Billion Dollar Moves™ with Sarah Chen-Spellings | Global Venture Capital

Best of 2024: Masterclass in Leadership, Innovation, and Resilience

Jan 30, 2025

Reflect on the resilience that can emerge from rejection, with stories from founders like Melanie Perkins, who turned setbacks into success. Explore the innovative paths of startups navigating challenges in fundraising. Discover the importance of purposeful investing that champions diversity, especially in tech. Delve into effective leadership strategies that foster impactful partnerships. Finally, engage with a bold campaign redefining women’s health narratives, breaking down stigmas and sparking vital public dialogue.

22:55

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

Resilience is essential for entrepreneurs, as demonstrated by Melanie Perkins’ journey from numerous rejections to building a billion-dollar startup.

Innovation requires embracing risk and market feedback, as shown by Anjali Sud’s successful pivot of Vimeo into a thriving B2B SaaS platform.

Deep dives

Resilience Through Rejection

Resilience is highlighted as a crucial quality for founders navigating the challenges of entrepreneurship. Notable examples include Melanie Perkins, co-founder of Canva, who faced over 100 rejections from venture capitalists but persevered, ultimately leading Canva to a valuation of nearly $49 billion. Her journey emphasizes the importance of refining approaches through feedback and maintaining a strong belief in one's vision despite continuous setbacks. Similarly, Iman Abu Zayed illustrates that rejection is common in fundraising yet underscores the value of being selective with investors and focusing on a clear mission, showing that resilience can transform obstacles into pathways for success.

Intro

1min

Navigating Fundraising and Innovation in Startups

10min

Purposeful Investing in AI and Diversity

6min

Navigating Leadership Through Partnerships and Strategy

2min

Breaking Down Barriers: Redefining Women's Health Narratives

4min

As we step into 2025, let’s pause to reflect on the lessons that shaped us in 2024. This week on Billion Dollar Moves, we’re bringing you a curated collection of the most impactful insights from our incredible guests over the past year.

From overcoming rejection and pioneering in business to purposeful investing, bold leadership, and breaking stereotypes, this episode is packed with strategies and stories that defined a year of transformation.

Get ready to relive these moments and glean inspiration to make your own #BillionDollarMoves in 2025!

Timestamps/Key Takeaways

0:00 - Intro

0:40 - Key Takeaway 1: Resilience Through Rejection and Growth – Failure is but part of the process

01:11 - Melanie Perkins: From over 100 VC rejections to building Canva into a $26B startup

02:07 - Iman Abuzeid: Rejection is the norm; tips for selective fundraising

04:09 - Key Takeaway 2: Pioneering in Business

04:43 - Julie Wainwright: Just because something hasn’t been done doesn’t mean it can’t

06:24 - Anjali Sud: Pivoting Vimeo into a SaaS platform and navigating public listing

09:15 - Steve Chen: The ‘One-Way Ticket’: “If I have an idea, I'm just going to regret it if I don't take this opportunity now to actually try it out.”

11:01 - Key Takeaway 3: Purposeful Investing

11:40 - Jack Selby: Impact of capital and investing in art, film, and women in tech

13:27 - Beyond ChatGPT: Balancing advancement with ethics in AI investments.

17:10 - Key Takeaway 4: Leadership and Strategic Vision

17:33 - Glenda McNeal: Building partnerships and consumer focus as a growth leader

19:20 - Key Takeaway 5: Breaking Stereotypes

19:40 - Shama Amalean Skinner: Redefining women’s health and addressing stigma through advocacy

22:06 - Closing Remarks