Meet Josh!
As I start at Matter, I’m filled with an overwhelming sense of gratitude that I get to be one of the lucky few who can say they derive meaning from (and enjoy) what they do while making a positive impact on society. When I think about why I feel so fortunate to be a part of the Matter team, the first thing I think of is the mission — investing in companies that inform, connect, and empower our society. In my experience, it’s very rare for organizations to, a) have missions, b) believe in them, and c) use them as a guide to do good in the world. The second thing I think about is the opportunity we have right now to change the media landscape, and the third is how I got to where I am today.
I’ve always loved connecting with people, which is why I love media. No matter your background or that of the person with whom you are speaking, you can make a connection through mutual interests in media. “Did you read that article on?” “Have you watched?” “If you liked…you should check out.” One of the ways I’ve been involved with media creation is through storytelling. As an English major/Economics minor at Vassar College, I balanced telling stories with words and telling stories with data. My first job after school was at ABC News where I learned how to tell a compelling story in a very succinct way.
As an Assistant Director in the Directors Guild of America, where I managed film and TV sets, I learned how to be scrappy and that neither, “no,” nor, “I don’t know,” are acceptable answers to questions. I wanted to figure out ways I could leverage “media” to make more of an impact, so I went back to school. I got my MBA from MIT and while there worked in finance and across startups — and I haven’t looked back since.
Some might say my path to Matter is reminiscent of the drunken walk of the entrepreneur, and they’d be right. I’ve worked across vastly different organizations and teams but two things remained constant: my passion for media, and my desire to do something that mattered.
I’m so excited to work as the Director of Investments (NYC) at Matter because I love working with both sides of my brain. On the right brain side, I get to work with people and coach founders. On the left side, I get to think about business issues and quantifying return for our company and our partners. Leveraging both sides, I get to use design thinking, which is a great framework for any founder and a great process for any team.
That I get to do all of this while working with passionate entrepreneurs whose startups will change media and the world for the better is exciting and humbling. As I start my journey at Matter, which is both a culmination of my experiences to date and the beginning of something bigger, I feel a sense of responsibility and pride. Media is in danger; financially and politically now more than ever. As large institutions are circling their wagons, we need to find the media companies of the future. We need to find the business models that will work. We need to find the companies that will enable us to become a more informed, empowered, and connected society. We can’t fail at this because our way of connecting with one another on a basic human level is at risk. I can’t wait to get started.
Matter Ventures is the world’s only independent startup accelerator for media entrepreneurs.
Excited to work with our new team? To join the next class of our accelerator program in San Francisco or New York City, starting in June, apply on our website. Applications open on February 8th.
