| Topic Name: |
Technology vs Finance Experience |
| Message Name: |
Business Background |
| Date Posted: |
01/18/2001 |
| In Reply To: |
One avenue is to sign on to a VC firm as a Venture Partner where you are working more closely with portfolio companies post-investment. This allows you to utilize your skills that have greater currency while giving you time to learn the finance and structuring skills important to becoming a good general partner. A different background or skill set doesn't make a difference if you're building strong companies and generating large returns to your limited partners. |
| Message: |
Actually, as the original author of this note, I've taken a rather circuitous route in my career.
I do indeed have a business background, having done consulting for government tech clients, as well as management consulting. I briefly ran a start-up, and built a marketing organization for emerging technologies. What I lack, however, is formal financial training -- and have little hands on corporate finance work.
While I'm quite strong and broad on IT and Communications technologies, I also do not have a technical degree -- it's all been gained through hands-on work in consulting and in Fortune 100 research.
But what I take is the lesson that 'finance' per se, is the skill that VCs look for... not really the understanding of technology or the business skills I do have?
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