This week, I was on the 25th episode of Startups Dil Se, hosted Anthony Prakash. I shared my story and how that influences my profession. Enjoy!

I’ve been thinking about this conversation ever since we wrapped.

Quincy Brown has spent nearly three decades at FEG Investment Advisors—advising faith-based, nonprofit, and mission-driven institutions long before those categories were trendy in capital markets.

What stood out to me wasn’t just his longevity. It was his precision.

In a time when conviction often gets confused with compliance—or lost entirely—Quincy made the case that mission and performance are not tradeoffs. You can do both. And you can do it over time.

We talked about how venture capital is becoming a tool for many orgs' “theory of change.” About how the allocator’s job isn’t just building portfolios—it’s building trust across stakeholders. And about how defining diversity should be forward-looking, not check-the-box.

For GPs and LPs navigating what’s next, Quincy offered a calm, deeply credible blueprint for alignment.

I left the episode reminded that enduring relationships still matter. That discipline and creativity aren’t mutually exclusive. And that being early is more than a trend—it’s a responsibility.

I think about storytelling all the time—how we use it to build firms, convey strategy, and earn belief.

Farhan and Dario made me think about it differently.

This episode opened up a deeper lens on what it means to lead with narrative in venture. Farhan’s line—“the best fund builders inspire belief”—echoes in every pitch meeting I’ve sat in. And Dario’s challenge that intentionality is what separates a firm from a fund pushed me to think about Stresswood in sharper terms.

There’s no hype in this episode. Just two thoughtful people trying to do the work right. If you're building something bigger than yourself, this one's for you.

“Venture is about losing with dignity.”

Clare said that early in our conversation, and it reframed how I’ve been thinking about risk.

There’s a kind of grace required to do this work well—to stay principled when the pressure’s on, to make clean decisions instead of hiding behind 'maybe.' Clare models that. Her experience in both founder and GP conversations is full of practical wisdom, but what stood out most was how deeply she values alignment and decisiveness.

This episode is for anyone sitting in the messy middle of fundraising or rethinking what it means to say yes—or no—with integrity.

This conversation felt personal.

Brian’s journey—from launching an AI company in Miami to raising a $2B fund for overlooked GPs—resonated with something I’ve seen again and again: capital often follows comfort, not conviction. And in doing so, it misses talent hiding in plain sight.

His phrase “network bias” is one we all need to wrestle with. Especially in venture, where so many opportunities are filtered through who’s already known, liked, or backed.

But Brian’s not just diagnosing the problem—he’s building the infrastructure to fix it. We talked about what that looks like at the Anchor Fund, and what it means to be a domestic translator in this work.

If you're asking yourself how we invest beyond our own reflection, this one's worth your time.

There’s a quiet skill to building trust in venture, and I left this conversation feeling like we finally got to name it.

Charlotte and Evan don’t just talk about trust—they underwrite it. And in a moment where so many fund managers are trying to stand out with thesis language and GP branding, they reminded me: what endures is clarity, not cleverness.

What hit home most was our discussion on how LPs separate signal from spin. The idea that ego-driven spinouts vs. firm-first builders is still a major fork in the road for many emerging managers. That stuck with me.

And beyond all the tactical takeaways—on LPACs, succession planning, and diligence—I left with a deeper respect for what it means to be real in this work. The funds that last, last because they’re built on aligned relationships, not perfect decks.

In 2008, I was a REIT equity research associate—buried in Excel, listening to earnings calls, and walking the halls of NAREIT conferences in a suit two sizes too big.

Fifteen years later, I’m back—with a different seat, a different lens, and a lot more questions.

Big thanks to Sarah Borchersen-Keto and the NAREIT team for having me on the REIT Report podcast. This was a full-circle moment. I joined them for the first in a three-part miniseries exploring how artificial intelligence intersects with the REIT sector.

We talked about:

• Why “do more with less” is more than a cliché—it’s the operating mandate

• How middle managers are the key to AI adoption

• And why tech shouldn’t be treated as a threat, but as a tool—one that augments human decision-making, not replaces it

This conversation is for anyone leading a real estate platform, asking: Where does AI actually add value—and how do we bring our people along in that process?

Appreciate the chance to connect past and present in a way that feels like alignment, not nostalgia. Excited for parts two and three.

We covered a lot—VC, advisory work, health, faith, family—but the part I keep coming back to is this:

We’re living through a real shift—from knowledge work to wisdom work, from career ladders to layered identities, and from static corporate structures to more dynamic, entrepreneurial plays.

That’s the world I’m building for (and the one I want to help others navigate).

One small example: turning your expertise into advisory income. It’s something every Millennial should know how to do. Your expertise isn’t some distant thing you need to “acquire”—it’s what you already know, what others ask you for help with, and what you can do in your sleep.

Adam and I talked about that—and much more. You can listen to the full episode here: PMF Podcast | From Wall Street to What Matters

And above is a quick clip from our conversation on how to figure out what to sell as an advisor. Also you can check out clips on why I believe you should only focus on competing with yourself and my process for launching a sustainable podcast out of thin air.

Thanks again to Adam for the thoughtful convo—and to those of you who’ve already reached out after listening. More to come.

— eiv

I had never heard of QSBS rollover.

After this LinkedIn Live with Brady Weller, I realized it’s one of the cleanest tools for investors to avoid paying taxes on startup gains—and I’d missed it completely.

It reminded me of 1031 exchanges in real estate. There’s nuance, eligibility rules, and timing considerations—but the strategy is powerful.

This is the kind of tax literacy that should be more common in venture.

Watch the conversation here: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7333900376242302976