Next Play Perspectives

Meet Next Legacy Partners. While many members of both the Next Play and Legacy Venture communities are aware by now, the start of 2023 has been an eventful one for both firms. Having joined forces, Next Legacy now stands poised to deliver lasting impact and superior returns to our partners.   Next Play Founder Ryan Nece and Legacy Founder Russ Hall join a conversation with Next Legacy Venture Partner Hunter Hillenmeyer to discuss the rationale and the goals behind the formation of Next Legacy. They also dive into the current state of VC, a trip down memory lane to the founding of each firm in 1999 and 2014, and a glance out towards the goals for the future. The conversation also provides more color into how and why funds of funds exist than has ever been shared in this format.   While Next Legacy Perspectives is usually about sharing the brave exploits of our broader community, this momentous occasion felt worth celebrating through this quick acknowledgement of all the hard work that made Next Legacy possible. Here's to the next 25 years!  

Next Play is no stranger to serving the needs of athletes, but when Oren Gabriel and Next Play Founder Ryan Nece first discussed the challenge facing athletes as they transition beyond the world of sports, both of them saw an opportunity.    NextPlayU is the product of that brainstorm. Oren and his talented co-founders have been building a platform to help athletes, both college and professional, find success in their careers beyond the world of sports. Oren's journey as a founder is a fantastic story and one that is very close to home for the Next Play team. Tune in to hear about the exciting vision of NextPlayU and the ways they hope to support this underserved, but hyper-competent talent pool as they transition from sports into the workforce.

While immigration is a polarizing topic in the US, Welcome Tech and their vision to become the digital Ellis Island somehow manage to rise above the politics. Amir Hemmat, Welcome Tech's founder, explains that if you think of a country like a company, attracting the best talent and then creating ideal conditions for their success is a no brainer. This is Welcome Tech's mission.   With millions of immigrants in the United States now leveraging the Welcome Tech platform, the company is well on its way. In this conversation, Amir digs into the many reasons why a company like Welcome Tech needs to exist, including why the government itself is not well positioned to serve immigrants this comprehensively. Regardless of your stance on immigration, Amir's no-nonsense views on how to empower immigrants to contribute and thrive in a new country will have you nodding in agreement. Check it out, and let us know what you think.

Harry and his teammates at Mill do not look like your typical early stage startup. For one, they come with a pedigree from some of the most iconic tech companies ever, names like Apple, Google, and Nest. He and Mill Co-Founder Matt Rogers have been in the trenches together, most notably building Nest from $0 to more than $1B in annual revenue, culminating in their acquisition by Google.   Startups that include hardware + software scare many VCs. The added complexity and working capital requirements are just a few reasons to validate those fears. Harry articulates wonderfully both the "why" behind Mill's bold vision and the ways that their experienced team gives them an unfair advantage. Mill's vision to "outsmart waste" by equipping families everywhere to keep food waste out of landfills, and even from becoming waste in the first place, will inspire listeners to be a part of solving what Harry describes as the "dumbest climate problem," the fact that nearly 10% of the total greenhouse gas problem comes from wasted food sitting landfills.   Mill is coming out of stealth now and is ready to share their vision with the world.

Most venture-funded startup founders begin their journeys with grand ambitions from the outset. Such was not the case with Natalie, who started Babylist in 2011 to improve upon her own experience setting up a baby registry while expecting her first child. Now almost a dozen years later, she has both a tween and a company who are maturing rapidly.    From those humble beginnings Natalie turned her side hustle into a force in online commerce, where Babylist now manages a registry for nearly half of expecting parents in the U.S. Her lessons learned and plans for future growth will inspire anyone who has a side project that they dream could one day become their main thing. Her personal growth, from engineer & expecting mother into CEO, and the growth of Babylist from side hustle to juggernaut, both offer models for personal and professional development that the rest of us can follow.

Chase Griffin is a quarterback at UCLA and perhaps the most pioneering NIL athlete in college sports. Despite having not yet regularly started at QB for UCLA, Chase has more brand partnerships than many of the best known names in the college game.    Whether you love the new world of college sports where athletes can monetize their Name, Image, and Likeness or you think this new dynamic has ruined the game, you will be inspired by the story of Chase Griffin. His marketability has as much to do with his personality and his values as it does with the strength of his arm or the caliber of his play. Is Chase a model for the future of college sports or an anomaly amidst the transition of college athletics from amateur game to professional farm league? Hear about his journey to decide for yourself.

Matt Pohslon has spent the last decade innovating on what it means to serve non-profits. Omaze, a for-profit company that raises money for great causes by offering once-in-a-lifetime experiences, has a mission grounded in going beyond raising awareness to making huge impacts (and raising lots of money) for the causes it supports.   Matt and Omaze are well on their way, but it hasn't been a straight line. Omaze has continued to evolve its business. Matt himself suffered a near death experience that precipitated a huge change in the Omaze model. Hear from this inspiring founder who is blurring the lines between capitalism and the nonprofit world in the best possible way.

Wes started FPV with co-founder Pegah Ebrahimi with one goal in mind: to back truly exceptional founders who are attacking a problem "they've been thinking about their whole life." Wes knows what a successful founder looks like. His track record as an investor at both Felicis and Google Ventures (now GV) speaks for itself. On top of that, his experience leading product teams at Google, including Analytics and Voice, gives him both the insights and scar tissue to spot the best builders before it is obvious that they will succeed. Whenever a manager "spins out" of a more established firm, they are trading security for opportunity. Hear Wes discuss why he and Pegah felt like now was the right time to start FPV and how they plan to work with founders in the years to come.

Andrew Brandt knows the business side of sports about as well as anyone. He followed up a career as an agent by joining the Packers in 1999 to negotiate player contracts and manage the cap. He is now a blogger, ESPN expert, professor and leader of the Moorad Center for sports law at Villanova, and podcaster. He was an insider for some of the most definitive moments of the modern NFL, including the decision to take Aaron Rodgers with a 1st round pick in the 2005 NFL Draft despite having future Hall of Famer and NFL ironman Brett Favre at quarterback.   Hear Andrew relive some of these stories from the inside, get his perspective on how to get a job in sports, and listen to Andrew's philosophy that any job should be looked at as a chapter and not a career, especially if your current job has an expiration date, like playing pro sports. Andrew is experienced enough to cut through all the industry BS, yet real enough to stay in sync with the humanity of sports. Enjoy his reflections on this week's podcast and follow him on Twitter @AndrewBrandt to see for yourself.

Many incredible people in this world recognize a need and conceptualize founding a company, but very few bring their ideas to life. After noticing the impact that Breast Cancer Awareness has in only one month of the year, Jake Kloberdanz set out to create something that gives back every single day. He and seven other cause-minded entrepreneurs founded ONEHOPE in 2007 with the mission to “share wine and give hope”. Today, ONEHOPE is one of the largest direct-to-consumer wineries in the world, and proceeds of their award-winning wines have allowed ONEHOPE to donate over $8 million to local and global causes including access to clean water, hunger relief, health research, and education.    Since launching ONEHOPE in 2007, Jake has successfully raised more than $75 million to help grow the brand from zero to over 1.5 million bottles a year, and build a flagship vineyard, home and winery from the ground up in the heart of Napa. In this episode, Jake shares headwinds and tailwinds of starting a business, realities of fundraising, and the absolute essentials to keeping your business successful (spoiler: relationships, brand and hard work). Tune in to learn more!

Colleen Cutcliffe, co-founder and CEO of Pendulum Therapeutics, is leading the charge on helping humanity live better, healthier, and longer lives. She does this through her study of the microbiome – what other scientists and doctors now know drives nearly every avenue of our bodies (think: cognition, aging, metabolism,  Alzheimer's and Parkinson's). By creating a product that has the efficacy of a drug but safety of a probiotic, Pendulum Therapeutics has become the next generation health company with an entirely new thing – a medical probiotic. Pendulum is backed by Mayo Clinic, Meritech Capital, Sequoia Capital, Khosla Ventures and True Ventures, to name a few. Colleen's impressive background includes a Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Microbiology from Johns Hopkins University, but she shares that her role as a mother is what ultimately led her to co-found Pendulum Therapeutics. Listen in to hear Colleen's favorite sports moment (her bit on sports is phenomenal!), to learn what “leaky gut” is and how to fix it, and how to discover if you are aging healthy or not.

Jonathan Harris has had a bit of the Midas touch when it comes to hardware technology businesses. Major roles at GoPro, Roku, and Jawbone prior to Molekule all made it apparent that Jonathan knew the industry and knew what a winner looked like. Yet, he is quick to acknowledge that Molekule represents a lot of firsts for him. Jonathan spoke of his past companies, an iconic trio, as "nice to haves." What separates Molekule, in his mind, is its lofty mission: to provide clean air to everyone, everywhere.   When you hear Jonathan talk about leadership at Molekule, it begins to make sense why he was tapped in the summer of 2021 as the growth CEO for this rapidly growing company. Among his most important lessons: always listening - to customers, to employees, and to the market. Despite being only a few quarters into the job, Jonathan speaks with a long-term focus. Tune in to hear what he means by "capping the pyramid" as one key to building enduring organizations and products. Other topics include how to hire (and fire), how to present problems to colleagues, and how to build accountability into an organization. Enjoy.

Hannah Gordon did not grow up in a football obsessed family - her grandad once asked her why people always found linemen to be so "offensive." Despite the lack of early grooming, Hannah has become one of the top power brokers in the NFL as the Chief Administrative Officer and General Counsel of the San Francisco 49ers.    Hannah's conversation with Ryan Nece covers many hot NFL topics such as diversity & equity, cannabis, and gambling. She also shares some of her thoughts on work life balance (a term she frustratedly points out is most commonly applied to women) and team building. She says every team member needs work ethic, intelligence, and integrity, but that one of these stands above the rest as the most important. Check out this week's conversation to learn which trait she thinks is the single biggest must-have for any great teammate, in sports or in business.

Aydin was an unlikely candidate to build one of the fastest growing venture funds of the last decade. Almost entirely a product person at iconic companies like Google, Aydin has parlayed a $4M angel investing start into a platform that just raised an impressive $900M fund. His conversation with Next Play Partner Hunter Hillenmeyer takes a deep dive into their path to success.    He names empathy for founders as a bedrock conviction that has allowed Felicis to invest an some of today's most iconic tech companies. Their formula: risk taking & conviction while playing to their unique strengths as a firm. Aydin is also the first guest on the pod to recommend a book written by an athlete. Listen now to see whose book he “can't wait to read for a third time" with his kids.

Ross Tucker's childhood dream was to write for Sports Illustrated. When he got the chance to do just that after a successful career in the NFL, Ross earned the chance to be very purposeful about his next steps in media. The result is a career that spans podcasting, play by play, radio, and even his own recruiting business. Just don't call it work.   Ross is a rare example of a superfan turned insider who retains the perspective of how lucky someone is to get paid to do something they love. Ross's conversation with Next Play's Hunter Hillenmeyer covers his sports career, his business career, and how a bias towards action can take you far in life.

Founder, investor, and now champion for under-resourced entrepreneurs through Google for Startups. These are a few of the many hats worn by Jewel Burks Solomon. Jewel's conversation with Next Play founder Ryan Nece goes deep on her breadth of experience. This 3x Google employee talks about what she's learned in her several roles at the company, how they have helped her in her subsequent roles, and what she is trying to accomplish now.    Jewel shares some great insight on topics such as the evolving role of HBCUs in the tech world, Atlanta as a center of industry, and what people should be trying to get out of an internship. Hint: her first stint at Google started as an intern. Tune in for a great perspective on the plight of a diverse entrepreneur who has paved the way for many more to follow in her very large footsteps!

There aren't many 32 year olds in VC with stronger pedigree than Nikhil Basu Trivedi. He moved to Silicon Valley at the age of 13 and worked his way up through the ranks at Insight Partners and Shasta Ventures, where he refined his craft and revealed a knack for finding and winning competitive deals with great founders. This podcast is a must-listen for anyone considering starting their own VC fund. Nikhil has just started Footwork with his partner, Mike Smith, anchored by many of the best investors in the world.    Nikhil shares their roadmap for Footwork. Why now? What stage companies should they invest in? What industries? What core values should drive the firm? The conversation offers insights both for how to get started on laying out the framework for a new fund, but it also reveals the level of thought and planning required to "build a firm, not a fund." We're betting on Footwork becoming one of the next great names in Silicon Valley lore. Check out this conversation with Nikhil Basu Trivedi to see if you agree.

Next Play has many athletes as members of our unique community. Usually their story adds up. Where and how they grew up makes their path to stardom in football or basketball seem plausible. Such is not the case with Blaine Scully. How does a multi-sport star in California high school sports go on to become one of the United States' most decorated rugby stars ever? And, no, rugby was not one of his sports in high school.    In this episode of Next Play Perspectives, Blaine takes us on his journey to finding the game of rugby and shows us how nichier sports like this in America tend to draw participants with an intrinsic love of the game. Blaine's rugby journey took him all over the globe. He is now in the first inning of his second career, starting a family, and exploring where his next intrinsic passions lie.

Greg Sands has his fingerprints all over the Silicon Valley we know today. As the first head of product at Netscape, Greg helped build the foundation of the original internet boom. As a partner at Sutter Hill and now Founder of Costanoa, Greg continues to work with founders to build industry defining platforms.    His conversation with Ryan Nece covers the gamut. What is Greg most excited about from an investing perspective today? What motivates him, or people in general, to show up and give great effort every day? You'll hear Greg use the word "values" about a dozen times in this interview. Hear him explain what values mean to his firm, to his family, and to all the people he works with.

Eric has worked at IVP for over decade. In that time, he has risen to be one of the true alpha generators of this storied VC firm that has a 43.1% IRR over their 39 year history and tens of billions in cumulative assets under management. Eric and Ryan cover a wide range of topics. No softball questions in this one: is tech in another bubble? How does IVP sustain returns even as their fund sizes continue to get bigger and bigger?    That last question, in particular, creates dialogue about investment selection, how VCs in general and IVP specifically try to add value to the companies they support, and even the true definition of expertise (and how experts make it look so easy that it allures us mere mortals into underestimating how hard some tasks may truly be). Lots of wisdom to unpack in this conversation. Tune in.

Morgan has packed a lot into her young career. After spending her "first inning" at Andreessen Horowitz, Morgan went on to join Medium and then help launch Libra at Facebook. This deep dive into the crypto world has now become a fulcrum for a good deal of her investment focus in her role as the newest partner at NƒX Ventures.    Morgan has a unique vantage point on where hype meets real substance in the crypto world because she was leading the largest effort in that domain at one of the largest, and arguably the most powerful, companies in the world. Hear her describe the challenges of being entrepreneurial inside a big company, why "the regulators can become the product managers," and yet, despite that, why and how huge tech companies can still incentivize innovation and motivate great teams in unique ways.   This episode is a great listen for anyone wanting to learn more about crypto. Is it real? What use cases will drive mass adoption? Morgan has strong opinions on all of this.

A must-listen for athletes and founders, this week's podcast delves into the sports and professional career of Angela Ruggiero. SIL is part research organization, part branding agency, and part software company, helping companies and sports properties to better understand their fans. Angela sits at the helm of SIL, a company she created after seeing a gap in the market during her tenure in various leadership roles for the International Olympic Committee. Prior to her business career, Angela played hockey for four Olympic teams and received just about every accolade you could decorate a US-born female hockey player with.   Her conversation with Next Play partner Hunter Hillenmeyer includes insights into why so many athletes struggle after their sports careers end and what can be done to change this dynamic. Angela believes it starts with cultivating passions outside of sports long before retirement. She also compares and contrasts how the sports world and the corporate world stack up in terms of knowing their customers and evaluating talent. Let's just say both industries could learn plenty from the other.

John Vrionis looks, on paper, like many other VCs - educated at Harvard, University of Chicago, and Stanford GSB - mentored by founders of funds like Benchmark, Kleiner Perkins, and Sequoia. Yet, for all the ways John might seem "normal" for a VC, this conversation focuses on all the ways he is different. As the name implies, Unusual Ventures celebrates their differences. John gives a granular look at many of the behaviors and values that make his firm unusual in this candid chat with Next Play founder Ryan Nece. His background as a hard-charging soccer player results in his penchant for quick hitting one liners to explain his core values. Phrases like, "if you're comfortable, you're not learning," and, "he who chases two rabbits catches neither," provide a glimpse into the wealth of experience this seasoned investor has for any founder or VC looking to break into the world of venture capital and startups.

Materials companies are not generally the first industry that comes to mind when you think about venture capital darlings. But don't tell that to Carbice founder, Bara Cola. Hear Bara describe the unique ways that Carbice has leveraged carbon nanotubes to create a material that sounds almost magical in its potential to serve customers in industries like semiconductors, automotive, and space travel.   Carbice recently raised a round of funding that sets them on a path to scale production and capitalize on years of research, an impressive collection of patents, and demand from customers in a variety of industries. Current success aside, the story of Carbice has actually been a story of overcoming hardship. For any entrepreneurs out there looking for a masterclass in perseverance, Bara would make a good coach. Tune in to discover the several times when Bara and Carbice could have easily given up. That cauldron has helped make Bara and Carbice what they are today.

Puneet represents a rare combo in a VC. He came into the industry with extensive experience on both the operating side, as a product manager at several startups, and on the finance side in tech investment banking at JP Morgan. As a "both sides of the table" sort of VC, Puneet has a wealth of great insights that reflect his breadth of experience. The founder is the customer (not the other way around). Empathy, adaptability, and authenticity are fundamental characteristics in both investors and founders. Founders should bring a sense of safety, not fear, to the board room and to their teams. There are many more nuggets in this great conversation about the evolving role of a VC. One example, Puneet says young VCs have to learn to trust themselves, whereas more seasoned VCs have to learn to doubt themselves. Just because something didn't work 5 years ago, it doesn't mean it won't work today. Any investor or founder can learn a lot about the industry by dropping in on this conversation. Have a listen.

Eurie and Forerunner have enjoyed a decade of performance that places them at the apex of the VC world. But, as Eurie is quick to explain, the actual investment is more like the "start of an ultra marathon" than a finish line. Eurie and Ryan's conversation covers her path to get into venture, how Forerunner works to give their portfolio companies an unfair advantage, and even how she approaches risk and investing with her own nest egg. Enjoy this wide ranging conversation with a General Partner whose fund has gone from investing out of a $40M first fund to a $500M fifth fund in a time period that saw them invest in an enviable list of excellent startups.

Richard is a Georgetown grad, a school perhaps best known for politics, and he jokes that he chose VC because startups are in some ways the opposite of government, which can be slow and resistant to change.    Equal Ventures prefers to lead Seed and Series A investments in a wide array of industries. Hear Richard share his view on how VCs can have a “prepared mind” and why this preparation can lead to better investing and less wasted time. Tune in for a great “how to” listen from this future star in VC.

One of the traits 645 Ventures looks for most in founders is what they call a "purity of motivation." They seek founders who are intrinsically motivated to solve some problem for reasons that go beyond potential riches or accolades. As early stage investors, 645 Ventures is in the business of investing in companies that can become a huge success before it is obvious that huge success lies in their future. To reduce their errors of omission (saw a great company and chose to pass) and co-mission (invested in a company that failed) Nnamdi and the 645 Ventures team focus their evaluation around what they call "early predictable performance metrics."   This week's Next Play Perspectives podcast unpacks and demystifies the process for early stage investing that can sometimes look to outsiders like someone throwing darts at a dart board. Enjoy this thoughtful conversation that really dives into the "how" of venture investing, including the ways in which 645 looks to support their companies after they have invested.

New York born, Portland, Oregon raised, Talia brings a "first principles" mindset to everything, whether that is creating her own major at Penn, her approach to venture investing, or what she looks for in a founding team. Talia fits right in with the Next Play crew as a self professed fitness junkie, and she sees many parallels between athletes and founders, starting with the simple truism, "Practice makes perfect."   Talia brings a wealth of good advice for founders and investors alike. She is experienced enough to have enjoyed the highs and lows of VC investing, but young enough to relate to most founders. In fact, she is the youngest partner ever at the oldest VC firm in existence. Quite a claim to fame!

Stephanie invests around a core thesis focusing on how technology affects how we live, work, and play. Her conversation with Next Play founder Ryan Nece covers a lot of ground, including her current investment focus areas, her favorite hobbies (travel, yoga), how to win competitive deals (have good references), why VCs need psychology degrees, and much more.   Wanna know how Stephanie has two biological children 14 days apart in age? Hint: it does not involve adoption. Check out this week's podcast to hear her unique story.

Jessica is a woman on a mission. Uncharted began as a modest, playful way to address the power insecurity of the developing world, with a soccer ball that could be used to charge and run household devices. While they remain a scrappy upstart in the broader landscape of global energy, she has put luminaries like Elon Musk on notice that she is coming for them. Now focused on energy infrastructure, Jessica and Uncharted hope to disrupt an industry long in need of more innovation.     An inventor at heart, Jessica says, "entrepreneurship is ultimately problem solving without regard for resource." She will need all of that resourcefulness with the ambitious plans Uncharted has laid out. Learn more about their plans on this week's Next Play Perspective's conversation.

Aileen Lee would be near the top of any short list of the most influential women, and people, in VC. After 13 years at Kleiner Perkins, Aileen struck out on her own, founding seed stage firm Cowboy Ventures, which has invested in many eventual unicorns, a term Aileen actually coined in her famous NYT article.    Her conversation with Next Play Founder Ryan Nece explores many of the ways she has felt like an outsider in VC. Her gender is the most obvious, but she also confesses to sometimes feeling like a "guppy swimming with sharks." She's found her swim lane enough to now feel more like a dolphin, not less than, just different.   Aileen also shares some insight on where Cowboy is investing these days, and why they increasingly love "un-sexy" businesses, especially those that build software for businesses that rely on archaic systems and infrastructure. Aileen is full of actionable pearls of wisdom that apply to many walks of life. This great friend of Next Play does it all with a humility that almost makes it hard to appreciate just how accomplished she really is.

Following a career in product at Intuit, Brian has been at Venrock for 22 years. While the VC industry has changed a great deal in that time, Brian's approach has not. He invests in founders by building trust first. That trust, he says, is a prerequisite to adding value, offering feedback, making intros, or anything else.     Brian explains why Venrock thinks "pattern recognition" can lead to bad decision making, but details how many of their investing theses build out as "franchises" around one or a few successful prior investments.  Taking it a step further than "adding value," Brian and his Venrock colleagues strive to be an entrepreneur's first call - his or her first call with a problem, with something to celebrate, with a question, or maybe, eventually, with another great idea for a business or an intro to another founder.

Three time founder, two acquisitions, one IPO – Josh Kopelman then decided to try his hand at investing to help other founders navigate their own journeys. The result is one of the best brands in VC, regularly stocking the Midas List, leading in rankings of entrepreneurs favorite VCs, and regularly producing top decile returns. First Round Capital is one of the most heavily access restricted VC funds on the planet and one of the most sought after investors by founders trying to build the next big thing.   Josh is a wealth of thoughtful, candid reflections on why First Round always seems to do things their own way. Most funds with their track record would now be raising $1B+ funds and leading mega rounds to further exploit their impressive portfolio of high growth companies. First Round chooses to focus on what they do best, helping startups navigate their first 24 months of existence.  Listen to Josh explain why they choose to focus – and why they expect that same tunnel vision in their founders. 

 Tristan Walker always knew he had it – but having the ability, or the potential, or even the ambition isn't always enough when you are black kid from the projects. What started as a chip on his shoulder to prove he could make it, get rich, and overcome long odds to success has evolved into much more. Those early dreams were all accomplished by age 30, and this founder and CEO now has different motivations.    He runs Walker and Company, a health & beauty company focused on people of color, which was acquired by Proctor & Gamble. He also sits on two public company boards (Foot Locker and Shake Shack), has a family, and spends much of his time trying to lead or inspire others with the example he sets. He is clear and deliberate about his values and in his desire to do business and share life with people who share those values. As an investor, he's shifted from accumulation to preservation, and mostly now supports people or projects he wants to see succeed in the world. Enjoy this conversation that journeys into the mind and ethos of this authentic leader.

Natasha Watley knows what it takes to be a success. This four time All-American softball player at UCLA went on to win two medals as the first black woman on the US National Team. She played professionally in both the US and Japan where she was a fixture on the All-Star team, but her passion nowadays is on the ways she can impact the next generation. She has inspired many young women of color, once a rarity in the game of softball, to play and excel in the game, and she is currently an assistant coach for the US National Team.  This week's podcast is a  case study into the way one of the best to ever play the game of softball approached her craft on a daily basis, and how those same habits have carried over into her post-sports career.

Managing Director of Precursor Ventures, Charles Hudson has decades of experience in Silicon Valley. This candid conversation with Next Play Founder Ryan Nece focuses both on Precursor's investment philosophy and on broader changes that need to happen in the VC industry.   Amongst those changes, hear why Charles thinks some of the old school habits, even the ones that have worked well, are responsible for some of the systemic lack of diversity in VC. A huge sports fan, Charles also discusses the ways that elite athletes exhibit behaviors that all startup founders should seek to emulate. Charles' advice is remarkably consistent for founders and VCs alike: focus on your strengths and find your superpower to pursue excellence.

The skillset of a startup founder and that of a public company CEO are oftentimes very different. Thus, it is rare that one CEO will lead a company throughout this journey. Sprout Social founder, Justyn Howard started the company in 2009. More than a decade later, Justyn is almost a year into his stint as the CEO of a public company. In fact, all four founders still work for the company.   Hear about Justyn's journey and how the future might be even brighter in this unique founder's story. Justyn also offers candid thoughts on how to lead as an introvert, the risk profile of a business owner, and why his favorite hobby outside of work is, well, work.  

Pro skateboarder was once considered a fringe sport for outsiders. When Mikey first picked up a skateboard, this was the case. Fast forward several decades, skateboarding has exploded in popularity, and the business opportunities for the sport's elite have grown along with it. Mikey has been both a symptom and a cause of this trend. His brand, identity, and priorities have evolved during this time as well.    Hear Mikey discuss the business of skateboarding, the ways in which he has built passive income for himself and other athletes of a similar mindset, and how his purpose has evolved to fit his passion both as a boarder and an investor.

Mark has been an entrepreneur and professional investor for most of his adult life. His perspective on investing and the founder journey is flavored by an empathy for the difficulty that starting a company entails but also enthusiasm for how amazing it can be when everything ultimately goes right.    There is lots in this podcast for both entrepreneurs and aspiring VCs. Mark offers his perspective on what it means to be entrepreneur friendly. He divulges how VC firms reward top performers and provide a feedback loop for underperformers as well. He shares the investing themes he is currently excited about but also reveals how those themes tend to emerge across the firm. In a role he describes as "half psychologist and half bartender," Mark also talks about portfolio construction when he feels "every company is gonna be the next Google" at the time of investment.

Christian Ponder is no stranger to success. Yet, this candid conversation delves more into his struggles than his highlight reel. Christian's vulnerability and reflectiveness around what drove him to success, but also what ultimately held him back, exposes a realness not often seen in a superstar.  Christian shares insight on his faith, questions around his identity as he left the game of football, self doubt, and how he is cultivating a new passion by diving into the world of entrepreneurship. His story will hit home with anyone looking for inspiration to have the courage to be vulnerable.

Ryan Darnell has a fascinating story from college athlete, to working on Kenny Chesney's rum company, to starting a VC firm. Max Ventures is an early stage fund that focuses mostly on NYC and the Nordics, specifically Sweden. Hear Ryan talk about why this unique geographic focus has been a winning formula and how they have approached growth as they embark upon Fund III.    Ryan's thoughtful approach to VC has allowed him to back some of the hottest startups in NYC. Any aspiring VCs will find his advice helpful on the chicken & egg challenge of track record vs. raising capital.

Vernon Davis has worn many hats. He is one of the fastest tight ends to ever put on an NFL uniform. He collected Super Bowl trophies and Pro Bowl accolades. He is also an artist, an avid curling fan, and a successful investor.   As an investor Vernon has had some huge hits in franchising and startup investing, but he has also learned some tough lessons about trusting the wrong people to manage his wealth. This week's Next Play Perspectives podcast delves into all of these topics and more.

After a storied college football career at Notre Dame, Rick Mirer was the #2 pick in the NFL Draft and the Rookie of the Year in his first season. From there, he went on to play for seven NFL teams over twelve seasons. Rick credits this exposure to so many different teams, playbooks, and cultures for his knack for building relationships in his life since he retired in 2004.  Rick is now the owner of Mirror Wines, a business he has been cultivating for the last decade. Their Napa Valley wine is poured at some of the nicest restaurants in the country. Rick and Ryan's conversation covers the wine business, personal investing, plenty of football, and much more.

Do you know many NCAA football players who major in mechanical engineering? That anomaly is just the tip of the iceberg in the many ways that Zane Beadles defies stereotypes and carves his own path through life. Hear this thoughtful recently retired NFL trench warfare specialist share his mentality on and off the field. From blocking for Peyton Manning to protecting his family's nest egg from unforeseen risks, the themes that guide Zane outlook and philosophy remain remarkably consistent. 

Brendon Ayanbadejo grew up in the housing projects of Chicago. Yet, even today, he reflects on the formative lessons he learned in those tough, early years in orienting him to achieve all manners of success. Brendon is a Super Bowl Champion, a 3x Pro Bowler, and one of the largest OrangeTheory Fitness franchisees in the country. He doesn't shy away from putting his goals and ambitions out there publicly, instead feeling that his openness on such matters forces him to hold himself accountable and allows others to be inspired by the long odds Brendon has overcome time and again.   Brendon is a pioneer in the LGBTQ community, having used his platform to support equality, and specifically same-sex marriage, dating all the way back to his playing days, which at the time, was rare candor from an active NFL player.    Tune in to hear Brendon talk about his success in building an OrangeTheory fitness empire that dwarfs the wealth generation he saw from being an NFL player. Brendon is sure to inspire you to set big goals and work relentless to achieve them. 

Rhone founder Nate Checketts shares his founding insights into building one of the most successful direct to consumer luxury men's athletic wear brands. Nate dives into time management, balancing entrepreneurship with fatherhood, channeling failure to drive future success, and many more broadly applicable insights.   Nate also offers strong opinions on when to use your gut versus when to lean on data, productivity hacks (hint: busier is better & planning is key), and his tricks for an angel investing track record with an impressively high hit ratio. Nate's impressive résumé comes packaged alongside a values-driven leader for whom financial returns are more of a by-product than a stated goal. 

Mardy Fish played in arguably the most competitive era in the history of men's tennis. Hear Mardy discuss the pros and cons of competing against the likes of Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic on a daily basis. Fish also goes deep on the unique challenges of playing a "quintessentially individual sport" in tennis, especially from the mental aspect of the game. Mardy now spends more of his time working on his golf game than tennis. Hear how golf has helped him scratch his competitive itch and network his way to business success. On the investing side, Mardy offers his advice on how to make enough small mistakes early in life to succeed later. In fact, Mardy credits a large part of his personal and professional success to his ability to move forward from past "misses" and focus on the present, a trait he has seen in many of his friends who excel at their crafts in both sports and business.

Patrick Kerney was one of the most feared pass rushers in the NFL in his prime. Earning record contracts for both the Falcons and the Seahawks, Patrick could easily have sat on his laurels and kicked up his feet post football. Quite the opposite, Patrick has found his next passion building a growing insurance practice while encouraging the next generation of athletes to protect their futures with sound financial decisions and planning. Hear Patrick talk about work ethic, transitioning out of the game, and overcoming adversity amongst many other topics in this candid conversation.

Get inside the head of one of the most accomplished basketball players of her generation. Alana won Championships at every level from high school to the WNBA and even internationally. Hear her reflect on the pros and cons of being a perfectionist with an insatiable drive to win. Alana has recently retired and is now building for her second act, one which involves creating a platform for women, especially female athletes, to gain access to the best deals and investment opportunities in areas like venture capital and franchising.