S5E4: Kelly Graziadei and Joanna Lee Shevelenko of F7 Ventures Create an Inclusive Space for Women In Ventures

In The Room with Kelly Graziadei and Joanna Lee Shevelenko, General Partners of F7.

For this episode of The Room, we chat with the women who lead the investments and operations of F7. F7 is a seed investment fund, composed of seven senior female operators. With their combined 16 years at Facebook, Kelly and Joanna explain what they learned from their time there and how they want to use their experience, relationships, and capital to make a difference. Kelly and Joanna manage F7 because they see a huge issue with the number of women that have “a seat at the table” in the investment industry and they want to encourage more women to be founders.

This conversation describes some of the barriers to entry as a woman in the investment world and the importance of giving everyone an equal starting place in the industry. Plus, Kelly and Joanna reveal some common mistakes that new founders make and explain how the women of F7 can be beneficial at any stage in the startup process.

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3:55 - Joanna left Facebook after 9 years to pursue F7, how did her time there shape her career?
5:57 - How did Kelly get involved with VCs, and why did she see the need for F7?
7:32 - How did Kelly first make the transition into Venture? What was the aha moment that venture was next for her career?
12:02 - What is the initial mission and investment thesis of F7?
13:55 - What stage in a startup is the right time to call F7?
16:43 - What are the barriers to entry on founding a fund and what was the process like for Joanna, both tactically and emotionally?
18:17 - What are some common mistakes that founders make?
19:55 - What are some tips for a founder whose idea is not clicking and may need to start thinking outside the box?
21:58 - What are some examples of a really good executor and what are things to look for when hiring executors into your business?
22:52 - Who is a company in F7’s portfolio that has really knocked their socks off based on their execution?
24:15 - Where does Kelly see the investment industry in 10 years?
26:19 - Who is a woman in Kelly’s life that has had a profound impact on her?
25:58 - Who is a woman in Joanna’s life that has had a profound impact on her?

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Season 5 of The Room Podcast is sponsored by our friends at Silicon Valley Bank and Cooley.

WX Productions