Meet Brian Luerssen, GP

Why is LongJump’s mission important to you? I believe that the world would be a better place if more people started and owned their own business. And so I want more people to be able to get their shot at turning their ideas and determination into something great.

Tell us about your current company and the problem you’re solving? What is your role there? I’m co-founder and CEO at Draftbit. We’re making it possible to build production apps visually and collaboratively. I’m motivated by Draftbit for the same reasons as LongJump - I want to see more people be able to turn their dreams into reality.

What are you looking for in LongJump portfolio companies? Perseverance. More than anything else being a startup founder is about surviving the journey. The ups, downs, the near wins and near deaths and staying motivated and focused the whole time. So I look for people who can thrive in that environment.

How are you most excited to contribute to Chicago-based companies? In most cases I think most founders need people to just get out of their way and let them execute, learn, and iterate. So while I’m here for our founders if they need help, I’m most excited to just let people build.

What is your favorite thing to do in Chicago? Probably chase my son Henry around parks, beaches, sidewalks, etc. Second to that is something that’s been on hiatus for the last year: visiting Chicago’s amazing restaurants.

Reach out to Brian at Brian@longjump.vc, and follow him @bluerssen!