Podcasts about cross culture ventures

When I learned that MaC Venture Capital just raised $150 million for its third fund since 2020, I immediately reached out for an interview with Marlon Nichols, the firm's co-founder and managing general partner. Marlon previously co-founded Cross Culture Ventures, which merged with M Ventures in 2019 to form MaC VC. In this interview, we talked about his path from enterprise software into venture capital, the concept of cultural investing, and MaC VC's focus on diverse founders. He also explained what types of startups the new fund is open to and discussed some of the criteria he uses to assess the strengths of founding teams (and their ideas). Runtime: 45:44 Links Marlon Nichols Contact Marlon MaC Venture Capital Exclusive: MaC VC raises $150 million for its third fund in four years (Fortune) The Hard Thing About Hard Things: Building a Business When There Are No Easy Answers, Ben Horowitz Secrets of Sand Hill Road: Venture Capital and How to Get It, Scott Kupor Subscribe

In this episode we speak with Marlon Nichols, co-founder of MaC Ventures Capital, who discusses his diverse career path from starting as an early employee at an enterprise software company, moving into consulting, and ultimately venturing into the world of venture capital. He explains the founding and growth of MaC Ventures Capital, sharing insights into their investment thesis, sector focus, and the types of companies they seek to partner with. Marlon also provides invaluable advice for new fund managers and entrepreneurs, touching on the current fundraising landscape, strategies for success, and the importance of aligning with a firm's culture and team dynamics   MaC Ventures Capital is a seed-stage venture firm that invests primarily in North America, with a focus on California. While the firm does not have a specific sector focus, it considers itself a generalist firm run by sector experts. Marlon explains that the common thread among their investments is a focus on popular culture and future trends. The firm seeks to identify emerging behaviors and trends early on and invest in companies that align with these shifts. This approach allows MaC Ventures Capital to invest in a wide range of sectors, including fintech, B2B SaaS, digital health, and space and defense.   If your company is looking to scale its AI initiatives, head over to Tesoro AI (www.tesoroai.com). We are experts in AI strategy, staff augmentation, and AI product development.  Founder Bio: Marlon Nichols is the co-founder and managing general partner at MaC Venture Capital, a seed-stage venture capital firm that invests in visionary founders building the future that the world wants to see. Marlon has an extensive background in technology, private equity, media and entertainment. His unique eye for global and cultural trends, along with shifts in consumer behavior, has helped him uplift and accelerate entrepreneurs and companies that are on the verge of their breakthrough moment. Some of his current and previous portfolio companies include Blavity, Faze Clan, FINESSE, Gimlet Media, LIT Videobooks, Mansa, MongoDB, Pipe, PureStream, Ryff, Solo Funds, Spill, Thrive Market, Wonderschool and others. Thanks to his background as a professional athlete, Marlon utilizes sports leadership philosophy when working closely with CEOs to build the ventures of tomorrow. His diverse network of media and entertainment industry leaders, tech entrepreneurs, Fortune 500 executives and sports professionals helps him develop strategic partnerships and promote brand expansions for his portfolio companies.Marlon serves on the board of directors for the Kauffman Fellows program, where he has been instrumental in growing the representation of underrepresented minorities. He also serves on the advisory board for Los Angeles Mayor's office's PledgeLA. Marlon has been honored on the LA500 in 2022, 2023 and 2024, and ranked among top early stage investors on Business Insider's Seed 100 for three consecutive years. He was also named Pitchbook's 25 Black Founders and VCs to Watch for the last six years. Marlon has been featured in Axios, CNBC, Cheddar, The Information, Crunchbase News, Fortune, Yahoo! Finance and more. Prior to MaC Venture Capital, Marlon was co-founder of Cross Culture Ventures. He eventually enacted the merger with Adrian Fenty's M Ventures that resulted in MaC Venture Capital as it stands today. Prior to Cross Culture Ventures, he served as an Investment Director at Intel Capital and earned hands-on experience as an operator himself. Marlon earned his Bachelor of Science in Management Information Systems from Northeastern University and an MBA from the SC Johnson College of Business at Cornell University, where he was also adjunct faculty in entrepreneurship and venture capital.   Time Stamps:   02:57 Marlon's journey from early operator to VC founder 08:55 Venture capital as a path to diversity and strategic engagement 12:14 MaC ventures Capital investment thesis and strategies 16:25 Fundraising challenges and advice for new founders 21:04 Strategies for First-Time fund managers targeting LPs 23:25 Fundraising realities for new VC managers 26:18 The multifaceted role of a founding general partner 28:56 Strategies for startups targeting successful exits 31:42 Evaluating seed stage investments 34:03 Venture capital's shift to sustainable investment strategies 38:25 The impact of AI on business 41:40 What is coming up in 2024 and how to get in contact with MaC Ventures Capital team   Resources   Company website: https://MaCventurecapital.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/MaCventurecap/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/MaC-venture-capital/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/MaCVentureCap

Marlon Nichols is the founding managing partner at MaC Venture Capital, a seed-stage venture capital firm that invests in visionary founders building the future that the world wants to see. Prior to MaC Venture Capital, Marlon was founder of Cross Culture Ventures and served as Investment Director at Intel Capital. Some of his current and previous portfolio companies include Blavity, Gimlet Media, LISNR, Mayvenn, MongoDB, PlayVS, Pipe, Thrive Market and Wonderschool, among others. Follow Black Tech Green Money: @blacktechgreenmoney, @btgmpodcast Follow Will Lucas on Instagram: @willlucas Learn more at AfroTech.com Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Adrian Fenty, managing general partner at MaC Venture Capital, discusses his journey from being D.C. mayor to becoming a venture capitalist. He highlights the similarities between politics and venture capital and shares insights on MaC's unique approach to investment opportunities.In this episode, you'll learn:2:01 Lessons about business from a former politician10:39 Why ‘hire great people' is universal advice across industries15:09 Networks are unbeatable when it comes to looking for amazing people to work with.18:30 Lessons from failure can produce value in future endeavors.22:26 Importance of diversity in the VC ecosystem, including the participation of minorities and womenAbout Guest SpeakerAdrian Fenty is a managing general partner at Mac Venture Capital. Prior to founding MaC, Adrian was co-founder and Managing Partner at M. Ventures and Special Advisor to Andreessen Horowitz. He began his tech career as a consultant to Rosetta Stone, EverFi and several software startups.Fenty is a former two-term city Council member and Mayor in his hometown, Washington DC.About MaC Venture CapitalMaC Venture Capital is an early-stage venture capital firm focused on finding ideas, technology, and products that can become infectious. The firm invests in technology companies that benefit from shifts in cultural trends and behaviors in an increasingly diverse global marketplace. MaC VC is the result of the merger between successful LosAngeles and Bay Area-based Seed funds, Cross Culture Ventures, and M Ventures.Portfolio companies include: Fursure, Preveta, Archetype, Starfish Space, WARP, Spartan Radar, Spill, Blaze, UTVATE among others.Subscribe to our podcast and stay tuned for our next episode. Follow Us:  Twitter | Linkedin | Instagram | Facebook

Justin Gordon (justingordon212) talks with Marlon Nichols (@MarlonCNichols), the founding managing partner at MaC Venture Capital, a seed-stage venture capital firm that invests in visionary founders building the future that the world wants to see, and helping entrepreneurs bring the future into focus to find their breakthrough moment. MaC Venture Capital is the result of the merger between successful Los Angeles and Bay Area based Seed funds, Cross Culture Ventures and M Ventures. They are focused on finding ideas, technology, and products that can become infectious, investing in technology companies that benefit from shifts in cultural trends and behaviors in an increasingly diverse global marketplace. They recently raised their $203M Fund II.Marlon is a Kauffman Fellow who also serves on the Board of Directors. Prior to MaC Venture Capital, Marlon was founder of Cross Culture Ventures and served as Investment Director at Intel Capital. Marlon has an extensive background in technology, private equity, media and entertainment. His unique eye for global and cultural trends, along with shifts in consumer behavior, has helped him uplift and accelerate entrepreneurs and companies that are on the verge of their breakthrough moment. Some of his current and previous portfolio companies include Blavity, Gimlet Media, LISNR, Mayvenn, MongoDB, PlayVS, Pipe, Thrive Market and Wonderschool, among others.Marlon was recently honored as a member of the 2022 class of the LA500 list and as a top early stage investor on Insider's 2022 Seed 100 list. Additionally, he is the recipient of MVMT50's SXSW 2018 Innovator of the Year award, Digital Diversity's Innovation & Inclusion Change Agent award and was a TechWeek 100 winner. He was named Pitchbook's 25 Black Founders and VCs to Watch in 2018, 2019 and 2020, and one of Silicon Republic's 26 VC professionals spearheading change. Marlon has been featured on TechCrunch, Fortune, Cheddar, MSNBC, Blavity and NBC, and is adjunct faculty in entrepreneurship and venture capital at the SC Johnson College of Business at Cornell University.Website: MaC Venture CapitalLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/marloncnichols/Twitter: @MarlonCNicholsMarlon on the Just Go Grind Podcast in March 2021: Episode #285 on JGGShow Notes: What enabled MaC Venture Capital to double their first raise, closing a $203M Fund II The value of a strong reserves strategy MaC Venture Capital's investment in Pipe, which transforms recurring revenue into up-front capital for growth without dilution or restrictive debt The story behind MaC Venture Capital's investment in Truebill, now Rocket Money (check out Co-Founder Haroon Mokhtarzada's episode on the Just Go Grind podcast) What makes a stellar founder How they ended up investing in Mahmee and what makes their founder Melissa Hanna such an investable founder Where Marlon is excited to invest next How Marlon educates himself on new geographies and markets Marlon's perspective on investing in the current market downturn More about the show:The Vitalize Podcast, a show by Vitalize Venture Capital (a seed-stage venture capital firm and pre-seed 400+ member angel community open to everyone), dives deep into the world of startup investing and the future of work.Hosted by Justin Gordon, the Director of Marketing at Vitalize Venture Capital, The Vitalize Podcast includes two main series. The Angel Investing series features interviews with a variety of angel investors and VCs around the world. The goal? To help develop the next generation of amazing investors. The Future of Work series takes a look at the founders and investors shaping the new world of work, including insights from our team here at Vitalize Venture Capital. More about us:Vitalize Venture Capital was formed in 2017 as a $16M seed-stage venture fund and now includes both a fund as well as an angel investing community investing in the future of work. Vitalize has offices in Chicago, San Francisco, and Los Angeles.The Vitalize Team:Gale - https://twitter.com/galeforceVCCaroline - https://twitter.com/carolinecasson_Justin - https://twitter.com/justingordon212Vitalize Angels, our angel investing community open to everyone:https://vitalize.vc/vitalizeangels/

In this episode Neil and Will sit down with Maryam Haque, the Executive Director of Venture Forward.  Venture Forward is poised to "drive the human capital, culture, values and narrative of venture capital to promote a strong and inclusive community that will fuel the economy of tomorrow."  As a follow to the conversation with 3 Roots Capital, they dive a little deeper into the significance of venture capital and advancing a more diverse, equitable and inclusive (DEI) ecosystem.  Take a listen as Maryam describes what Venture Forward is doing in the DEI space and how that correlates with the rural landscape of Appalachia.  The guys ultimately think it's equally important to think about geographical underserved areas when thinking about DEI in venture capital.  You might even hear Neil's secret ingredient for pancakes and how once a year he tries to "light the woods on fire."  Don't forget the #AppBiz of the week: The Sequoyah Fund!  Venture Forward: www.ventureforward.org/  National Venture Capital Association: www.nvca.org  Invest Appalachia: www.investappalachia.org/  Example VC Firms focusing on DEI The Sequoyah Fund (#AppBiz):  www.sequoyahfund.org/ Cross Culture Ventures: www.macventurecapital.com/ DiverseCity Ventures: www.diversecityv.com/ Kapor Capital: www.kaporcapital.com/ Backstage Capital: www.backstagecapital.com/ Pride Fund 1: www.pride.vc/ Chattanooga Renaissance Fund: www.chattanoogarenaissancefund.com/ Hatteras Ventures (Pisgah Fund): www.pisgahfund.com/fund/  Redhawk VC: www.redhawkvc.com/ OTHER SHOW NOTES The Daily Yonder - "How Appalachia is Growing its Outdoor Economy through Collaborations and Capacity Building": www.dailyyonder.com/how-appalachia-is-growing-its-outdoor-economy-through-collaborations-and-capacity-building/2022/06/29/  State Small Business Credit Initiative: www.home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/small-business-programs/state-small-business-credit-initiative-ssbci BACON GREASE PANCAKES! www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/bacon-fat-pancakes-9368888              

Marlon Nichols is the founding managing partner at MaC Venture Capital, a seed-stage venture capital firm that invests in visionary founders building the future that the world wants to see.Marlon is a Kauffman Fellow who also serves on the Board of Directors. Prior to MaC Venture Capital, Marlon was founder of Cross Culture Ventures and served as Investment Director at Intel Capital. Marlon has an extensive background in technology, private equity, media and entertainment. His unique eye for global and cultural trends, along with shifts in consumer behavior, has helped him uplift and accelerate entrepreneurs and companies that are on the verge of their breakthrough moment. Some of his current and previous portfolio companies include Blavity, Gimlet Media, LISNR, Mayvenn, MongoDB, PlayVS, Pipe, Thrive Market and Wonderschool, among others.Marlon is the recipient of MVMT50's SXSW 2018 Innovator of the Year award, Digital Diversity's Innovation & Inclusion Change Agent award and was a TechWeek 100 winner. He was named Pitchbook's 25 Black Founders and VCs to Watch in 2018, 2019 and 2020, and one of Silicon Republic's 26 VC professionals spearheading change. He's been featured on TechCrunch, Fortune, Cheddar, MSNBC, Blavity and NBC, and is adjunct faculty in entrepreneurship and venture capital at the SC Johnson College of Business at Cornell University.https://macventurecapital.com

Name: Marlon Nichols Current Title: Managing Partner, MaC Venture Capital   About Marlon: Marlon Nichols is a founding managing partner at MaC Venture Capital (formerly known as Cross Culture Ventures), which finds the entrepreneurs who are building the future for the rest of America. He's a former Kauffman Fellow and Investment Director at Intel Capital, with an extensive background in technology, private equity, media, and entertainment. Marlon's unique eye for global trends and shifts in consumer behavior has helped him capture many high-potential investments, which include Gimlet Media, MongoDB, Thrive Market, Fair, LISNR, Mayvenn, Blavity, Pipe, Wonderschool, and other companies that reflect overlooked markets.   He serves on the board of directors for Ajua, Blavity, Finesse, Kauffman Fellows Program, LISNR, Ryff, Sote and Wonderschool. Marlon is the recipient of MVMT50's SXSW 2018 Innovator of the Year award, a 2018 nominee of the ADCOLOR in Tech award, Digital Diversity's Innovation & Inclusion Change Agent award, was named Pitchbook's 25 Black Founders and VCs to Watch in 2018 and 2019, was a TechWeek 100 winner and was named one of Silicon Republic's 26 VC professionals spearheading change. He's been featured on TechCrunch, Fortune, Blavity, and NBC, and is adjunct faculty in entrepreneurship and venture capital at the SC Johnson College of Business at Cornell University.   DURING THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSSED: Understanding how venture capital works and the different types Which types of businesses should pursue venture capital funding When is the right time for a business to consider raising venture financing The role of a venture partner in a business What happens at the end of a companies life cycle What to expect after receiving funding and business expectations Tips for qualifying investors to make sure they are a right fit to invest in your business Are you a business owner looking to get more clients and exposure? Does your business provide professional services that would be beneficial for a business owner starting their business? If so, submit your business to be listed in our directory, The Connect!  You may submit your business at:  https://blacktobusiness.com/theconnect/   For complete show notes and resources mentioned for this episode go to: blacktobusiness.com/73   Thank you so much for listening! Please support us by simply rating and reviewing our podcast!

Imagine posting up in Silicon Valley for a year to soak up the entrepreneurial ecosystem while while waiting for inspiration for a startup idea.  Sounds artsy, but from a business perspective it can be incredibly helpful to sort through various uses of technology and the business modes that get them to market.  Fresh off a career in private equity and a short stint studying medicine, Chris Bennett took this exact approach.  With a passion for using technology to improve the quality of human life, he has built Wonderschool to improve the quality and access to childcare.   Founder Bio: Chris Bennett is a Silicon Valley-based entrepreneur and early childhood education advocate passionate about the power of the Internet and using it for social good.   Chris is the co-founder and CEO of Wonderschool, an all-in-one online platform that helps families seeking childcare and microschools to find available options near them and supports those who provide that care and education. Born out of Chris's realization that early childhood education is what enabled him to be the first member of his family to go to college.   Since its start in 2016, Wonderschool has expanded its offerings and partnerships, pivoting to meet the unique needs of today's families and providers. Recognized by Fast Company as one of the most innovative companies, Wonderschool has been funded by Andreessen Horowitz, First Round Capital, Imaginable Futures, Cross Culture Ventures, Uncork Capital, Rethink Education, Edelweiss, Lerer Ventures, 500 Startups, FundersClub, and others.   Timestamps: 1:54 How his uncle's experience as a black doctor in Honduras influenced a passion for entrepreneurship 7:24 Life at Wharton (Undergrad) | Struggling as a student, but thriving as an entrepreneur 10:00  Exploring the right early career fit – private equity, medicine, and then to Silicon Valley 11:55  The origins of Wonderschool 15:18  Strategy for validating market demand before building tech 17:56  Raising $2mm to build engineering team to build product 18:30  Wonderschool described – platform, functionality, and value prop within childcare 22:40  Matching supply and demand in a marketplace 27:30  Chris receiving his first investment via NewMe accelerator (and 500 Startups) 30:30  Benefits of joining and accelerator 34:33  What help investors can provide…not including funding 38:35  Taking the team remote and moving to a global talent strategy

Marlon Nichols is a founding managing partner at MaC Venture Capital (formerly known as Cross Culture Ventures), which finds the entrepreneurs who are building the future for the rest of America. A career started in consulting eventually led to venture because as a VC, one has skin in the game for the length of that investment. It offers the ability to directly shape the nature of the companies, supports more diverse entrepreneurs and identifies opportunities to address traditionally underserved communities through entrepreneurialism. Slowly, there are signs of increased focus on diversity in the venture capital space with many groups reporting on their diversity numbers. “A nerve has been struck, and people are digging in and seeing the value; not only the social value but the economic value of diversity.” Coining the term, “cultural investing,” it seeks to identify global behavioral shifts with potential staying power. Pop culture is the driving force, so it is used as a key indicator in predicting where major cultural movements are heading. ————————————————————————— To learn more about this episode, including podcast transcripts and show notes, visit *salt.org/talks* ( http://salt.org/talks ) Moderated by Anthony Scaramucci.

Marlon Nichols is a founding managing partner at MaC Venture Capital (formerly Cross Culture Ventures), which finds the entrepreneurs who are building the future for the rest of America. He’s an industry veteran – a former Kauffman Fellow and Investment Director at Intel Capital, where he launched Intel’s $125M diversity fund. Marlon, with an extensive background in technology, private equity, media and entertainment, has a unique eye for global trends and shifts in consumer behavior. This has helped him capture high-potential investments, which include Gimlet Media, MongoDB, Thrive Market, Fair, LISNR, Mayvenn, Blavity, Pipe, Wonderschool, and other companies that reflect overlooked markets. He serves on the board of directors for Ajua, Blavity, Finesse, Kauffman Fellows Program, LISNR, Ryff, Sote and Wonderschool. Thanks to his background as a professional athlete, Marlon utilizes sports leadership philosophy when working closely with CEO’s to build the ventures of tomorrow. His diverse network of media and entertainment industry leaders, tech entrepreneurs, Fortune 500 executives and sports professionals helps him develop strategic partnerships and promote brand expansions for his portfolio companies. Marlon is a 2018 nominee of the ADCOLOR in Tech award, a recipient of MVMT50’s SXSW 2018 Innovator of the Year award, Digital Diversity’s Innovation & Inclusion Change Agent award, was named Pitchbook’s 25 Black Founders and VCs to Watch (2018 – 2020), was a TechWeek 100 winner and was named one of Silicon Republic’s 26 VC professionals spearheading change. He’s also been featured on TechCrunch, Fortune, Blavity, NBC and many more. He has been featured as a keynote speaker and regularly appears in the media as a thought leader in investing and cultural trends. Marlon earned his Bachelor of Science in Management Information Systems from Northeastern University and an MBA from the SC Johnson College of Business at Cornell University, where he is also adjunct faculty in entrepreneurship and venture capital. MaC Venture CapitalMaC Venture Capital is the result of the merger between successful Los Angeles and Bay Area based Seed funds, Cross Culture Ventures and M Ventures. MaC Venture Capital is an early stage venture capital firm focused on finding ideas, technology, and products that can become infectious. They invest in technology companies that benefit from shifts in cultural trends and behaviors in an increasingly diverse global marketplace. MaC VC helps entrepreneurs bring the future into focus to find their breakthrough moment. Their proven track record of 100+ investments has unlocked growth opportunities through capital, advisement, and relationship building. Their previous funds’ portfolios have returned capital to investors and continue to appreciate in value. About Our Partner This episode is brought to you Varia Search. Varia Search is a boutique legal recruiting firm that uses a bespoke approach to fill legal department roles from general counsel to paralegal. They have a particular focus on startups and growing tech companies. They are a boutique firm which allows them to provide individualized, in-depth attention to both their clients and to their searches. They focus solely on placing in-house candidates which allows them to give their clients a bespoke experience in filling their legal needs. Their matchmaking approach ensures that clients are paired with candidates who not only have great credentials but who are also a good cultural fit for a growing company. Learn more at variasearch.com. Some of the Topics Covered by Marlon Nichols in this Episode How MaC VC invests How they identify emerging behavioral and cultural trends How M Ventures and Cross Culture came together to merge into MaC Venture Capital The process and challenges of merging venture funds How Marlon got into VC The process of fundraising for their first fund What institutional LPs are looking for when investing in a fund Knowing when to be innovative and when to stick to what is proven to work Startup ecosystems Marlon has seen evolved during his time in VC and how they look at new markets How they first heard about some of their portfolio companies like Gimlet Media and Zero Grocery, how they evaluated them and why they decided to invest How Marlon manages his time The growing industries of exchanges, trading platforms and fractional ownership What's next for Marlon and MaC VC Sign up for The Grind, for actionable insights and stories from successful entrepreneurs delivered to your inbox once per week: https://www.justgogrind.com/newsletter/ Listen to all episodes of the Just Go Grind Podcast: https://www.justgogrind.com/podcast/ Follow Justin Gordon on Twitter: https://twitter.com/justingordon212 Follow Justin Gordon on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/justingordon8/

Jennifer Richard is a Principal at Bonfire Ventures. Prior to Bonfire, Jen sourced and executed seed-stage investments at Vitalize VC and Cross Culture Ventures. Before beginning her career in venture, Jen was a founding member of three venture-backed startups and saw two of them through successful acquisitions. She has been responsible for building e-commerce platforms from the ground up and has scaled online commerce to reach over 30 countries worldwide. She has a BA from Emory University and an MBA from UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business.

In this episode, I chat with Jamaican American Marlon Nichols where he shares his story of moving to the US and his journey into Venture Capital. Marlon Nichols is a founding managing partner at MaC Venture Capital (formerly Cross Culture Ventures, a top decile performing fund), which finds the entrepreneurs who are building the future for the rest of America. He’s an industry veteran with an extensive background in technology, private equity, media and entertainment, has a unique eye for global trends and shifts in consumer behavior. Connect with Marlon Nichols - Twitter | Instagram Connect with @carryonfriends - Twitter | Instagram | FacebookEnjoyed the show? Please remember to leave a rating and review in Apple Podcasts. A Breadfruit Media Production: Twitter |InstagramSupport the show (http://glow.fm/carryonfriends)

Shani Taylor is a Mid-Market Customer Success Manager at Airtable. Shani joined Airtable as the first customer success hire and the fourth go-to-market hire four years ago.  Prior to joining Airtable she worked at Matthews Media Group and Cross Culture Ventures. In this episode we talk about how Shani went about building her first Customer Service Team, her advice on adaptability, and the advantage of unscalable behaviors early on. She also talks about how her background in psychology has helped navigate customer needs, the close relationship customer service has with product and engineering, and her genuine love of Airtable.I hope you enjoy the show.Transcript available here. Get full access to Operators & Delian’s Ramblings at delian.substack.com/subscribe

Julie Sweet today leads the North American business at Accenture, a global consulting giant. Years ago, she was a high school sophomore with the gift of gab, entering various debate and speech competitions for the prize money, building her own scholarship fund. She wasn't doing it for kicks; at times growing up in Southern California she had just one pair of shoes, or one pair of pants that fit. Her father painted cars for a living, and her mother was a hairdresser.    One particular contest at the Lions Club had come down to a final showdown between Julie and another girl. Julie lost. Stung by the injustice of it – she felt her speech had been better – she griped to her father on the way home.    —  To say Tom Siebel has had an interesting life would be putting it mildly. He’s a billionaire entrepreneur, a tech visionary, and the survivor of an elephant attack eight years ago that, by the odds, should have killed him.    Several doctors told him he would never walk again, much less sail competitively. But he does.   So what do you learn about life when you’ve stared down death in the form of a five-ton elephant, been crushed by that elephant, and lived to tell the tale?    What do you learn when you’ve invented one of the first killer workplace apps of the PC era, and sold it for about 6 billion dollars?   —  When he was 14 years old growing up in West Philadelphia, Troy Carter started promoting parties at a neighbor's house and charging for entry. He did the DJing himself to save money.   Today he's one of the most respected visionaries at the intersection of two industries: Music and tech.    Carter wears a lot of hats. He's been a manager, working with the likes of John Legend, Lady Gaga and Meghan Trainor. He's an investor, a general partner at venture capital firm Cross Culture Ventures. And he's a connector.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Marlon Nichols is a Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Cross Culture Ventures. In this episode, we talk about difficult conversations with partners, the promise of diversity in venture, and more. Signup for our newsletter to get notified of the latest release and to receive the latest insights in VC and startups http://eepurl.com/dzVE5j

In this episode of Product Hunt Radio, I'm in the sunny hills of Los Angeles at the home of Sophia Amoruso with Suzy Ryoo. Sophia Amoruso is an incredible entrepreneur who I've gotten to know over the past year. She got her start very young, when at 22 she founded NastyGal, selling vintage clothing on eBay. It turned into a massive company with hundreds of employees, until a decade later the company filed for bankruptcy. She's the author of the New York Times bestseller #GIRLBOSS and more recently founded Girlboss, a company focused on bringing together and helping women professionals. They put on community events, publish a daily newsletter and host a wildly popular podcast. Suzy Ryoo is a very special person to me (full disclosure: She's my SO). We met at Coachella in 2015 just before she transitioned her career from entertainment and media to venture capital. At Atom Factory, she works with entrepreneur, artist manager, and investor, Troy Carter. They manage the Prince Estate and are investors in companies like Lyft, Uber, Warby Parker, Spotify, and Girlboss. She is also a partner at Cross Culture Ventures, a seed stage fund in Los Angeles. In this episode we talk about: The best tools and techniques we've used to build healthy habits, whether it's getting more exercise, meditating more frequently (even for five minutes at a time) or just having a calmer mind. We also talk about the ways that being part of a non-judgmental online community — yes, those do exist online — can help everybody involved reach their goals. Sophia talks about her journey as an entrepreneur, including building a huge company like Nasty Gal “by accident” and the lessons she's taking from her time at Nasty Gal as she starts Girlboss, which, as she likes to say, is the first company she's started “on purpose.” Why Suzy is still a power user of location-based check-in apps like Swarm and Foursquare. We also talk about some of the unappreciated merits of what sometimes seem like “creepy” products. The ups-and-downs of investing, and why sometimes you can make a sound decision at the time that you later come to regret. Of course, we also chat about some of their favorite products, including a $40 (!) astrology app, apps that promise “a vacation for your mind,” as well as startups that deliver the best vitamins and probiotics. We’ll be back next week so be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Breaker, Overcast, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. Also, big thanks to our sponsors, Airtable, GE Ventures, Intercom and Stripe for their support.

With a portfolio consisting of Gimlet Media, Macro Ventures, Fair, Thrive Market, Blavity and tons of others, Marlon Nichols is no stranger to picking and creating winners. The co-founder and managing partner at Cross Culture Ventures has rooted his company's philosophy in the phrase "Culture as Currency." Recorded live Urban Tech Connect, Marlon walks us through how adopting an inclusive approach to local and global cultures is at the heart of sourcing the next billion dollar company. See the video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnTVRm9_SdM.

Marlon Nichols is the Co-Founder & Managing Partner of Cross Culture Ventures, along with co-founder Troy Carter. Marlon previously served as a Partner at Intel Capital. He has worked with several startups, invested in companies like Mayvenn, Gimlet Media, Blavity, Airspace Technologies, Codeverse, and many others. Marlon is huge on CULTURE when it comes to uncovering hidden opportunities. Today, he talks about the power of culture and diversity, the value of mentorship, and how to assemble a winning team.

Jamarlin talks with Marlon Nichols, co-founder of Cross Culture Ventures, about the culturally-themed fund he started with Troy Carter. They discuss the burger-flippin' robot, Flippy, and socially responsible investing. Marlon offers advice to founders seeking investment, and answers questions about whether there is too much "shut-up-and-dribble" in Silicon Valley. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Season 5 Coming Soon! Enjoy this advanced release of episode 1/10! Marlon Nichols is a co-founder and managing partner at Cross Culture Ventures, an early stage venture capital firm with a focus on cultural investing. Before founding Cross Culture Ventures, Marlon was an investment director at Intel Capital. Prior to his time in venture capital, Marlon led successful careers in software and strategy consulting in the technology, private equity, media and entertainment sectors. Some of Marlon’s investments include Gimlet Media, LISNR, Mayvenn, and more.  Subscribe to my Youtube Channel at: http://bit.ly/2kymc8n Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wlucasii Learn more about OF10podcast at: https://willlucas.co

When he was 14 years old growing up in West Philadelphia, Troy Carter started promoting parties at a neighbor's house and charging for entry. He did the DJing himself to save money.  Today he's one of the most respected visionaries at the intersection of two industries: Music and tech.   Carter wears a lot of hats. He's been a manager, working with the likes of John Legend, Lady Gaga and Meghan Trainor. He's an investor, a general partner at venture capital firm Cross Culture Ventures. And he's a connector. As global head of creator services at Spotify, he's ushering artists into the streaming age.  I met up with Troy Carter recently outside of San Francisco at the Black Enterprise Tech ConneXt Summit. We talked about his path from rags, to riches, to rags, and back again – and how a high school dropout learned to reinvent himself, and an industry.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Troy Carter was recently included in Oprah Winfrey's inaugural Super Soul 100 inspiring leaders. He is the founder, Chairman and CEO of Atom Factory, a talent management and full-service film and television production company. Troy is also the new Head of Global Creative Services for Spotify and a partner at Cross Culture Ventures. As a renowned music manager, Troy has established the careers of numerous recording artists, including multi-platinum Grammy-Award winner Lady Gaga. He began his career in Philadelphia working for Will Smith and James Lassiter's Overbrook Entertainment. After founding Atom Factory in 2010, Troy has continued his disruptive approach with the creation of various entities. In 2011, he co-founded The Backplane, a silicon valley based startup that redefines social media. The following year, he created a product development and branding agency, as well as AF Square, an angel fund and technology consultancy. Visit http://atomfactory.com. Donate to the America Meditating Radio Show at goo.gl/0Biu7S Get the Off the Grid Into the Heart CD by Sister Jenna.  Like America Meditating.  Visit our website at www.meditationmuseum.org.  Download our free Pause for Peace App for Apple or Android

Marlon Nichols, General Partner at Cross Culture Ventures chats with, Silicon Valley, Tech Editor, Sequoia Blodgett, about being in business with Atom Factory's, Troy Carter, almost flunking out of business school and having swine flu?!

Troy Carter was recently included in Oprah Winfrey's inaugural Super Soul 100 inspiring leaders. He is the founder, Chairman and CEO of Atom Factory, a talent management and full-service film and television production company. Troy is also the new Head of Global Creative Services for Spotify and a partner at Cross Culture Ventures. As a renowned music manager, Troy has established the careers of numerous recording artists, including multi-platinum Grammy-Award winner Lady Gaga. He began his career in Philadelphia working for Will Smith and James Lassiter's Overbrook Entertainment. After founding Atom Factory in 2010, Troy has continued his disruptive approach with the creation of various entities. In 2011, he co-founded The Backplane, a silicon valley based startup that redefines social media. The following year, he created a product development and branding agency, as well as AF Square, an angel fund and technology consultancy. Visit http://atomfactory.com. Get the Off the Grid Into the Heart CD by Sister Jenna.  Like America Meditating.  Visit our website at www.meditationmuseum.org.  Download our free Pause for Peace App for Apple or Android

He was born in Jamaica & received his undergraduate degree from Northeastern University. After working a few years in consulting, he decided to move to London to pursue career and athletic opportunities. After returning from playing professional basketball in Europe, he received his MBA from Cornell University only to have unsuccessfully pitched an investment deal to his team at Intel Capital that has successfully achieved exponential growth. Fast forward a few years and now he is a successful venture capitalist at Cross Culture VC,  a board member of Kaufman Fellows, and a a mentor to several entrepreneurs. Marlon Nichols has the type of drive and vision that most people can only dream of. As a partner in the unique firm, Cross Culture Ventures, Marlon knows what it takes to turn a dream into a reality. In this frank discussion with Roshawnna, Marlon talks about the personal journey that has carried him to his lofty position. Though Marlon is highly technically educated, much of what he chooses to illuminate in this discussion is the inter-personal dynamics that can make or break a person’s success in reaching their goals. Marlon shares insights in to what investors look for in an idea and a team, as well as illustrating the points from his own path that could be used by anyone that wants to take their career to the next level. Marlon’s dedication to his craft is inspiring and the knowledge that he shares in this conversation with Roshawnna would be a great help for anyone looking to take their career to the next step! Roshawnna and Marlon discuss: [3:30] Marlon shares the story of his beginnings as an entrepreneur. [11:00] As a Venture Capitalist, Marlon outlines some of the tech industry trends that he is excited about right now. [12:30] There are always some bumps in the road. Marlon relays a story about a regret in a deal that he could not land and the lessons that he learned from this and used moving forward. [14:30] Marlon talks about how he built his inter-personal skills to further his career success. [16:30] How differing perspectives can teach you things about yourself. [17:00] Mentors have played a huge role in Marlon’s life and career. [24:30] Marlon talks about what makes Cross-Culture Ventures unique and the types of investments that the firm prefers to make. [27:00] Marlon talks about what he and his team look for in a founder, idea and company to invest in. [35:00] The importance of networking and making friends for getting in front of investors. [37:00] Marlon talks about the impact that maintaining his health and fitness have on his mental clarity and productivity.

Cross Culture Ventures founder Marlon Nichols joins me to chat about his path from corporate consultant to passionate venture capitalist. We also talk about the traits great founders share, how Marlon thinks about new opportunities, and his advice on pitching. Say hi to Marlon on Twitter: @marloncnichols Show Notes: http://bit.ly/BTB101