Paige Finn DohertyFounding Partner, Behind Genius · Founding Partner at Behind Genius Ventures

Mac Conwell's Instrumental Investors #venturecapital #shorts

15 Aug 2022 · 1 min

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In this short interview, Mac Conwell (Speaker B) answers a question about the people who have been instrumental in his venture‑capital journey. He names several key figures—Charles Hudson, Marlon Nichols of Shore Capital, Elizabeth Yen of Hustle Fund, and Vlad, a former leader of Foot Locker’s corporate venture arm now at Main Street Capital Partners. Conwell highlights the personal and professional support they provided, noting how Elizabeth Yen became a close friend after an initial fund‑commitment call, and how Vlad, a fellow member of his Kaufman class, personally encouraged him to pursue venture capital. The excerpt underscores the importance of mentorship, early investor backing, and the formation of lasting relationships within the VC ecosystem.

Chapters

Who in your journey has been instrumental in giving you those pushes, and what was the advice that they shared with you?
Charles Hudson's been really instrumental and somebody I can go to for things. Marlon Nichols as well, from Shore Capital. Elizabeth Yen from Hustle Fund, who was one of the first GPs to commit money to my fund on our first call ever. And now she's like legitimately A good friend, which is crazy. Like I met her on Twitter. Like now she's a friend. Vlad, who helped launch Foot Locker's corporate venture arm, is now at Main Street Capital Partners. Vlad, you know, he's a black guy from New York who's a GP of a billion-dollar fund. And you know, he was—he's a Kaufman. You know, he's in my Kaufman class, and he's one of the guys who pulled me aside and told me like, "You know, you do this."