From Allyship to Social Capital to Data and Politics, here are 30 insights I’ve learned from my years spent working in venture capital and entrepreneurship. First, the Big Picture You might have heard: Companies founded solely by women receive less than 3% of venture capital dollars. Between 2021 and 2022, the percentage actually went…

You’re on a journey. You’re going somewhere. Some of us are building startups or organizations, others are designing programs or careers. But I often sense that many of us get caught chasing after a future goal as if we are in a marathon, where the everyday becomes routine. For others…

If you’re interested in becoming a founder, investor, or even just exploring the startup ecosystem hoping to find a role that fits like a glove, you’re going to need to build a network. …

“Even when it’s not pretty or perfect. Even when it’s more real than you want it to be. Your story is what you have, what you will always have. It is something to own.” -Michelle Obama Becoming In the first edition of Notion Impact, I focused on how our core…

There is no prototype. Just be YOU. — Two roads diverged in a wood, and I — I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference. ~ Robert Frost The topic of identity has been stuck in my mind for many months. Prompted by my own years-long self-discovery and countless office hours with…

As published on Techstars.com (Feb, 21, 2021) When I went to graduate school at George Washington University, I studied the intersection of developmental economics, international education, and marginalized populations around the world, with an emphasis on startup ecosystems. Fast forward several years and I found myself at Techstars, reflecting on…

In today’s tight job market, it is no secret employers are struggling to attract the right talent to remain competitive in their industry. Yet, in the midst of this shortage many populations remain largely marginalized from fully participating in the labor force, including aging seniors, people with disabilities, youth, and…

The apprenticeship career pathway, once confined to skilled labor, is making a comeback in white collar professions and can be an effective way for employers to engage young adults with disabilities while diversifying their workforce. By the same token, successful apprenticeships require stakeholder engagement between employers, educators, and local government…

You might have heard the saying, “people are hired for hard skills and fired for soft skills.” Soft skills such as interpersonal relationships, stress management, self-confidence, perseverance, and teamwork, may seem obvious to many of us who have spent decades in the workforce, but for a young adult with a…