Mastering Networking in Venture Capital: Conquering Intimidation and Building Connections

Moonshots Capital Senior Associate Farah Daou shares her strategies for networking in the VC ecosystem, feeling confident in investment circles, and leveraging opportunities in the dynamic venture capital and startup ecosystem.

Venture capital is an exhilarating field within the broader realm of finance, offering unique opportunities to collaborate, invest, and innovate. Central to the venture capital landscape is the art of networking, the lifeblood of the industry. Building connections with co-investors, groundbreaking founders, and industry experts is essential for success. However, for those entering the venture capital arena, particularly in the early stages of their careers, networking can often feel like a daunting and anxiety-inducing journey.

Farah Daou is a Senior Associate at Moonshots Capital, an early-stage venture capital firm that invests in extraordinary leadership. Prior to joining Moonshots, Farah was an Associate at VU Venture Partners, worked in investment banking, and led her own company — a vegan bakery in Los Angeles.

Having navigated diverse professional experiences prior to entering the world of venture capital (including a few desk jobs), I vividly recall the initial intimidation factor I faced when reacquainting myself with networking. During the last two years as a Senior Associate at Moonshots Capital, I have developed effective strategies for overcoming these challenges. In this article, I’ll share strategies that I used to conquer the challenges of networking and emerge with confidence.

Finding Events

Discovering and gaining access to networking events is a pivotal step for newcomers. For junior professionals within venture capital firms, leverage your team’s experience. Don’t hesitate to ask partners for invites to events or direct introductions. Senior members often have an extensive network and can provide valuable access to industry gatherings.

Moonshots Capital GP Kelly Perdew and I often attended industry events in LA together. Here we are at the launch party for our Fund II portfolio company Afterparty.

For those not currently affiliated with a firm, becoming an active part of the local venture community is key. Many cities host accelerators and incubators that are in constant need of mentors, advisors, and industry experts. Volunteering your skills not only contributes to the ecosystem but also positions you at the forefront of networking opportunities.

Building Your Community

In unfamiliar territory, it’s only natural to gravitate toward those who are most similar to you. For instance, I found it less intimidating to approach a group of women, making it my first step in building my network. There are exceptional resources available to get you started. For women, I strongly recommend joining groups such as Women in VC, Synergist Network, or NextGen Women Investors. There are also groups like Black VC, LatinxVC, and All Raise that cater to underrepresented individuals in the venture capital industry.

Giving back is another great way to find a like-minded community within the ecosystem. Fika Ventures and SVB recently gathered an amazing crowd of volunteers to support the cause of combatting hunger with Our Big Kitchen LA.

Setting Goals

Setting an internal goal before attending an event can be incredibly helpful. It serves several functions:

1. Provides a sense of purpose.
2. Acts as a driving force, pushing you beyond your comfort zone.
3. Leaves you with a sense of accomplishment upon event completion.

Your goals might include meeting a specific number of fellow VCs or engaging with a predetermined number of entrepreneurs. Quite often, by the time you achieve your goal at an event, you are already feeling more comfortable in your surroundings, prompting you to stay longer and engage more.

Starting Small

Smaller, focused group events tend to have a more relaxed atmosphere. If you find attending large events challenging, I recommend easing into networking by starting with smaller, more intimate gatherings. These settings facilitate deeper conversations with fewer people, fostering more meaningful connections. Over time, as you become accustomed to meeting individuals in these intimate environments, larger events become far less intimidating. Over time, you will start to recognize more faces in the room, which will be a comfort in itself.

Building Common Ground

While connecting with those who are similar to you is a great first step, it should not be the endpoint. There will be numerous instances where you will find yourself in a room full of strangers, which can be intimidating if you’re unprepared. Remember that shying away from these interactions may lead to missed opportunities.

The LA venture community gathered at the Upfront Ventures x The Military Veteran Startup Breakfast.

One effective strategy is to focus conversations on what I call “easy topics”. For instance, with fellow investors, discussing specific investment areas, emerging technologies, or exciting startups is a great icebreaker. When engaging with founders, talking about their startup, motivations, and background can be equally effective.

Mastering The Art of Graceful Exits

Not all conversations are bound for success, and that’s perfectly normal. Sometimes, you may find it difficult to connect with the person you’re talking to. In such cases, the ability to exit a conversation respectfully but firmly can be a valuable asset. It’s entirely acceptable to say, “It’s been great connecting with you. I’m going to take a stroll around the room and network some more.” As long as you don’t interrupt someone mid-sentence, people generally won’t take it personally. Perfecting the art of graceful exits, like the conversations themselves, comes with practice.

Cultivating Relationships

It’s common to leave a networking event with a multitude of new LinkedIn connections but making those connections meaningful is a different story. This is where follow-up messages and one-on-one meetings come into play.

If you’ve had an enjoyable conversation with someone, send a quick email or LinkedIn message referring to your discussion. I recommend suggesting a coffee chat or scheduling a recurring Zoom meeting to maintain contact.

The West Point Entrepreneur Summit was an excellent opportunity to create meaningful connections in the military community — something I haven’t had any exposure to prior to my work for Moonshots.

Within the realm of venture capital, sharing deal flow with fellow investors can be one of the most valuable ways to stay connected. Whenever you come across a promising opportunity, consider who in your network might find it a good fit. Remember to seek permission from both parties before making an introduction. I always appreciate it when an investor says there is no pressure to respond if there is no interest, so I try to say that in my outreach as well.

Conclusion

Confidence is a skill that takes practice, and overcoming social anxiety necessitates stepping outside of your comfort zone. If you ever feel overwhelmed, commit to approaching just one group of people, and build your way through the conversation. Once you’ve achieved that milestone, move on to the next one.

Start small and work your way up. Begin by attending smaller industry events or networking with individuals and small groups. Initiating in more intimate settings enables you to gain experience, establish connections, and bolster your confidence in a low-pressure environment, allowing you to gradually move to larger conferences. Over time, as you expand your network in the venture capital ecosystem, those once-daunting large events will become more comfortable.

Lastly, acknowledge that occasional self-doubt is a common human experience. Even the most successful individuals face challenges. Remember that each connection you make and every step you take, no matter how small, brings you closer to a thriving venture capital network, where the once-intimidating becomes familiar, and opportunities flourish.

Moonshots Capital is a veteran-founded venture capital firm that invests in early-stage startups with extraordinary leaders.
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