Hey, there!

Welcome to my new and improved newsletter. 💫

If there’s one thing I’ve learned during my journey into VC and learning about entrepreneurship it’s that the iterations, changes, and twists and turns are all part of making progress. And that’s not just something I tell myself so I don’t feel silly for launching one thing and then rebranding it a month later…

If you were subscribed to this newsletter from day one, you knew it as Startup Media Girl, where I gave founders advice for getting featured in the media. That was fun but I’ve been feeling inclined toward sharing more of my personal journey into VC.

Part of it is a little selfish. I want to look back at what I’ve been doing and have an easy way to refer back to the lessons I’ve learned along the way.

But the other half is because I’ve always believed in creating content and stories that take the reader on your journey while you’re still on it.

I love a good success story just as much as the next person but I think there’s a ton of value in sharing your learnings as you go along. This way, you don’t forget the major details and solutions and your feelings are still pretty raw so you give an ultra honest look inside what your path has been like.

If you’re a founder or an aspiring VC like me, I hope it’ll make you feel like you have someone to share the ups and downs with who totally gets it. I also hope you’ll stick around for the resources I share and let me know if you’re raising so I can make an intro for you.

And if you’re a current investor, don’t worry, there’s still something here for you, too. I’ll also be sharing deal flow in this newsletter as I continue to meet founders.

So it’s kind of my one-stop-shop for all the things I do in VC. And believe me, I’ve done A LOT in VC in the last 10 months.

If that sounds good to you, then read on for your first bite-sized taste of the new and improved Capital J newsletter.

STAY PLUGGED IN

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3 quick(ish) takes from the Shift VC Conference

Last week, I attended five different events. That’s not necessarily unusual for me (I’ve had numerous weeks in the past where I’m tuning into back-to-back virtual events and leaving the comfort of my Hoboken apartment to rub shoulders with fellow investors over a spot of wine in a plastic cup). But this time, I did make a quick LinkedIn post about my adventures.

When I was entering and building my media career, I had a selection of conferences I would attend every single year without fail. HerConference was my absolute favorite and I dutifully picked out a fun but professional outfit and hobbled into Manhattan in heels to match every single June, ready for both learning opportunities and photo opps from the event. I always walked away having learned a ton of new things and with a refreshed attitude.

I was the queen of conferences in my media career so it only made sense for my self-proclaimed reputation to follow me to the VC world. 👑

So I bought my Shift VC tickets months in advance to make sure I wouldn’t miss my first major VC conference. The event didn’t disappoint!

Overall, I walked away with, like, four new guests for my money and business podcast, calls with some VCs, some much-needed motivation to continue my journey, and 10+ pages of panel notes.

And because I don’t gatekeep, here are 3 of my biggest takeaways from the conference that I’m implementing into my personal VC journey (that you might also find useful for your next chapter):

1. Find partners and funds that gravitate toward unconventional things and unconventional people. My background is extremely unconventional for VC. For one panel on breaking into VC, the panelists went around briefly mentioning how “untraditional” or “diverse” their consulting and MBA backgrounds were and I couldn’t help but think, “if you REALLY wanna see an untraditional in VC, try having a background in media and journalism.” One of my challenges in my journey has been getting investors to see the value I can bring as a journalist. And even though I’ve had some VC investment experience already, it’s often hard for some people to look past my media skills and avoid automatically siloing me and banishing me to their firm’s communications team. I’ve gotten numerous no’s in favor of investors who “more closely fit the background they’re looking for.” I totally get it! I see where they’re coming from. But it can feel discouraging to always be told no. But the good news is that there ARE investors out there who are willing to bet on unconventional people—and who may even come from an unconventional background themselves. Those are the people I need to reach because they may be more likely to see my unique traits as strengths. And I think the same could be suggested for founders who are taking really unconventional approaches to their startups and looking for funding. If you haven’t been having much luck with more “rigid” firms, scour the ones that may be a bit more untraditional.

2. Timing and fit are the most important things when recruiting in VC—but they’re out of your control. Just great…It almost feels like a cruel joke the universe is playing on us. Cynicism aside, this really boils down to two main action items if you’re recruiting: 1) Be vigilant about looking for recently closed funds and open roles, and 2) Be able to convey your personal background and experiences well. I realized that when I tell people about myself, I sometimes leave out big details…like the fact that I launched and grew a media brand when I was 19, I grew up around entrepreneurship thanks to my dad, and I was actually really involved in some of the operations behind my dad’s construction business. Admittedly, I guess I haven’t always nailed my personal story, which can make it harder for people to decide that I’m the right fit for their firm or project. This was super eye-opening.

3. Share your access. I’ve always been the kind of person who’s happy to share opportunities I come across, even when I know that I’m “competing” with someone else for the same opportunity. During my senior year in undergrad when all of my friends and I were looking for media jobs, I created a spreadsheet for logging all of the listings I found and shared it among my friends. In my mind, it would be amazing if one of us got the job. If it wasn’t me, I really wanted it to be one of my friends who I knew worked hard and was dedicated. So I love seeing the same sentiment echoed within VC. Of course, I know not everyone is jumping up all at once to share resources, but I’ve been fortunate enough to have only come across people who are happy to share their learnings, job opportunities, and even deal flow with me. You never know when the favor may be returned to you. It doesn’t hurt to think about ways you can be a resource to others.

And that’s about it for now! I know it’s a lot to consider for a Friday afternoon before a major U.S. holiday, but my inbox is always open if you have comments or want advice.

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That’s all for right now. If you’re loving this newsletter, don’t forget to forward it to a friend who can also use some of these tips.

Catch you in the next one!

—Jasmin, Founder & EIC of Capital J