Why I joined Heartland Ventures

I grew up in Cincinnati with the idea that you should move to a major market to start your career. For me, that was San Francisco.

Over the last eight years, I lived in a center of innovation, a place where the flywheel of confidence, capital, and motivation created opportunities everywhere. An area with a growth mindset, I would imagine a bit like 20th-century Detroit or 19th-century Pittsburgh.

I’d like to think this flywheel is not fixed to a place, but rather an ecosystem that can come and go with the right mix of inputs. Where an individual’s effort matters and community buy-in is critical. Unfortunately, that mindset and the resulting energy doesn’t exist everywhere.

The U.S. has developed in a way where the quintessential Midwest industry — think manufacturing, logistics, and construction — is separated from much of the innovation that is driving progress in other parts of the country.

Many of these industries have been slow to adopt the technology flowing from coastal hubs of innovation. Despite their massive size and obvious potential, these Midwestern businesses are typically overlooked as target customers for tech-enabled solutions. Heartland Ventures exists to bridge that gap.

I joined Heartland because of both the team and my role. I am energized to be back in my hometown of Cincinnati, getting to know local industries and their challenges, connecting business owners with possible solutions, and listening to their feedback. I look forward to facilitating conversations between our portfolio companies and prospective customers here in the Midwest. This will challenge me to be a constant learner, connector, and advocate.

Looking ahead, I’m eager to see Heartland’s continued engagement with policymakers and local stakeholders to drive economic development here in the Midwest. It would be a personal honor to be part of Heartland’s voice to create a higher expectation for public policy in the region.

I am happy to be home and to start the next phase of my career with this team, in this market. I look forward to connecting with anyone interested in learning more about Heartland Ventures and my role to expand our presence in Cincinnati. Onward!