Why is LongJump’s mission important to you? There are a lot of narratives out there suggesting that capital is abundant and it’s never been a better time to start a company. The truth is it’s never been a better time for certain companies to start. Access to that capital remains heavily gated by who you know, what you look like and where you come from. I don’t want to live in a world where having a rich aunt or uncle, a specific pedigree or living in the right neighborhood is the primary entry point to entrepreneurship.
Tell us about your current company and the problem you’re solving? What is your role there? I’m COO at Draftbit, a platform for building mobile apps visually and collaboratively.
What are you looking for in LongJump portfolio companies? I love it when founders teach me something new. To effectively teach others, you have to be passionate, deeply fluent, and able to captivate others. Fluency comes with practice, and the others demonstrate an innate skill set that all the exceptional founders I know possess. Pair that with a novel idea, and I get excited.
How are you most excited to contribute to Chicago-based companies? My superpowers are as a connector and counselor. I hope to be a useful ear to founders when it’s needed, and a conduit to the right people and the right time for each stage of their journey.
What is your favorite thing to do in Chicago? I’m a distance runner (though COVID knocked me back a few steps), so the Lakefront Trail is the crown jewel of our city to me. There’s also no better feeling than driving south on Lake Shore Drive between North and Ohio at night - the view down the Mag Mile, the Drake hotel sign lit up, the Hancock tower looming over it all. It’s a visual love letter to Chi.