Best learning as a founder?

In my experience, one of the hardest transitions that a founder has to make is from founder to leader. The shift from delivering momentum through individual heroics, to setting up systems for scale, hiring the best people, and delivering success by empowering your team is not easy, but if done right is incredibly rewarding.

What is your favorite part about working with portfolio companies/entrepreneurs?

Seeing the future through the eyes of our founders.

How do you view your role with portfolio companies?

I view myself as an extension of the team. I hope to be the first call that founders make when they are facing a challenge because they trust that no matter what, we will work together to get to the right outcome. It is also nice to get the first call when celebrating big milestones.

What is one thing you wish more startup founders thought about earlier in their journey?

Values. Documenting authentic values unique to your mission will help ensure that while you are moving fast, everyone is making decisions based on shared and consistent principles.

What’s one piece of advice you tell your portfolio companies when it comes to hiring?

Every new hire should raise the overall average of the company.

I get excited by companies where the founder is/ founders are...

Authentic to the problem they are solving, have a unique insight into the market, and are relentless in their pursuit of building an important company (without compromising integrity).

How did your family shape your views on work?

My parents sacrificed everything to come to America in the early 1980s. They worked hard(er), never made excuses and were thankful along the way. Their work ethic, passion and integrity shapes who I am and the type of founders I want to spend time with.

If you were to write a book, what would it be about?

It would be a comic book about a superhero who could leap tall buildings in a single bound...oh wait, that exists already

Favorite quote or saying?

You cannot swim for new horizons until you have courage to lose sight of the shore.- William Faulkner

What’s one thing people might not know about you?

When I was in high school I had to choose to follow my passion for art or math - I decided on math but can still tell you when 1 pixel is off :)

Meditation or yoga?

Tennis

What makes Redpoint unique?

Every member of the early-stage team is a former operator / founder. The result is that we all play on one team, hustle like entrepreneurs, have empathy for the journey founders are on and can provide guidance to our portfolio companies from both practical and academic viewpoints.

Why I joined Redpoint?

I wanted to learn from and support special founders who want to build important companies.

What industry are you most excited to see evolve and why?

Healthcare. Technology and data are being used to increase access, decrease cost and improve the overall patient experience resulting in meaningfully impacting millions of people.

Favorite part of the job?

I love when I am able to advise a founder through a challenging time that then results in a great outcome.

If you could play a sport/ take a road trip with anyone, who would it be?

I would love to shoot hoops with Larry Bird. I grew up a huge Celtics fan.