Hey there!

Did you miss receiving this newsletter over the last few weeks? I’m flattered and appreciative.

I’m just gonna cut right to the chase with a very important update about this newsletter. Here it is.

Capital J will be shifting from a weekly newsletter to a monthly newsletter (yes, we’re happy about it). 🥳 

Newsletters are one of my favorite mediums for connecting with others online. I love writing this little newsletter every week and giving you little tidbits about my venture capital journey, and even highlighting startups that are raising.

And, of course, no two weeks look the same for me. Some weeks are chock full of events, pitch meetings, calls with founders, good reads, and VC learning experiences. Other weeks I lay low to replenish my mental bandwidth — usually by scrolling social media — and it sometimes feels like I don’t have much to offer during those weeks. But this isn’t a newsletter where I share whatever new mocktail recipes I come up with and talk about the viral TikToks I scrolled through that week (though, I could if you want me to 👀).

I’ve decided that I can provide the most value in this newsletter when I can just let myself accumulate all my experiences and learnings over the course of a month and divulge them all in one thorough email. 🧠

Plus, I’m just one person working a full-time job, interning at an investment firm, applying to jobs, doing podcast things, and squeezing in a multitude of phone calls and meetings as I go along. (I’m equal parts exhausted and excited just writing that sentence!)

My schedule will finally get some relief when I finally get a full-time offer at a VC firm (✨manifesting it every single day✨) and don’t have to apply to jobs and work an internship after an 8-hour workday. Also, I’ll have way more learnings and news once I enter a full-time role.

So maybe I’ll transition back to this being a weekly newsletter when that happens. But until then, I hope you’ll be just as excited about my once-a-month emails.

So here it goes.

Accomplishments from August

• I sourced a handful of new startups through a virtual University Plug and Play session I attended. I’m excited to bring them into my team’s deal flow pipeline.

• I made a market map of the creator economy after an energizing call with a founder who’s building in the space.

• Got to connect with the amazing co-founder of VC Unleashed, Tanvi Lal.

• Not VC related but I did get to travel for my day job. ✈️ Washington DC was great and I can’t wait to go back!

• I finally took the leap to begin sharing my insights and advice on the VC industry on LinkedIn. This one is huge for me since a goal of mine this year has been to become more of a voice in the world and this summer I had to come to terms with the fact that I’ve been harboring a fear of being seen/perceived.

• I began reading Venture Deals by Brad Feld (and got some great recommendations from my mentor, Alex!) 📚

• I recorded an episode for my soon-to-launch Venture to the Top podcast with the fabulous Natalie Neptune (aka, The Group Chat Queen 👑)

Things to think about

As we move into September, there have been a few things that came to mind for me in terms of building a thoughtful career experience—whether you’re a founder, VC, or operator.

• One factor for success that I never hear mentioned is that you need a high tolerance for conflict — whether you’re a startup founder, a VC, an emerging fund manager, small business owner, or even an employee working your way up the corporate ladder. And I don’t just mean conflict in the sense of having arguments. There will ALWAYS be something you have to handle: changing policies and algorithms, mental health, tech hiccups, and sometimes even the problems that come up for the people on your team. Being able to meet those challenges, solve or work around them, and learn from those experiences is so crucial when it comes to your success.

• This is a little cliche at this point but it’s worth repeating: Use September to be very intentional about what opportunities you decide to say yes to. But also use it to evaluate whether or not you’re being intentional about your current obligations. What else can you get out of what you’re currently doing? Are there any new goals you can create that you didn’t previously think about?

Are you a founder looking for an investor? Submit your startup here and I’ll make an intro!

Coming up…

A friend of mine is hosting an end of summer yacht social for emerging fund managers, investors, and founders.

We set sail from 📍NYC on 📅 Sunday, September 10!

There’s still time to grab your tickets! 🎟️ https://shorturl.at/fhnzD 

💰 Jake Lefker and Inicio Ventures are launching the inaugural cohort of the AngelPath Academy.

If you’re a grad student or mid-career professional who’s always wanted to learn more about angel investing, this curriculum is designed to help you learn and put those learnings into practice.

The deadline to submit your application is approaching. 📅

Applications close Sept. 3 https://shorturl.at/krE35 

Raising right now

Hubbub

WingDriver

DeskSides

(let me know if you’d like an intro to any of the above founders!)

🌟 🌟 🌟

That’s all for right now. I’ll catch you back here at the end of September!

—Jasmin, Founder & EIC of Capital J