Silicon Street

Jim Ferry is a Partner at Volition Capital, a Boston-based growth equity firm founded in 2010 that focuses on investing in high-growth, founder-led technology companies. After graduating from Providence College in 2014, Jim Ferry joined Volition as an Analyst and has been there ever since. In this episode, we walk through his journey from sourcing deals as a junior investor to leading and closing deals as a Partner. We then break down Volition’s philosophy on the “five ways to earn a 5x return” and apply it to one of their portfolio companies, Connatix. Finally, we wrap up with practical advice on how to stand out when applying to firms like Volition and how to stay on top of trends in the growth equity industry.

Mike Joslin is currently a partner at the 1842 Fund and a Build Director at High Alpha Innovation, where he focuses on creating and investing in startups in collaboration with universities and corporations. We begin by discussing the start of his career at Best Buy’s corporate headquarters, followed by his MBA at Harvard Business School, where he conducted research under the late Clay Christensen. Mike then explores his experiences across various sectors of venture capital, including corporate VC, venture studios, and fund-of-funds investing. Further, Mike provides guidance to listeners on breaking into the various types of venture capital investing. Finally, he provides an in-depth look at the 1842 Fund, which collaborates closely with Notre Dame’s investment office and their mission. 

Dr. John Behrens is the Director of the Technology and Digital Studies Program as well as the Idzik Computing and Digital Technologies Program at the University of Notre Dame. Prior to joining Notre Dame, Dr. Behrens spent 20 years in industry where he held several executive positions at large tech firms like Cisco and Pearson, where he was most recently the Vice President of AI Product Development. Before working at these firms, John was a tenured professor at Arizona State where he taught educational data science. Dr. Behren now focuses on preparing current and future leaders to successfully transition through the technology, AI, and data revolutions. In this podcast, we discuss the ethical implications of the AI revolution and anticipated impacts of AI on society, as well as some suggestions for prompt engineering.

Henry Kittle is the COO and Co-Founder of Tiger Tracks, a digital advertising agency focused on helping companies build effective and tailored marketing strategies centered around the top ad platforms. Prior to founding Tiger Tracks, Henry spent over 8 years at Google as a shopping lead, helping companies strategize and deploy their digital marketing budgets. In this episode, we discuss Henry’s career path and some of the lessons he has learned along the way, specifically focusing on how to make the most of opportunities that present themselves to you. Next, we dive into the digital advertising industry and Henry’s motivation for starting his own agency. Finally, Henry offers insights into the role of an entrepreneur and designing the proper organizational structure for a firm.

Michelle Seitz is the Founder and CEO of MeydenVest Partners, an investment and strategic advisory firm that partners with businesses within the technology, healthcare, and financial services sectors who are aiming to solve important problems. Prior to founding MeydenVest, Michelle was the Chair and CEO of Russell Investments and CEO of William Blair Investment Management. First, we explore the mission and strategy of MeydenVest by looking at how Michelle aims to create value and impact in her investments. Next, we dive deeper into the role that investment firms should play in providing a social impact through their investments. After this, Michelle shares some of the advice that she gives to CEOs as a CEO mentor and explains some of the skills and qualities that make not only a good investor but also a good leader and manager. Finally, Michelle provides guidance to young professionals on balancing career success with making an impact through your work and prioritizing personal values, such as family and community involvement.