Building Our Partnership
I moved to Silicon Valley in 2011 with the intent to learn. My goal was to build a business and I jumped at the chance to immerse myself in tech. Since making that decision, I’ve been able to dig into the inner workings of both startups and venture, first at Readyforce and then First Round Capital. I studied how to create opportunity. I learned what amazing teams and culture look like. I saw what real grit and hustle can do. Most of all, I felt the significance of exceptionally strong community. These experiences have given me an understanding and an incredible hunger to push ahead. To contribute more, to help more, to build more.
Today, I’m thrilled to join Upside Partnership as Head Of Operations to do just that.
Every Founder we back becomes a partner in our fund. We want to accentuate the sense of communal strength and support — the idea that Founders have many partners behind them. Our Partnership is our portfolio. We feel this dynamic is truer to the relationship that should exist between entrepreneurs and investors. That’s why our mission is to become the trusted counsel to Founders and to pursue their bold ideas with them. We are “employees” who have invested for the privilege of supporting an entrepreneur’s vision. When welcome, we’ll pull up a chair alongside Founders to help propel their mission forward. But, we’re not afraid to ask for help as well. We know that we’re smarter together.
In the short time since its founding, Upside Partnership has lived this ethos. But as any Founder knows, values alone are not enough. Execution matters and we can be more impactful. Often, the best people to give entrepreneurs advice are other Founders. As Head Of Operations, I’m eager to foster a greater sense of partnership between Founders. Whether that’s by making more resources and tools accessible, promoting knowledge sharing, advising, or physically bringing people together, I very much look forward to delivering on Upside’s promise.
Our firm is building itself around smaller funds. This allows us to engage with Founders at their most nascent stages. But this also focuses us on our own efficiency. As Head Of Operations, I will also be building the systems that will allow us to identify and support the very best entrepreneurs. I’m honored to take this role on.
We invest in people, not themes. We’ll often ask a founder, “why is this idea important to you?” in hopes of uncovering deep entrepreneurial passion and uncommon insight. Something that shows us that this person is building what they’re meant to build. I’ve been giving this a lot of thought as I begin my new role. To say I’m energized by our Partnership would be an understatement.
Now it’s time to build.
