible for overseeing Intuit’s investment in startups around the world. Prior to Intuit, Adam spent 8 years at Microsoft where he was most recently a Partner at M12 – Microsoft’s Venture Fund. You can learn more about: 1. The future of AI in financial services 2. Trends in B2B SaaS and SMB-focused technologies 3. AI-driven innovation strategy #VentureCapital #FinTech #AI #IntuitAssist #StartupInvesting #Innovation #SaaS ===================== YouTube: @ Newsletter: @ LinkedIn: @ TikTok: IG: Twitter: ===================== Join the SVP fam with your host Grace Gong. In each episode, we are going to have conversations with some of the top investors, superstar founders, as well as well-known tech executives in silicon valley. We will have a coffee chat with them to learn their ways of thinking and actionable tips on how to build or invest in a successful company. 🚀 This episode is brought to you by . 🚀 Get ready to ignite your passion for innovation at the 4th Annual InnoFest, happening at the iconic Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco on September 25th and 26th! This two-day event, brought to you by LG NOVA, is your chance to dive into the future with industry leaders and cutting-edge startups shaping HealthTech, AI, CleanTech, Life Sciences, Smart Life, Mobility, and more. And here's something extra special—I'll be hosting a panel at InnoFest, guiding a dynamic discussion on the future of AI and the workforce. Join me, along with other thought leaders, as we explore the trends and technologies driving innovation and positive change. Don't miss out on this unique opportunity to be part of the conversation and help create a brighter, more innovative tomorrow. Register today at and be part of the movement at InnoFest 2024!
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Sponsor spotlight: LG Electronics' EVP, Sokwoo Rhee
09/20/2024
Sponsor spotlight: LG Electronics' EVP, Sokwoo Rhee
Sponsor spotlight: Welcome to the Smart Venture Podcast's sponsor spotlight, where we highlight the companies making our show possible. We're thrilled to feature LG Nova. Sokwoo Rhee is Corporate Executive Vice President for Innovation at LG Electronics and Head of LG NOVA, LG Electronics' Silicon Valley-based innovation center. He leads LG Electronics’ global innovation projects, new business creation, strategic partnerships, and ecosystem development. Prior to joining LG, Sokwoo served as Associate Director for Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) Innovation at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, U.S. Department of Commerce, covering innovation programs for Internet of Things (IoT) and Smart Cities. He managed the Global City Teams Challenge (GCTC), a U.S. federal government program to develop a global ecosystem of major business and technology stakeholders to create replicable and scalable IoT/smart city projects. Sokwoo previously served as a Presidential Innovation Fellow on CPS, a program by the White House. During his tenure, he co-led the SmartAmerica Challenge, which brought together IoT technologies and organizations across the nation to demonstrate how they can collaborate to create technology-based projects with a focus on socio-economic benefits. Prior to joining the U.S, government, Sokwoo was a co-founder and CTO of Millennial Net, Inc., one of the first organizations to successfully commercialize low-power wireless mesh/sensor networks and IoT technologies from academia. He also worked on wireless medical sensors as a research associate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His work and achievements have been widely recognized and he has been the recipient of numerous awards, including the MIT Technology Review’s “Top Innovators under 35.” Dr. Rhee received his M.S. and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Topics: • Transforming Smart Life and Mobility • Measuring innovation impact • AI and the future of work ____________ 🚀 This episode is brought to you by LG NOVA. 🚀 Get ready to ignite your passion for innovation at the 4th Annual InnoFest, happening at the iconic Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco on September 25th and 26th! This two-day event, brought to you by LG NOVA, is your chance to dive into the future with industry leaders and cutting-edge startups shaping HealthTech, AI, CleanTech, Life Sciences, Smart Life, Mobility, and more. And here's something extra special—I'll be hosting a panel at InnoFest, guiding a dynamic discussion on the future of AI and the workforce. Join me, along with other thought leaders, as we explore the trends and technologies driving innovation and positive change. Don't miss out on this unique opportunity to be part of the conversation and help create a brighter, more innovative tomorrow. Register today at innofest.lgnova.com and be part of the movement at InnoFest 2024! ===================== YouTube: @ Newsletter: @ LinkedIn: @ TikTok: IG: Twitter: ===================== Join the SVP fam with your host Grace Gong. In each episode, we are going to have conversations with some of the top investors, superstar founders, as well as well-known tech executives in silicon valley. We will have a coffee chat with them to learn their ways of thinking and actionable tips on how to build or invest in a successful company.
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#156 Intel Capital’s Senior Managing Director Mark Rostick
09/19/2024
#156 Intel Capital’s Senior Managing Director Mark Rostick
Mark Rostick is a Vice President & Senior Managing Director located in Raleigh, NC. He is a voting member of Intel Capital’s investment committee. He joined Intel Capital in 1999. Mark also co-manages our Cloud domain investment activities and portfolio. He has deep investment experience in cloud applications, infrastructure hardware and software, as well as AI/ML. As a member of Intel Capital’s Investment Committee, he is responsible for approving investments proposed by Intel Capital investors, as well as managing the group’s personnel and operations. Mark currently serves as a director or observer on the boards of Beep, RunPod, Hypersonic, Immuta, Lilt, MinIO, Opaque Systems, Tetrate, and Verta. Prior to Intel, Mark worked as a practicing attorney and in banking. You can learn more about: How to invest in the top AI/ML companies How to build a successful career in corporate venture The evolving landscape of enterprise software investments #IntelCapital #VentureCapital #TechInvestment #CloudComputing #AI #ML ===================== YouTube: @ Newsletter: @ LinkedIn: @ TikTok: IG: Twitter: ===================== Join the SVP fam with your host Grace Gong. In each episode, we are going to have conversations with some of the top investors, superstar founders, as well as well-known tech executives in silicon valley. We will have a coffee chat with them to learn their ways of thinking and actionable tips on how to build or invest in a successful company. 🚀 This episode is brought to you by . 🚀 Get ready to ignite your passion for innovation at the 4th Annual InnoFest, happening at the iconic Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco on September 25th and 26th! This two-day event, brought to you by LG NOVA, is your chance to dive into the future with industry leaders and cutting-edge startups shaping HealthTech, AI, CleanTech, Life Sciences, Smart Life, Mobility, and more. And here's something extra special—I'll be hosting a panel at InnoFest, guiding a dynamic discussion on the future of AI and the workforce. Join me, along with other thought leaders, as we explore the trends and technologies driving innovation and positive change. Don't miss out on this unique opportunity to be part of the conversation and help create a brighter, more innovative tomorrow. Register today at and be part of the movement at InnoFest 2024!
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#155 True Ventures' Partner Puneet Agarwal
06/06/2024
#155 True Ventures' Partner Puneet Agarwal
Puneet Agarwal brings a strong mix of operational and investment experience to his partner role at True. He began his career as a product manager at CrossWorlds Software, an early startup focused on software integration, which was sold to IBM. He then spent time in technology investment banking at J.P. Morgan and later in venture capital at the Mayfield Fund, where he invested in early stage technology companies. Puneet spent four years at BEA Systems in various product management and marketing roles in which he initiated and ran BEA’s RFID initiative. Following BEA, he joined Geodesic Information Systems, a mobile messaging company, where he filled the role of vice president of product management. As part of his work, he moved to India for several months. He joined the True team in 2008. Puneet holds a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in industrial engineering from Stanford University, where he was a Mayfield Fellow. You can learn more about: Trends and Opportunities in Early-Stage Investing 2. Due diligence on early-stage companies 3. Evaluating Founding Teams ===================== YouTube: @ Newsletter: @ LinkedIn: @ TikTok: IG: Twitter: ===================== Join the SVP fam with your host Grace Gong. In each episode, we are going to have conversations with some of the top investors, superstar founders, as well as well-known tech executives in silicon valley. We will have a coffee chat with them to learn their ways of thinking and actionable tips on how to build or invest in a successful company.
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#154 Greycroft's Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Ian Sigalow
05/15/2024
#154 Greycroft's Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Ian Sigalow
Ian Sigalow is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Greycroft. He has over 20 years of experience in seed-to-growth venture capital, investing in and supporting innovative companies across multiple sectors, including fintech, consumer marketplaces, enterprise software, healthcare, insurance, and media. You can learn more about: How to build an iconic VC fund How to hire and train the best investing talent How to identify, attract, and pick the best companies to invest in ===================== YouTube: @ Newsletter: @ LinkedIn: @ TikTok: IG: Twitter: ===================== Join the SVP fam with your host Grace Gong. In each episode, we are going to have conversations with some of the top investors, superstar founders, as well as well-known tech executives in silicon valley. We will have a coffee chat with them to learn their ways of thinking and actionable tips on how to build or invest in a successful company.
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#153 Slipstream Investors' Founder and GP, QED Investors' former COO & General Counsel Alex Edelson
04/16/2024
#153 Slipstream Investors' Founder and GP, QED Investors' former COO & General Counsel Alex Edelson
Alex Edelson is the Founder and General Partner of Slipstream Investors. Before starting Slipstream, he worked at QED Investors, a top fintech-focused venture capital firm with $4.3 billion in assets under management. Alex joined as Nigel Morris's Chief of Staff and became the Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel. He previously worked at a fintech startup and spent seven years practicing law. Alex holds a J.D. and B.A. from the University of Michigan. You can learn more about: How LPs evaluate emerging managers How to build a successful VC fund Portfolio construction, thesis building, and fund strategy ===================== YouTube: @ Newsletter: @ LinkedIn: @ TikTok: IG: Twitter: ===================== Join the SVP fam with your host Grace Gong. In each episode, we are going to have conversations with some of the top investors, superstar founders, as well as well-known tech executives in silicon valley. We will have a coffee chat with them to learn their ways of thinking and actionable tips on how to build or invest in a successful company.
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#152 Trust Fund's Managing Partner, Nasty Gal's founder, Sophia Amoruso
03/05/2024
#152 Trust Fund's Managing Partner, Nasty Gal's founder, Sophia Amoruso
Sophia Amoruso is the founder and managing partner of Trust Fund, an early-stage venture fund focused exclusively (yet broadly) on investing in tech-enabled products that help people start and build businesses. Trust fund’s investors include Marc Andreessen, Chris Dixon, David Sacks, Jason Calacanis, Ev Williams, Naomi Gleit, Andrew Chen, Jeff Jordan, Jesse Draper, Rob Hayes, and Phil Hellmuth. Some of their portfolios include Public, Liquid Death, and MoonPay, among others. She is also the founder of Nasty Gal, Girlboss and a New York Times Bestselling author. You can learn more about: How to Brand Your Business How to Invest in Top Startups Lessons from Being an Entrepreneur to Venture Capitalist ===================== YouTube: @ Newsletter: @ LinkedIn: @ TikTok: IG: Twitter: ===================== Join the SVP fam with your host Grace Gong. In each episode, we are going to have conversations with some of the top investors, superstar founders, as well as well-known tech executives in silicon valley. We will have a coffee chat with them to learn their ways of thinking and actionable tips on how to build or invest in a successful company.
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#151 Orangetheory Fitness CEO and Co-Founder Dave Long
01/21/2024
#151 Orangetheory Fitness CEO and Co-Founder Dave Long
Dave Long is the CEO of Orangetheory Fitness. He leads the company's franchise model, regional development, and product development strategy. After founding the company in 2010 with two partners, Dave has led the brand through countless pivotal achievements, including launching two apps, creating a proprietary heart rate monitor with strategically chosen partners, and signing celebrity brand ambassadors. In addition, Dave facilitated Orangetheory Fitness's exponential growth and expanded the brand worldwide, with studios now open in several countries. The scientifically backed fitness franchise continues its rapid expansion with no end in sight under Dave's leadership. Before that, Dave helped grow Massage Envy from 25 to 800 locations. Dave also helped European Wax Center expand the concept from 4 to over 550 locations in less than nine years. You can learn more about: 1. How to build an iconic fitness brand 2. How to build an effective system to scale your business 3. How to stay on top of the tech trends and apply them to your businesses ===================== YouTube: @ Newsletter: @ LinkedIn: @ TikTok: IG: Twitter: ===================== Join the SVP fam with your host Grace Gong. In each episode, we are going to have conversations with some of the top investors, superstar founders, as well as well-known tech executives in silicon valley. We will have a coffee chat with them to learn their ways of thinking and actionable tips on how to build or invest in a successful company.
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#150 Ballistic Ventures’ General Partner, former Managing Director at Lightspeed, Jake Seid
12/19/2023
#150 Ballistic Ventures’ General Partner, former Managing Director at Lightspeed, Jake Seid
Jake Seid is the Co-Founder and General Partner at Ballistic Ventures, a VC firm focused on early-stage cybersecurity and security-related venture investments, with a debut fund of $300M. Before working at Ballistic, Jake was a Managing Director at Lightspeed Venture Partners and founder and Managing Director at Stone Bridge Ventures—his portfolio includes Blend, Brex, Bolt, Abnormal Security, Carta, Cresta.ai, Drata, and more. You can learn more about: Investing trends in the cybersecurity space Starting and building a successful fund How to attract the best founders ===================== YouTube: @ Newsletter: @ LinkedIn: @ TikTok: IG: Twitter: ===================== Join the SVP fam with your host Grace Gong. In each episode, we are going to have conversations with some of the top investors, superstar founders, as well as well-known tech executives in silicon valley. We will have a coffee chat with them to learn their ways of thinking and actionable tips on how to build or invest in a successful company.
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#149 Roble Ventures’ Founding Partner, Sergio Monsalve
12/07/2023
#149 Roble Ventures’ Founding Partner, Sergio Monsalve
Sergio Monsalve is the Founding Partner of Roble Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm investing in entrepreneurs building human enablement technologies. Before founding Roble Ventures, Sergio was a Partner at Norwest Venture Partners and the Board Member and Investor of Udemy. He also invested in other billion-dollar companies such as Kahoot! and Adaptive Insights. You can learn more about: From working at a top fund to starting a fund. Insights into founding Roble Ventures and key strategies for success in venture capital. A look into future trends in work, learning, and AI, and what makes a successful ed-tech company. ===================== Our sponsor, LD Talent, will transform how you hire, manage, and upskill your tech team. Visit https://www.ldtalentwork.com to get 100 dollars in free credit, and build your product and distributed team quickly, efficiently, and creatively. Disclosure: I am an investor in the company. Disclosure: I am an investor in the company. ===================== YouTube: @ Newsletter: @ LinkedIn: @ TikTok: IG: Twitter: ===================== Join the SVP fam with your host Grace Gong. In each episode, we are going to have conversations with some of the top investors, superstar founders, as well as well-known tech executives in silicon valley. We will have a coffee chat with them to learn their ways of thinking and actionable tips on how to build or invest in a successful company.
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#148 Maverick Ventures’ Managing Director, Ambar Bhattacharyya
11/28/2023
#148 Maverick Ventures’ Managing Director, Ambar Bhattacharyya
Ambar Bhattacharyya is the Managing Director at Maverick Ventures. During his venture capital career at Maverick Ventures, Bessemer Venture Partners, and Bain Capital Ventures, Ambar has led or been actively involved in investments resulting in 16 IPOs & acquisitions, with six companies achieving valuations of over $1B in the public markets. Ambar has received broad recognition for his leadership, including Fortune Magazine's "40 under 40", Business Insider’s “30 leaders under 40 transforming healthcare”, San Francisco Business Time’s "40 under 40" list, and as a Global Shaper by the World Economic Forum. He was also selected to be an Aspen Institute Health Innovators Fellow in 2022. Ambar has been cited by publications including Business Insider, CNBC, Fast Company, Forbes, The New York Times, and the Wall Street Journal for his thoughts on the startup ecosystem and innovation. You can learn more about: How to invest in the top healthcare companies? How to accelerate your career growth in venture capital? The healthcare AI landscape deep dive. ===================== YouTube: @ Newsletter: @ LinkedIn: @ TikTok: IG: Twitter: ===================== Join the SVP fam with your host Grace Gong. In each episode, we are going to have conversations with some of the top investors, superstar founders, as well as well-known tech executives in silicon valley. We will have a coffee chat with them to learn their ways of thinking and actionable tips on how to build or invest in a successful company.
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#147 Afore Capital's Managing Partner Gaurav Jain
11/20/2023
#147 Afore Capital's Managing Partner Gaurav Jain
Gaurav Jain is the Co-founder of , one of the top venture funds ($300M AUM) dedicated to pre-seed investments. Some of the investments Gaurav and/or Afore have been involved in include Modern Health (leading mental health platform), Hightouch (leader in data infra), Cruise Automation (acq by GM for $1B+) and Firebase (acq by Google). You can find Gaurav at You can learn more about: How to identify talents in the early stage How to build a top pre-seed VC fund How to add value to top founders ===================== YouTube: @ Newsletter: @ LinkedIn: @ TikTok: IG: Twitter: ===================== Join the SVP fam with your host Grace Gong. In each episode, we are going to have conversations with some of the top investors, superstar founders, as well as well-known tech executives in silicon valley. We will have a coffee chat with them to learn their ways of thinking and actionable tips on how to build or invest in a successful company.
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#146 Canvas Ventures’s Co-Founder and General Partner, Rebecca Lynn
11/15/2023
#146 Canvas Ventures’s Co-Founder and General Partner, Rebecca Lynn
Rebecca is a Co-Founder and General Partner at Canvas Ventures where she leads early-stage investments in Fintech, Healthtech, and AI. Rebecca has been named to the Forbes Midas List five years running, a Woman to Watch: Senior Deal Maker by the Wall Street Journal, and a Top Woman VC by the New York Times. Some of her notable investments include Luminar (NASDAQ: LAZR), Lending Club (NYSE: LC), Practice Fusion (acq Allscripts), Gabi (acq Experian), Check (acq Intuit), RelateIQ (acq Salesforce), CrowdFlower (acq by Appen), Viewics (acq Roche), FutureAdvisor (acq Blackrock), and Figure8 (acq Appen). Before founding Canvas, Rebecca served as a General Partner at Morgenthaler Ventures. During her time at Morgenthaler, one of her early investments, Doximity (NYSE: DOCS), went public in 2021 and was one of the year’s largest IPOs. Before that, she was the VP of NextCard. At NextCard, the first online credit card company, Rebecca helped scale the company from 30 people to 1300 and an IPO. You can learn more about: How to invest in the world’s changing entrepreneurs Founding and managing a leading VC firm How to be a value-adding board member ===================== YouTube: @ Newsletter: @ LinkedIn: @ TikTok: IG: Twitter: ===================== Join the SVP fam with your host Grace Gong. In each episode, we are going to have conversations with some of the top investors, superstar founders, as well as well-known tech executives in silicon valley. We will have a coffee chat with them to learn their ways of thinking and actionable tips on how to build or invest in a successful company.
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#145 OkCupid's Co-Founder, ex-The Match Group's CEO, Corazon Capital's Managing Director, Sam Yagan
11/10/2023
#145 OkCupid's Co-Founder, ex-The Match Group's CEO, Corazon Capital's Managing Director, Sam Yagan
Sam Yagan is the co-founder and Managing Director of Corazon Capital, a leading Chicago-based Seed and Series A venture fund. Their portfolio includes companies like SpotHero, Songfinch and Stellar, among others. Prior to Corazon, he served as CEO of ShopRunner and led its 2020 acquisition by FedEx Corp. Previously, as CEO of Match Group, he spearheaded the launch of Tinder in 2012 and oversaw the company's IPO in 2015. His previous ventures also include founding SparkNotes in 1999 and co-founding OkCupid in 2004. You can learn more about: How to start and run multiple successful startups How to run the best dating company How to build a great network and start a fund ===================== YouTube: @ Newsletter: @ LinkedIn: @ TikTok: IG: Twitter: ===================== Join the SVP fam with your host Grace Gong. In each episode, we are going to have conversations with some of the top investors, superstar founders, as well as well-known tech executives in silicon valley. We will have a coffee chat with them to learn their ways of thinking and actionable tips on how to build or invest in a successful company.
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#144 MasterClass' CEO David Rogier
11/02/2023
#144 MasterClass' CEO David Rogier
David Rogier is the founder and CEO of MasterClass, the streaming platform where anyone can learn from the world’s best across a wide range of subjects. Instructors include Anna Wintour, Serena Williams, Gordon Ramsay, Chris Voss (our former guest), and more. With , companies can develop durable skills that transform employees into future-ready leaders through cinematic lessons and life-changing stories taught by the world’s best. You can learn more about: How to build a world-class learning platform How to effectively fundraising The secret to storytelling and running a fast-growing company ===================== YouTube: @ Newsletter: @ LinkedIn: @ TikTok: IG: Twitter: ===================== Join the SVP fam with your host Grace Gong. In each episode, we are going to have conversations with some of the top investors, superstar founders, as well as well-known tech executives in silicon valley. We will have a coffee chat with them to learn their ways of thinking and actionable tips on how to build or invest in a successful company.
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#143 Norwest Venture Partners’ General Partner, Dave Zilberman (Portfolio: Slack, DocuSign)
10/25/2023
#143 Norwest Venture Partners’ General Partner, Dave Zilberman (Portfolio: Slack, DocuSign)
Dave Zilberman is a General Partner at Norwest Venture Partners. Norwest Venture Partners manages more than $12.5 billion in capital. They have invested in over 600 early-to-late-stage companies, with more than 200 currently active. Dave primarily focuses on early to late-stage investments in enterprise and infrastructure—some of his portfolios include Slack, DocuSign, Amagi Corporation, and more. Before joining Norwest, Dave was the Managing Director of Comcast Ventures. You can learn more about: 1. How to identify and invest in the next generation of Slack and DocuSign 2. Investing career advice from corporate venture arm to traditional VC fund 3. How do you construct an excellent portfolio to produce good results and stay competitive? ===================== YouTube: @ Newsletter: @ LinkedIn: @ TikTok: IG: Twitter: ===================== Join the SVP fam with your host Grace Gong. In each episode, we are going to have conversations with some of the top investors, superstar founders, as well as well-known tech executives in silicon valley. We will have a coffee chat with them to learn their ways of thinking and actionable tips on how to build or invest in a successful company.
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#142 M13's Managing Partner, Karl Alomar, ex-COO of DigitalOcean (NYSE: DOCN)
10/18/2023
#142 M13's Managing Partner, Karl Alomar, ex-COO of DigitalOcean (NYSE: DOCN)
Karl Alomar is the Managing Partner at M13, a consumer technology venture capital firm with a $400 million fund to invest Seed and Series A startups offering Software and Services into the future of work, commerce, health, and money. M13's portfolios include Daily Harvest, Matterport, Ring, Rothy’s, and more. Before joining M13, Karl was the COO of DigitalOcean (NYSE: DOCN), where he grew the company from a small team to pre-IPO. You can learn more about: 1. How to leverage your operating experiences to break into venture 2. How to create high-growth potential career opportunities 3. Day-to-day managing a top VC firm ===================== YouTube: @ Newsletter: @ LinkedIn: @ TikTok: IG: Twitter: ===================== Join the SVP fam with your host Grace Gong. In each episode, we are going to have conversations with some of the top investors, superstar founders, as well as well-known tech executives in silicon valley. We will have a coffee chat with them to learn their ways of thinking and actionable tips on how to build or invest in a successful company.
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#141 Lead Edge Capital's Founder & Managing Partner, Mitchell Green (Portfolio: Alibaba, Spotify)
10/13/2023
#141 Lead Edge Capital's Founder & Managing Partner, Mitchell Green (Portfolio: Alibaba, Spotify)
Mitchell Green is the founder and Managing Partner of Lead Edge Capital, a growth-stage investment fund with over $5B AUM investing $25 million to $300 million across public and private tech companies globally. Their portfolio companies are across the internet, software, consumer, and tech-enabled services sectors - including Alibaba, Asana, Benchling, Spotify, Toast, Wise, and more. You can learn more about: How to start a successful growth stage investment fund How to build a unique LP network that can differentiate your firm How to invest in some of the most competitive companies ===================== YouTube: @ Newsletter: @ LinkedIn: @ TikTok: IG: Twitter: ===================== Join the SVP fam with your host Grace Gong. In each episode, we are going to have conversations with some of the top investors, superstar founders, as well as well-known tech executives in silicon valley. We will have a coffee chat with them to learn their ways of thinking and actionable tips on how to build or invest in a successful company.
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#140 Kindred Ventures’ Founder & Managing Partner, Investor of Uber, Coinbase, Postmates, Steve Jang
10/05/2023
#140 Kindred Ventures’ Founder & Managing Partner, Investor of Uber, Coinbase, Postmates, Steve Jang
Steve Jang is the Founder and Managing Partner at Kindred Ventures. An early-stage VC firm raised $312 million across two new funds in 2022. Over the past 14 years, Steve has backed over 100 companies across different theme areas, including Uber, Coinbase, Postmates, Tonal, Color Health, Humane, DYDX, Zora, and Blue Bottle Coffee. Since 2009 and up until IPO, Steve has also served as an Advisor to Uber since the founding of the company, up through initial product launch, global expansion, and then IPO. Steve currently serves as a Board Member of Humane, Tonal, Color, and Zora, to name a few. In 2023, Forbes’ Midas List named Steve as #45 among the world’s 100 top venture capital investors. You can learn more about: How to invest in the next generation of Uber and Coinbase? How to build an amazing track record as an angel investor? How do you transition from a successful angel investor to a Managing Partner at a VC fund? ===================== YouTube: @ Newsletter: @ LinkedIn: @ TikTok: IG: Twitter: ===================== Join the SVP fam with your host Grace Gong. In each episode, we are going to have conversations with some of the top investors, superstar founders, as well as well-known tech executives in silicon valley. We will have a coffee chat with them to learn their ways of thinking and actionable tips on how to build or invest in a successful company.
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Sponsor Spotlight: ft. Alumni Ventures’ CEO Mike Collins | How to invest in startups as individual investors?
09/10/2023
Sponsor Spotlight: ft. Alumni Ventures’ CEO Mike Collins | How to invest in startups as individual investors?
Sponsor Spotlight guest: Alumni Ventures’ CEO Mike Collins Welcome to the Smart Venture Podcast’s sponsor spotlight, where we take a moment to highlight the companies making our show possible. We're thrilled to feature Alumni Ventures. Alumni Ventures, offers individual investors access to venture investing through its diversified, professional-grade venture portfolios. We're excited to share more about what they do and how they're making a difference. So sit back, relax, and let's dive into Alumni Venture’s sponsor spotlight. _________________________________________________________________ How to invest in startups as individual investors? I get this question, A LOT. So I brought one of the experts to join me to talk about this. Mike Collins is the CEO of Alumni Ventures, America's Largest Venture Capital Firm for Individual Investors. Smart Venture Podcast’s sponsor, Alumni Ventures, offers individual investors access to venture investing through its diversified, professional-grade venture portfolios. The company’s funds have consistently outperformed public market equivalents, with over $1.1 billion raised and invested in over eleven hundred portfolio companies. They have a dedicated team of fifty full-time venture investors and were the #1 most active venture firm in the US in 2022 and #3 globally according to Pitchbook. Investing in venture capital can help reduce overall portfolio risk and increase the likelihood of stronger returns. To learn more, visit av.vc/grace and schedule a call. Investors must be accredited. Please note that all financial investments involve risk, past performance does not guarantee future results, and it is important to conduct your own research and seek professional advice before making any investment decisions. Check out their service: av.vc/grace ===================== YouTube: @ Newsletter: @ LinkedIn: @ TikTok: IG: Twitter: ===================== Join the SVP fam with your host Grace Gong. In each episode, we are going to have conversations with some of the top investors, superstar founders, as well as well-known tech executives in silicon valley. We will have a coffee chat with them to learn their ways of thinking and actionable tips on how to build or invest in a successful company.
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#139 Science’s CEO, investor, and board member of Liquid Death, Dollar Shave Club, Michael Jones
09/06/2023
#139 Science’s CEO, investor, and board member of Liquid Death, Dollar Shave Club, Michael Jones
Michael Jones is the founder of studio and venture fund Science Inc., where he helps founders scale highly profitable and successful businesses. Mike’s portfolio includes Liquid Death, Dollar Shave Club, Myspace, DogVacay, Goodreads, and Maker Studios, to name a few. Prior to Science, Mike served as the CEO of Myspace, and his company, Userplane, was acquired by AOL. His experience and expertise in both large and small companies focuses on strategy, growth, and operational efficiency, and has resulted in over $2B in exits. You can learn more about: How do we build the next big consumer brand? How to create and manage a successful venture capital portfolio? How to invest in the next Liquid Death and Dollar Shave Club? ===================== YouTube: @ Newsletter: @ LinkedIn: @ TikTok: IG: Twitter: ===================== Join the SVP fam with your host Grace Gong. In each episode, we are going to have conversations with some of the top investors, superstar founders, as well as well-known tech executives in silicon valley. We will have a coffee chat with them to learn their ways of thinking and actionable tips on how to build or invest in a successful company.
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#138 Google's Vice President and General Manager of Merchant Shopping Matt Madrigal
08/31/2023
#138 Google's Vice President and General Manager of Merchant Shopping Matt Madrigal
Matt Madrigal is the Vice President and General Manager of Merchant Shopping at Google. In this role, Matt leads the product and engineering teams that build Google Shopping’s tools, partner integrations, and infrastructure to help businesses and merchants grow and thrive. Bringing an extensive background in retail, platforms, and technology, Matt is passionate about helping businesses through digital transformation. Prior to joining Google, Matt was the Chief Technology and Product Officer at Fanatics, where he played a key role in shaping the mobile strategy and expanding their product development and data capabilities for both the consumer and partner sides of the business. Prior to that, he was the SVP of eCommerce & Marketing for Williams-Sonoma, Inc. and he spent 8 years leading engineering and product for all of eBay’s digital marketing and onsite advertising technology functions, including the analytical & data platforms that powered the company’s global Internet marketing efforts. While at eBay, he was also instrumental in the creation of Triton, one of the most respected SEM platforms in the industry. You can learn more about: 1. How to strategize your career for optimal growth and learning? 2. How to establish a clear mission, principles, and OKRs for your team? 3. What is the future landscape of shopping? ===================== YouTube: @ Newsletter: @ LinkedIn: @ TikTok: IG: Twitter: ===================== Join the SVP fam with your host Grace Gong. In each episode, we are going to have conversations with some of the top investors, superstar founders, as well as well-known tech executives in silicon valley. We will have a coffee chat with them to learn their ways of thinking and actionable tips on how to build or invest in a successful company.
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#137 Wing Venture Capital’s Founding Partner, Peter Wagner
08/28/2023
#137 Wing Venture Capital’s Founding Partner, Peter Wagner
Peter Wagner is a Founding Partner of Wing Venture Capital, where he focuses on the Modern Enterprise, an agile workplace built on data and powered by AI. Peter has led investments in dozens of early-stage companies, including Snowflake, Gong, and many others, which have gone on to complete IPOs or successful acquisitions. Recently Wing has announced Wing Four, a new $600 million pool of capital dedicated to early-stage investing and long-term company building in B2B technology. Peter was also featured on the Forbes Midas List as one of the top tech investors. You can learn more about: 1. How to build a successful fund? 2. How to invest in the AI companies that truly matter? 3. How does AI transform businesses? ===================== YouTube: @ Newsletter: @ LinkedIn: @ TikTok: IG: Twitter: ===================== 💼 Check out our sponsor: av.vc/grace 👩💼 Our sponsor, Alumni Ventures, offers individual investors access to venture investing through its diversified, professional-grade venture portfolios. The company’s funds have consistently outperformed public market equivalents, with over $1.1 billion raised and invested in over eleven hundred portfolio companies. They have a dedicated team of fifty full-time venture investors and were the #1 most active venture firm in the US in 2022 and #3 globally according to Pitchbook. Investing in venture capital can help reduce overall portfolio risk and increase the likelihood of stronger returns. To learn more, visit av.vc/grace and schedule a call. Investors must be accredited. Please note that all financial investments involve risk, past performance does not guarantee future results, and it is important to conduct your own research and seek professional advice before making any investment decisions. ===================== Join the SVP fam with your host Grace Gong. In each episode, we are going to have conversations with some of the top investors, superstar founders, as well as well-known tech executives in silicon valley. We will have a coffee chat with them to learn their ways of thinking and actionable tips on how to build or invest in a successful company.
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#136 Precursor Ventures' Managing Partner Charles Hudson
07/22/2023
#136 Precursor Ventures' Managing Partner Charles Hudson
Charles Hudson is the Managing Partner at Precursor Ventures, a classic seed-stage investment firm focusing on B2B software applications, B2C software and services, and connected hardware. Charles also serves as the Board Chair at the National Venture Capital Association and is a lecturer at the Stanford University Graduate School of Business. Before launching Precursor, Charles was a Partner at SoftTech VC, one of the most active seed stage investors in Internet and mobile startups. He was also the Co-Founder and CEO of Bionic Panda Games, an Android-focused mobile games startup. He spent several years working at In-Q-Tel, the strategic venture capital group for the Central Intelligence Agency. You can learn more about: 1. How to start a VC fund 2. How to craft a compelling pitch to LPs and cultivate an influential investor network 3. How to create a unique fund strategy ===================== YouTube: @ Newsletter: @ LinkedIn: @ TikTok: IG: Twitter: ===================== 💼 Check out our sponsor: av.vc/grace 👩💼 Our sponsor, Alumni Ventures, offers individual investors access to venture investing through its diversified, professional-grade venture portfolios. The company’s funds have consistently outperformed public market equivalents, with over $1.1 billion raised and invested in over eleven hundred portfolio companies. They have a dedicated team of fifty full-time venture investors and were the #1 most active venture firm in the US in 2022 and #3 globally according to Pitchbook. Investing in venture capital can help reduce overall portfolio risk and increase the likelihood of stronger returns. To learn more, visit av.vc/grace and schedule a call. Investors must be accredited. Please note that all financial investments involve risk, past performance does not guarantee future results, and it is important to conduct your own research and seek professional advice before making any investment decisions. ===================== Join the SVP fam with your host Grace Gong. In each episode, we are going to have conversations with some of the top investors, superstar founders, as well as well-known tech executives in silicon valley. We will have a coffee chat with them to learn their ways of thinking and actionable tips on how to build or invest in a successful company.
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#135 Lerer Hippeau’s Managing Partner, Ben Lerer
05/27/2023
#135 Lerer Hippeau’s Managing Partner, Ben Lerer
Ben Lerer is the Managing Partner at Lerer Hippeau, a prominent early-stage venture capital fund in New York City. Lerer Hippeau has a portfolio that includes Allbirds, Glossier, Thrive, BuzzFeed, Warby Parker, Casper, Mirror, and more. Besides his role at Lerer Hippeau, Ben is renowned for founding Thrillist Media Group and serving as the former CEO of Group Nine Media. You can learn more about: Insights gained from launching and managing a successful media company Venture investing in New York City Perspectives on investment strategies, portfolio building, and the advantages of being an operator when making investment decisions ===================== YouTube: @ Newsletter: @ LinkedIn: @ TikTok: IG: Twitter: ===================== 💼 Check out our sponsor: av.vc/grace 👩💼 Our sponsor, Alumni Ventures, offers individual investors access to venture investing through its diversified, professional-grade venture portfolios. The company’s funds have consistently outperformed public market equivalents, with over $1.1 billion raised and invested in over eleven hundred portfolio companies. They have a dedicated team of fifty full-time venture investors and were the #1 most active venture firm in the US in 2022 and #3 globally according to Pitchbook. Investing in venture capital can help reduce overall portfolio risk and increase the likelihood of stronger returns. To learn more, visit av.vc/grace and schedule a call. Investors must be accredited. Please note that all financial investments involve risk, past performance does not guarantee future results, and it is important to conduct your own research and seek professional advice before making any investment decisions. ===================== Join the SVP fam with your host Grace Gong. In each episode, we are going to have conversations with some of the top investors, superstar founders, as well as well-known tech executives in silicon valley. We will have a coffee chat with them to learn their ways of thinking and actionable tips on how to build or invest in a successful company.
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#134 Cruise’s Co-Founder & Chief Product Officer, Daniel Kan
05/26/2023
#134 Cruise’s Co-Founder & Chief Product Officer, Daniel Kan
Daniel Kan is the Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer at Cruise, a leading self-driving car company sold to General Motors for over $1 Billion 2 years after its founding. Before building Cruise, Daniel co-founded EXEC with his brother Justin Kan, the founder of (which later became Twitch). After founding the company in 2011, EXEC was sold to Handy in 2014. You can learn more about: How to have the confidence and knowledge it takes to start a technology company without being technical How to navigate the startup phases you need to go through, from having few people on the founding team to selling it over $1 Billion Lessons from early on in life shaped how you think as an entrepreneur ===================== YouTube: @ Newsletter: @ LinkedIn: @ TikTok: IG: Twitter: ===================== 💼 Check out our sponsor: av.vc/grace 👩💼 Our sponsor, Alumni Ventures, offers individual investors access to venture investing through its diversified, professional-grade venture portfolios. The company’s funds have consistently outperformed public market equivalents, with over $1.1 billion raised and invested in over eleven hundred portfolio companies. They have a dedicated team of fifty full-time venture investors and were the #1 most active venture firm in the US in 2022 and #3 globally according to Pitchbook. Investing in venture capital can help reduce overall portfolio risk and increase the likelihood of stronger returns. To learn more, visit av.vc/grace and schedule a call. Investors must be accredited. Please note that all financial investments involve risk, past performance does not guarantee future results, and it is important to conduct your own research and seek professional advice before making any investment decisions. ===================== Join the SVP fam with your host Grace Gong. In each episode, we are going to have conversations with some of the top investors, superstar founders, as well as well-known tech executives in silicon valley. We will have a coffee chat with them to learn their ways of thinking and actionable tips on how to build or invest in a successful company.
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