We use the word “network” a lot in conversation. “You have such a great network…” We talk about networks as if they are a singular asset. But thinking about someone’s network as a singular asset both a.) undervalues it and b.) makes it seem like …
Leveraging feedback and generative conflict
I felt a lot of emotions this week (as I’m sure you have, too). I oscillated between anger, frustration, fear, self-doubt, self-preservation, shame, embarrassment… Those cycles were pretty rapid, too. Anger towards the way our society values black lives. Frustration when I feel like people …
People invest in lines, not dots
In startup circles, there is a classic blog post by Mark Suster titled, “Invest in Lines, Not Dots.” Mark is a venture capitalist based in Los Angeles. His point is pretty simple to understand: When mapped on a graph measuring your company performance over time, …
thinking long term
You may have heard of the idea of the “10-year overnight success.” It’s nearly cliché at this point, and yet, I don’t think it’s talked about enough. There is a lot of excitement around the beginnings of something. We are enchanted by the potential of …
How to introduce two people via email
One of my favorite things to do is introduce two people via email. It’s so powerful to bring two people together, knowing that they are going to hit it off and naturally find a way to collaborate. And besides the satisfaction of making a connection, …
be the client you want to see in the world
Between my junior and senior year of college, I decided it was time for me to get some experience in the service industry. Well, to be totally honest, the two (very different) internships I applied for at Bridgewater Capital and MNML Design Studio both fell …
appealing to the discerning eye
As you’ve probably noticed, there’s a lot of noise around us. HEY LOOK OVER HERE CHECK OUT THIS SALE WHAT IF WE PUT AN INFLUENCER BEHIND IT? ARE YOU LOOKING AT ME NOW? In relative terms, this environment is incredibly new to us. The amount …
the case for support
Back in 2014-15, I was busy building and running a ticket marketplace called Tixers. A lot of the time, it was really in-the-weeds and miserable work. Not only was it rough work, but there weren’t a lot of people I could talk to and relate …
going first
I’m really lucky to be in Columbus, Ohio. Having been in one major city for the past nearly 10 years, I’ve been able to dig deeply into different communities here, and create a good name for myself in a handful of circles. Because I pushed …
the hidden risk of taking advice
Make no mistake, one of the most important factors in my life has been mentorship. But there’s a surreptitious risk to mentorship — and it’s when “advice” isn’t really advice. Sometimes, “advice” is really a veil over self-validation. Instead of giving thoughtful, calculated, and unbiased …