Christopher Lyons: From producing music to venture capital, and why EQ beats IQ in building the future

Jun 10, 2025

Christopher Lyons, President of Web3 Media at a16z crypto, made his mark as a music producer before shifting to venture capital. He shares insights on the power of emotional intelligence (EQ) as a crucial element for career success, often surpassing traditional IQ measures. Lyons discusses how technology is revolutionizing creativity, making high-quality production accessible to all. He also emphasizes the need for fostering connections among creative thinkers to drive innovation and the role of mindset in enhancing the creative process.

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INSIGHT

EQ Over IQ in Success

Emotional intelligence (EQ) is more critical than IQ for success in relationships and creativity.
Creativity enhanced by emotional resonance drives meaningful innovation beyond technical skills.

INSIGHT

Thinking Powers Creativity

Thinking is fundamental to creativity and building new ideas into tangible products.
Technological advances empower more people to create without traditional barriers like coding skills.

INSIGHT

Technology Democratizes Music

Advances in music technology democratized creativity, allowing music to be recorded and distributed easily.
Streaming and simplified production tools expanded the number of people who can create and share music.

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Some careers have clear through lines: pick a college major, get a job in that industry. Others take serendipitous turns. Christopher Lyons is the latter, but with some surprising twists.

Chris started his career as a music producer with Jermaine Dupri, founder of So So Def records in Atlanta, a role that honed his eye for recognizing talent and helping them reach their potential. Then, he joined renowned venture capital team Andresen Horowitz where he helped connect talent to business opportunities by creating the Cultural Leadership Fund. Eventually, he became a general partner at the firm.

We talk to Chris about why he thinks EQ is far more important than IQ in a successful career, how he connects creative thinkers to business opportunities, and the common threads he sees across all creative disciplines.

Bio

Christopher Lyons is a visionary leader and President of Web3 Media at a16z crypto. Since joining a16z in 2013 as chief of staff to Ben Horowitz, he has helped shape the firm’s strategic direction—most notably by launching the Cultural Leadership Fund (CLF) in 2018 and co-founding a16z’s $400M Seed Fund in 2021. The CLF broke ground as Silicon Valley’s first venture fund with an all-Black LP base, bridging cultural leaders from sports, music, and entertainment with the tech world while advancing opportunities for Black builders and creators.

Lyons began his career as a sound engineer, working with Grammy-winning producer Jermaine Dupri before founding PictureMenu, a mobile menu platform. He now serves on the boards of Yuga Labs, the James Beard Foundation, the Black Economic Alliance, and New Story Charity. A Kauffman Fellow and founder of Lyons Wine, he brings a spirit of craftsmanship and mentorship to everything he does, including his continued involvement with Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.

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