Meet Kieran, Henry, Lee and Leila!
As we write this, the UK has just entered its third national lockdown. Having written a piece to introduce our previous influx of new team members back in September 2020, we certainly had hoped that we’d be introducing you to our next batch of newcomers under more positive circumstances. That said, we continue to make best of what is a challenging environment and are incredibly grateful to be in the fortunate position of growing our team with the addition of four new members who are on-board for the next 6 months to help us through this period of growth 🚀🚀. While we haven’t yet all met in-person, we’ve had the opportunity to get to know each other over zoom and we recently took some time to ask our new team members to share a little bit about themselves — let us introduce you to our newest cohort of interns: Kieran, Leila, Lee and Henry! Over to them…
Kieran Parker-Moroney, Accelerator team
What does your new role at Pi Labs entail?
I am the Accelerator Associate, so that means I am helping to run our accelerator programme. My role involves everything from sourcing & initial evaluation of new start-ups and teams, designing & running the programme and working hands-on with the selected teams throughout. It’s a role where I get to wear many hats!
What were you doing before you joined Pi Labs?
I was working on my own start-up in tech around recruitment for blockchain services. Prior to that I was involved with consulting for a residential property developer in Surrey and also participating in some of my own development projects. I have always enjoyed entrepreneurial pursuits and working with new ideas or refining old ones.
Do you have any advice for anyone looking to get into the VC world?
Be open to possibilities. From my limited experience there are few ‘traditional’ paths into VC. You have to be willing to try different approaches and offer your help rather than ask for something from them. Using Twitter, Linkedin or other networks can be really powerful, to just reach out to people and ask to speak to them. Many won’t reply, but it is always worth the shot for the one that will.
Some other positives:
- Work experience at a start-up or experience having set-up your own businesses in the past.
- A genuine interest in the area of focus for that particular VC.
- A willingness to share researched opinions and to defend them, while also being open-minded to other peoples perspectives.
Reading, watching, or listening to anything good?
Hard to narrow this down:
Reading: I’ve just finished Max Tegamark’s ‘Life 3.0’. I am re-reading The Chimp Paradox. Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins (you have to get the audiobook too, amazing).
Watching: The Mandalorian, Billions, A Year in Space.
Listening to: No Laying Up podcast, The Rich Roll podcast, The 20minute VC by Harry Stebbings, Dan Carlins Hardcore History.
What do you do to relax and create time for yourself?
I love to play golf, meditate & exercise. Skiing (when I can). I also like DIY projects round the house. I really enjoy reading in the evenings to try and switch off.
Leila Packett, Investment team
What does your new role at Pi Labs entail?
As an analyst in the investment team, I’m helping to find and meet new teams for accelerator and seed deals. I’m also involved with the due diligence and deal flow for our investments.
What were you doing before you joined Pi Labs?
I’ve always worked in the property industry. I started as a commercial property lawyer in Sydney, then transitioned to being an industrial surveyor at Savills. I finished my Masters of Real Estate Finance at Henley Business School right before I started at Pi Labs.
Do you have any advice for anyone looking to get into the VC world?
Network! I know it’s difficult right now but once events and panels return, go to as many as possible and introduce yourself to a variety interesting people (i.e. not just the CEOs of VCs). I was given warm introductions to Pi Labs by two different people, which helped to build trust in my reputation even when I hadn’t worked in London or in VC before. The intros came from someone I met after she spoke on a proptech panel and from my university careers advisor, two relationships I had nurtured over the course of my Masters year.
Reading, watching, or listening to anything good?
A winter of lockdowns has meant I am seeking comfort in my entertainment right now. My flatmate and I are slowly working our way through every season of Keeping up with the Kardashians (it’s so fun to watch with hindsight) and I’ve been revisiting Harry Potter. I love politics so when I’m in a serious mood I read The Economist or listen to podcasts like Fresh Air. I’m also very grateful Taylor Swift has released so much new music this year!
What do you do to relax and create time for yourself?
I’m a true extrovert so for me, relaxing is spending time with friends and family, preferably undertaking an outdoor activity or sharing a glass of wine. I’m notorious for taking loud video calls with friends from back home as I walk around my neighbourhood early in the morning, or pace around my flat at night. I love to hike, ski, surf, and find secluded spots for wild swimming, even when the water’s freezing cold.
Hiu Yau Lee, Business Development team
What does your new role at Pi Labs entail?
Given my language and background (born and raised in Hong Kong), I will be supporting business development efforts at Pi Labs with a focus on this region.
What were you doing before you joined Pi Labs?
Currently still finishing my final year of business school at Alliance Manchester Business School, but I worked at a SaaS company for over 18 months in an account executive capacity where I sell different solutions to Mid-market and enterprise clients. Some of my clients include Fortune 500 companies and universities and institutes.
Do you have any advice for anyone looking to get into the VC world?
Always believing in yourself, be passionate and don’t be afraid to reach out and present yourself. I was always told that I needed to have multiple years of corporate experience in IB/Consulting/Tech before attempting to break into VC but I saw Pi labs were hiring and decided to give it a shot since VC and real estate is something I have been passionate about and interested in for a long time since getting into university and working at a SaaS startup.
Reading, watching, or listening to anything good?
Reading:
- Never split the difference- Chris Voss - Former FBI hostage negotiator teaches business negotiation
- The Sales Acceleration Formula- Mark Roberge- Former CRO at Hubspot on his journey to scaling Hubspot from 0 to 100Mil ARR
- The Challenger Sale - Modern selling method in challenging customer’s original thinking through a value-added approach
Watching: Russell Westbrook dominating the NBA & Adam Ondra (Professional Rock Climber) trying to complete Perfecto Mundo
Podcast Listening:
- 30 Minutes to President’s Club — B2B SaaS with Sales leaders
- Make It Happen Mondays — B2B Sales Talk with John Barrows
- The Knowledge Project Podcast- Business talk across different industries
Music Listening: Flute and Saxophone Jazz, Blues, R&B
What do you do to relax and create time for yourself?
Workout, Rock climbing (Lead climbing/Bouldering)
Henry Martin, Business Development team
What does your new role at Pi Labs entail?
I have recently joined Pi Labs and will be supporting BD activities. Everyday is exciting, fast-paced and rewarding and I’m lucky enough to be surrounded by some incredibly hardworking people who ensure we are all continuously ‘raising’ the bar!
What were you doing before you joined Pi Labs?
Prior to joining Pi Labs I had just concluded my Theology degree at the University of Oxford. Having played professional rugby for England 7s Academy, I then made the decision to pursue my academics which proved to be an enormously rewarding experience. I have previous experience partaking in The Oxford Student Consultancy Programme and as a Private Tutor for a well-renowned tutoring agency. Through a combination of my academic rigour, competitiveness and drive to succeed I believe am well placed to help deliver on Pi Labs’ capital raising efforts.
Do you have any advice for anyone looking to get into the VC world?
Just because you may not have prior experience in VC, or even the corporate world, don’t be put off exploring the industry. There are so many diverse opportunities available in this sector. If you are an enthusiastic individual with a genuine interest in the industry, give it a go! I did and I’m absolutely loving it.
Reading, watching, or listening to anything good?
Reading: Mythos by Stephen Fry — Such an enjoyable and captivating take on the Greek myths. I particularly enjoyed Stephen Fry’s narration of Pandora’s Box in the audiobook. His voice is great because it reminds me of all the Harry Potter audio books that were such a massive part of my childhood.
Watching: The Mandalorian — I’m absolutely loving it, mostly because I’m a massive Star Wars fan, but also because I’m loving the direction that Jon Favreau has taken the series.
Listening: The One You Feed — This podcast offers brilliant open-minded discussions on meditation, habit-building, mental health, psychology and philosophy.
What do you do to relax and create time for yourself?
I absolutely love to exercise and sport is a massive part of my life. It’s been difficult doing team sport with the pandemic presenting new barriers to this, but I’ve really been enjoying my running and cross-country. That said, I am looking forward to getting back out on the pitch!
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