I am very interested in the venture capital field and I have talked to a few partners at big firms like Sequoia, Khosla ventures, and Lightspeed partners. All the partners that I met were C suite executives of a startup that reached a billion dollar valuation; that the VC funded. And they got picked up from there.
Is their another route? Or will I have to start a billion dollar company to get my dream job?
If this is the wrong forum please move it.
Cordially,
Nick H
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You don't necessarily need to found a company, but it would be helpful to have significant operating experience. Product Manager roles are pretty good feeders for VC, especially at the early stage. If you can't found your own thing but you're a PM at an established tech company or join a startup that does well, that would probably position you best.
Later stage you could make it through more traditional paths like tech banking.
In general VC, especially earlier stages, is all about team, product, product market fit, etc all things that you're much closer to when you're in a tech operating role vs banking or consulting.
Any Idea how hard it is to get a PM role? I have only met one and it was a very short talk. Said he was a nontraditional Economics major. Is it hard to be a PM? Is it the tech equivalent of MD?
PM is a Product Manger not a Portfolio Manager. Basically a PM helps to guide engineers and designers on building software products. PMs can be entry level roles all the way up to heads of product so it varies.
It is hard to get a PM role, most times you need an engineering background.
Anyways all of this stuff is online, do some Googling.
Have a family member that starts a 10 figure company is the next surest way
Strong point
Is that a jab at the Arrillaga family?
HAHA
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