“HR Heretics” | How CPOs, CHROs, Founders, and Boards Build High Performing Companies The Death of Traditional VC: Why Platform Shifts Demand People-First Investors, with Katelin Holloway of Seven Seven Six
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Sep 16, 2025 Katelin Holloway, Founding Partner of Seven Seven Six, emphasizes the unmatched skills HR professionals possess for early-stage investing. She argues for their evolution from support roles to key decision-makers by fostering strong relationships with founders. The conversation touches upon creating human-centric venture capital, advocating for genuine connections in the startup ecosystem. Katelin also shares personal insights from her Pixar days, linking innovative HR practices to corporate success. Discover how people-first strategies can transform investment landscapes!
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How Pixar Shaped Her People Ops View
- Katelin describes how HR 'found' her after working at Pixar where she learned world-class people ops practices.
- She credits Pixar University for showing that anyone can learn and contribute across roles.
Joining Reddit During A Turnaround
- Katelin recounts meeting Alexis Ohanian when Reddit was in crisis and being an early executive hire during the turnaround.
- She says working through those hard challenges built deep bonds and transformed employee sentiment about the company.
Early-Stage VC Is People Work
- Early-stage investing after the check is written is primarily people work, not finance or product only.
- Recruiting, team dynamics, compensation, and founding relationships determine zero-to-one outcomes.