The “Secret Sauces” of Excel Ventures
— Noam, Excel Ventures 2018
“We challenge you to become the best version of yourselves. To be that person who is ‘all-in.’ To inspire others, but most importantly, to inspire yourselves.”
-Adam and Uri, our Excel Ventures parents
If I were given the opportunity to hand design a program to fit my needs and desires at this stage in my life journey, it would be Excel Ventures.
All throughout my life, I have been searching for ways to pair my entrepreneurial passions and Jewish identity. In brief moments when these segments connect — such as creating a non-profit with Jewish teens or interning at MassChallenge and helping their Israel startup accelerator — I understand why I’m so drawn to this lifestyle. My entrepreneurial passions allow me to be creative and constantly see the world in a “growth” mindset, while my Jewish identity grounds me in a community of other Jews who can help me along my journey.
On Excel Ventures, I see this connection at it’s finest: A ten-week immersive experience that allows Jewish Americans and Israelis to create and execute shared entrepreneurial dreams. We’re given the tools & methodologies, a co-working space, and access to the Excel Network to guide us along the way, but ultimately, it’s up to us to fail or succeed. I can’t think of a better way to spend ten-weeks of my post-grad life combining entrepreneurship and Jews. In other words, if I came across Excel Ventures of Tinder, I would swipe right without hesitation.
Why is this program so unique? Well, besides mandatory business casual everyday (even in +100 degree weather), I believe that there’s five key ingredients, or “secret sauces”, that allow for its ability to thrive.
- A Diverse Community of Leaders: 10 Americans and 10 Israelis that spend every day together, learning from and contributing to each other. The participants have very diverse backgrounds including members of the 8200 intelligence unit, a president of a fraternity, a co-founder of a business that pitched on Shark Tank, but all share one common skill: the ability to lead.
2. PTs, PTs, PTs: What started out as a joke became a highlight of my trip. PTs stand for “Personal Talks,” mandatory 30-minute interviews that each of us needed to have with every other participant. These talks gave me the ability to understand people on a more personal level — their goals, hopes, and dreams — and opened up deep conversations.
3. A Shared Space: The co-working space “Be All” has welcomed us into their community and let us utilize all their services, especially their rooftop patio. There’s something refreshing and inspiring about being in a community of startups all around you. Even in my midst of insanity after a long day in the office, I can take a breath of fresh air in the patio and grab a beer with fellow Venturers.
4. “1% Idea, 99% Execution” Mentality: Have a great idea? Well, you’re only 1% of the way to success. On Ventures, we put what we learn into action, whether it’s designing pitch decks, conducting market research, interviewing customers, or weekly pitching to VCs.
5. The Excel Network: Everyday, we have a presenter teaching us a new methodology, a mentor advising us on our ideas, or Adam and Uri harshly critiquing our startups. All of these people are focused on helping us succeed. In addition, the Excel Network continues after this program when I join a wider community of Venturers.
That’s not to say everything is picture-perfect. This program has tested my mental and physical abilities, causing sleepless nights and occasional overwhelming stress.
But in the end, it’s all worth it. I can already envision myself pitching my startup on the stage at the end of this program: confident, clear, and charismatic.
Noam Kahn is a 2018 Excel Ventures Fellow from Boston, MA. He completed his undergraduate degree in Business Administration and Management this spring at Skidmore College. He plans to intern at Mindspace upon completion of the Ventures program, and previously Co-Founded AuxNation, a company that connects DJs and partygoers through mobile technology.
**This blog was originally posted by Noam on his personal Medium page.**
