Hello! My name is Jessy and I’m an Investment Principal at AfterWork Ventures - a $20m VC fund that invests in pre-seed and seed stage tech startups.
I never planned a career in venture capital - when I was studying Literature and Philosophy at University, it was the furtherest thing from my mind! I’ve now been a VC investor for over 3 years - first at NAB Ventures, and then as AfterWork Ventures’ employee #1.
VC has given me a lot - exposure to cutting-edge ideas, ambitious founders, and passionate peers. It’s also afforded me a platform, and opportunities I never expected: to publish op-eds in major mastheads, speak at flagship conferences, and scale my personal values. One of those values is being a #dooropener. I know I’ve had many lucky breaks in my career, and I want to pay it forward.
In this document I’ve compiled many resources to help you decide whether a career in VC would suit you, and to help you prepare for the application process.
If you’re not particularly confident about your chances, or don’t think you have the right background - take inspiration from this seminal speech by renowned VC Bill Gurley. It’s called Running Down a Dream (link here). Two quotes are particularly pertinent:
*This is one of my favorite quotes from Bobby Knight. He says, “Everybody has the will to win. People don’t have the will to practice.” I think this is the test for whether or not you’re actually pursuing your dream job, which is the essence of it that would be considered studying or work or practice, do you enjoy that part? Do you enjoy the preparation? Everybody enjoys winning. Do you enjoy the preparation?
I can’t make you the smartest or the brightest, but it’s quite doable to be the most knowledgeable. It’s possible to gather more information than somebody else, especially today.*
Good luck!
If you have feedback about this document, feel free to email [email protected]
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1X17VVXVsIl9gulc9b3PdTg4oepfHcTE0/view
Link to slides in Canva