How to Become a Venture Capitalist by Betting on Yourself First, With Sydney Thomas

Most women wait until they feel qualified to invest. Sydney Thomas told her coworkers she was going to be a VC before she knew the first thing about it. On Getting Rich Together, host Syama Bunten talks with Sydney, founder and general partner of Symphonic Capital, about how to become a venture capitalist by betting on yourself first. Her money instincts started early. She sold bracelets and Cutco knives to pay for what she wanted and saved so much that her mom joked she never knew where Sydney kept it. Later, she lived on $28K a year in New York and learned exactly what enough looked like. That self-reliance shaped how she chose to break into venture capital. Sydney shares how cold emails and six months of persistent calls to a venture capital partner who wasn't hiring eventually opened the door to her first opportunity at Precursor Ventures. She explains how she built a shadow portfolio before she could write a check and why that experience helped shape her investment philosophy. She also gets honest about starting a venture capital fund before she had every answer and why she thinks perfection will not keep women safe. Her story is a real look at how to become a venture capitalist and what it asks of an emerging fund manager. If you have ever waited to feel ready before you invest, press play. Sydney's story shows how women interested in venture capital can begin by making the decision to bet on themselves. Episode Breakdown: 00:00 Betting on Yourself Before Anyone Else Does 02:33 San Diego Childhood, Side Hustles, and Saving Money 09:46 Duke, New York, and Learning What Enough Means 19:09 Business School, Gig Contracts, and a Full Scholarship 29:51 How to Become a Venture Capitalist Through Persistence 34:50 Building a Shadow Portfolio Through a Podcast 39:21 Starting Symphonic Capital Before Having Every Answer 42:58 Why Risk Is the Job in Venture 45:01 Nervous System Work and Running Your Own Race 47:59 Joyful Legacy, Community, and Money as a Tool Find more from Syama Bunten: Your money story may be shaping your financial life more than you realize. After hundreds of conversations with women at all stages of their financial lives, Syama distilled the questions that helped her understand her own patterns into The Money Story Reset, a free guide featuring five guided reflections and personal stories from her journey. Download The Money Story Reset and begin uncovering the beliefs behind your financial decisions: https://wealthcatalyst.com/reset/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/syama.co/ Join Syama's Substack: https://thewealthcatalystwithsyama.substack.com/ Website: https://wealthcatalyst.com/ Big Delta Capital: https://www.bigdeltacapital.com/ Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm