MBA Insider #236: Networking, Mentoring, and Building Relationships
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Jun 17, 2024 Whitnie Narcisse, SVP of Operations at First Round Capital, shares insights on networking and mentorship in the business world. She discusses her journey to venture capital, practical advice for networking, and tips for building mentor-mentee relationships. The podcast covers the importance of networking with a clear purpose, successful mentorship dynamics, and defining success in careers.
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From Teach For America To Scaling Recruiting At Bloom Energy
- Whitnie Narcisse moved from Teach For America to executive search then became Bloom Energy's first full-time in-house recruiter, growing headcount from ~300 to over 1,000.
- That recruiting role exposed her to tech and VC power dynamics (board meetings, VCs), which sparked her interest in venture capital.
Use A Target List And Hustle To Break Into VC
- Build a targeted outreach list and use your MBA credential as a reason to get exploratory meetings with VCs and startups.
- Whitnie interviewed with five tech, five cleantech, and five VCs during a single fall break to test fit and signal interest aggressively.
Turn An Internship Into A Full-Time Role By Negotiating School Flexibility
- Whitnie began as a part-time intern at First Round in January 2015 (10–15 hours/week) and then negotiated flying back every three weeks to finish UNC Kenan-Flagler while working full-time in SF.
- She proactively asked what it would take to convert the internship, then coordinated with the MBA office to take some online classes and fly in for the rest.