corporate ladder, originally uploaded by nardell 

This coming Monday I’m speaking over lunch with a number of interns at Todd Investment Advisors, a firm that manages $3.9 billion in assets, exists as a wholly owned sub of Fort Washington, and happens to be in the same building as Chrysalis.  It’s a favor, I suppose, but really it’s an honor - Bob Bordogna, the firm’s Chairman, is a clearly thoughtful and good-natured man, whom I met a number of months ago in connection with a seed-stage company in the area.  Bob’s trying to expose his interns to as much as possible and thought a little insight into the world of venture capital and young professional career paths would be of good service to them.  I’ve been mulling a bit tonight about what I’d like to say on Monday and thought I’d share my thoughts here (in case any students or young professionals wander this way).

First, know your options.  If there’s one tool I wish I was given in college it would be a database of 100,000 graduates with historical career information.  We’re told that one can major in whatever we’re passionate about and then go on to do whatever we want in the “real world” and it’s true - mostly.  But there’s a strong correlation between certain jobs and certain majors, just as there’s a strong correlation between certain jobs and certain other jobs.  For many the stepping stones are completely unclear; indeed, the options themselves may be - I had no idea what venture capital was until my upperclass years at school.  Don’t get me wrong.  I don’t think one should script a life too early, but I’m also of the opinion that one shouldn’t be writing half-blind.  So, young(er) readers, sans database intelligence, talk with as many folks as you can about what they do and how they got there.  There may be no better way today than blogs to make this happen.  The virtual mentor cometh. 

Second, and I can’t stress this enough, knowing the options, do something you love.  The well-worn example of self-directed, perhaps unlikely success driven by passion is Joseph Campbell, but his story is a touch esoteric, so here’s a broader shot.  My dermatologist in Washington, DC where I grew up used to tell me the following: get straight As in high school and college (”where you should get a double major in computer science and economics”), head to a top tier investment bank and then a top-tier business school (”and you really must get into the top 10 - there’s statistically a large drop in salary for jobs coming out of lesser schools”), and then go back to banking, make a fortune, and then you can do whatever you want.  Talk about a life deferred!  In my experience, smart individuals that are passionate and outgoing have opportunities thrown their way.

Third, be very careful about who you let teach or manage you.  The right individuals will stir up a passion you never recognized or fan an already burning flame, but the wrong ones will extinguish it, and quickly, if you let them.  As corollary, hold conviction - in yourself, your dreams, your values and beliefs - especially if they’re outside the box.  When I decided to move from Manhattan to Louisville in order to pursue a VC position in which I’d hold lots of responsibility (beyond the “dial for dollars” standard analyst programs), I had a number of friends who thought I was crazy because the geographic move didn’t fit a prescribed path.  I’m better for it.  My experience is distinct.

Lastly, exude optimism but think critically.  Both do wonders in all aspects of life.

I’m sure there’s more but these are my thoughts for now.  I’ll leave my VC primer for the interns.  It’s been covered over and over in the blogosphere.  If you’re interested in reading about this, check out the following:

Fred Wilson’s AVC (Founder/Partner at Union Square Ventures in NYC)

Brad Feld’s Feld Thoughts (Partner at Mobius in Boulder; has announced that he’s launching a new firm)

Tom Evslin’s Fractals of Change (entrepreneur’s point of view)

or utilize this list.      

And by the way, I doubt that career database is far away; maybe it’s already here.  CareerBuilder?  Monster?

Disclaimer: I’m very much on the learning curve.  The above represents my convictions to date.  Feel free to disagree.