Emerson Collective-Joanna Lichter (Long Post)

[jaahmuhl]

Raw Content: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1gmfs9qE2gxnUE-A4GweqMewhbkYRGeHh?usp=share_link

Transcript: https://www.rev.com/transcript-editor/shared/KBtmH0euSstmaABD4c52oTwfNcjFHQ77abR_tY2jmKqu4U6UEaAiojNLR03ocAZcmIwVrjH7M89CdRwc8jd9s6Jx18o?loadFrom=SharedLink

[carolineradke]

Only include 0:13-48:47

Caption

Being open-minded, focused, and curious about your career path and development are three things that helped Emerson Collective's Joanna Lichter become a top VC investor. In this interview, Joanna shares her advice about gaining exposure through various sized companies and the value of taking a leap of faith, what she finds incredibly valuable about working in venture capital, and how venture capital is evolving.

[carolineradke]

Intro clip

8:38 (there is nothing) - 9:03 (of our business) AND 9:14 (it is kind of) - 9:20 (period of time) AND 9:30 (it just gives) - 9:52 (show for it)

Intro

Hello hello everyone (EXCITED AND WITH ENERGY) welcome back to Office Hours. A show about how to make a successful jump from college to young professional life. We know that landing your first job can often be an intimidating, complicated and stressful process, but its not impossible! (UP ENERGY) And we’re here to help by giving you access to some of the brightest minds in business to get their advice for how to build a successful career. Take what you can (short pause), pick what you like and listen for that stroke of brilliance that you can use to help you get hired.

I'm Caroline Radke and on today’s episode our co-host, Brett, has a conversation with Joanna Lichter, an Early-stage investor and associate director at Emerson Collective. She has extensive international experience in the venture capital industry, large corporations such as Restaurant Brands International, and startups too, which puts her in a fantastic position to provide insight into how to be successful in today's evolving industries.

(Background) Although Joanna works in venture capital now, her first job wasn't in banking, PE, or venture capital. She actually started out at Restaurant Brands International or as you might know them better Burger King, Tim Horton's and Arby's, gaining crucial marketing and operational experience, which she still leans on in her current position at Emerson Collective. Kicking off her career at such a large corporation gave her the opportunity to take on international assignments in Latin America and also helped her realize that Big Data would revolutionize industries. And although she was participating from the sidelines through her work at Restaurant Brands, she wanted to be in the thick of it on the frontlines. So she took a leap of faith and began working with a startup, Via, a global public transport, logistics, and Transit Tech company. After getting her MBA at MIT Sloan school of management, she was then able to break into the venture capital industry. It was a long road, but well worth it.

Emerson Collective where Joanna works is a for-profit corporation focused on education, immigration reform, the environment, media and journalism, and health. It is a multi-stage venture team focused on accelerating the growth of companies positively impacting the world. It was founded in 2004 and is headquartered in Palo Alto, California.

(Analysis) In this interview, we touch on important points that any student should hear. Whether it is about finding a good career path to break into out of college, taking a leap of faith to gain exposure in differently sized companies, or starting in the venture capital industry, Joanna has the advice you need to hear. She also dives into how you can utilize your various skillsets in different positions and how to perfect your elevator pitch. We touch on how being curious and driven, as well as being open-minded to new experiences, allows you to successfully kickstart your career in your desired industry, even if you don't have the traditional background that you may think you need. There was a lot packed into this episode and we are excited to share this one with you...

[jaahmuhl]

@carolineradke ready to record

[carolineradke]

podcast intro

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1gPcT3rJCa7H-LPRlCWvGosYO3de-TwOm