Why I Chose to Work for Grand Ventures
How did a small-town Iowan with degrees in biochemistry, mathematics, and Spanish end up working for Grand Ventures in Grand Rapids, Michigan right after college? That’s a great question, in my opinion. Especially because these past few weeks I have been asking myself that often.
The realization that I wanted to pursue a career in venture capital dawned on me after a prolonged and agonizing period during which I constantly sought advice from everyone I knew, asking, “What should I be?”. I received countless suggestions, each proposing a myriad of positions that supposedly suited my personality. Despite exploring numerous career paths, my enthusiasm always waned, leaving me unexcited about the various options.
Then I spent a summer working for my brother’s shiny new tele-health startup, OpenLoop Health. It was my first experience into the other side of healthcare (as I had previously been on the pre-med track). And it was my first real taste of THE startup world. I had a blast. Not just because I grew up with the CEO, who made the office life fun, but because the company atmosphere was young, exciting, competitive, full of risk, and brimming with reward.
Through OpenLoop, a venture-backed start-up, I first learned what “venture capitalism” is. Encouraged by my brother, I got a few introductions and ended up working as an intern for Nava Ventures, a San Francisco-based fund focused on early-stage investments. While there, I worked remotely as often as I could, since I was still finishing up my degrees at Calvin University. Nava was a great experience. I was thrown into the ringer with little formal training, but with all of the independence, I learned very quickly how to compose myself in front of two or three-time founders who were explaining their complex technology to me.
After my internship, I graduated and spent the next few months traveling before hunkering down to find work, like any responsible “gen-Z-er”. Midway through the summer, June 28 to be exact, I cold messaged a Calvin graduate working at Grand Ventures with hopes of a position or connection into the VC space in Grand Rapids. Crazy enough, there WAS an opportunity. She happened to be leaving her position to pursue her MBA, and I found out that there would be a spot opening up in the fall.
How crazy lucky was my timing?
With guidance from my past mentors and valuable input from recent professional contacts, I underwent multiple rounds of interviews and wrote a case study, which ultimately resulted in a job offer. During this time, I also had offers from other positions. However, it was Grand Ventures that really held my attention and ultimately won me over. But how?
There were many reasons why I wanted to work for Grand Ventures before even starting. First reason being location. I wanted to stay in Grand Rapids, so the five minute drive from my front door to the office was compelling. Secondly, the team dynamic was incredible. I was told I would be one of two analysts who were encouraged to wear many hats, some of which are sourcing deals, taking intro calls with entrepreneurs, helping partners with due diligence and research, writing investment memos, attending networking events, and supporting our impressive portfolio companies. As someone who gets bored easily, this sounded ideal to me. And lastly, after hearing about the stellar reputation of Grand Ventures — both performance based and relationally — from a few different sources, I was confident that this firm would be something I wanted to be a part of.
Fast forward to today, after working here for a few weeks, I’ve gained a deeper understanding of why I was drawn to Grand Ventures and why I consider myself lucky to be here. All of my initial reasons still hold true, but I’ve added a few more. Some of these include: the stunning views of downtown Grand Rapids from our office, a genuinely caring team that values founders’ perspectives, ideas, and feelings, our sit/stand desks, an office environment that fosters collaboration and encourages learning, a flexible hybrid work model, three general partners with extensive expertise in their sectors, and of course, a fridge stocked with Spindrifts.
Now that I am officially on the website and Linkedin page, I am beyond excited to proudly bear the title of Investment Analyst for Grand Ventures. Who said VCs had to be in New York or San Francisco?
