Andrew Boston, Partner, Founders Circle Capital Learn how Andrew focuses on building the network and skill sets of his portfolio company founders and how the secondary market is addressing opportunities in a COVID19 environment. Key Takeaways: 1. Getting founders in front of successful, experienced leaders who have led teams through tough times can be very helpful as they tackle unprecedented times especially given many of them are facing a recessionary market for the first time. 2. The secondary market will likely slow down for some time, but is not directly correlated to the VC funding environment which will likely see the full impact of COVID19. 3. Really understand the impact of a RIF, as they are challenging and can often hurt morale. Be honest as a leader and share the uncertainty with your teams.

Mar Hershenson, Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Pear VC Key Takeaways: 1. Daily check-ins are critical, and teams should increase scheduled communication to help employees feel heard during these times.  2. Deployment of capital in the seed stage is somewhat insulated, and will likely continue to be strong.  3. To the extent they need to raise, founders should circle back with investors they know who understand their business and have tracked their progress to date. Share a succinct plan that acknowledges the scenario we are in, and if needed, look into alternative sources of funding where available.

Lo Toney, Founder and Managing Partner, Plexo Capital Key Takeaways: 1. Most fund managers have only invested in a bull market. Many firms will need to adjust to the new norms, and founders should be confident that their investors can withstand turbulent times.  2. Make the C-suite available for one-on-one meetings for those who may not be comfortable asking questions in an all hands at a time like this. Their insights may be valuable to the broader message you are trying to send, so be open to alternative forms of communication. 3. Go back to existing investors for inside rounds where possible- they understand the business well, and are hopefully ready to help you through these turbulent times in return for additional ownership in their winners.

From personal wealth, to building camaraderie at NEA, hear what Amit is doing to maintain a state of normalcy through the next few months. Key Takeaways: Don’t allow panic to influence your personal portfolio decisions right now. Create a system at home that works for you but also allows for your roommate/spouse to succeed. NEA is still open for business! Now is when some of the best opportunities come to life.

From SuperBowl champion to full time investor, Ryan has been surrounded by effective leaders through multiple market turns. Learn what makes a strong leader effective, and how to embrace adversity at a time like this. Key Takeaways: People win championships playing “small ball”. Focus on the little things and stay present with whatever you are working on in this new digital environment. Great CEO’s will pause, not panic, through some of the decisions ahead. Staying calculated, prepared and ready to execute will be an essential skillset. Individuals in both the sports and business world are raising their hands to help out right now, and that is unprecedented and will have a significant impact.

As a lead investor at a global growth equity fund, hear how Jocelyn thinks about communicating with founders, stress testing through turbulent times, and lessons on maintaining company culture digitally. Key Takeaways: It is important to continue building community and sharing quality time in a WFH environment. Birthdays, yoga classes, and time with your loved ones can all still happen digitally. Board members should take the time to let portfolio companies know you are there. Help them stress test their business model, and don’t be afraid to share best practices from across the portfolio to lend them any competitive edge available. Use this as an opportunity to better yourself mentally, physically and spiritually. There are a variety of digitally-native platforms that allow you to get back to the things you love.

With experience in both consumer and enterprise early stage investing, hear how Jamison is following the news, what he is hearing from founders, and advice on working from home for those used to traveling. Key Takeaways: If you don’t have a WFH setup, now is the time to invest in one. Taking care of your health matters! You have to see people! Convert calls to zoom conferences, and utilize the benefits of video over audio as a means of social engagement. CEO’s that are honest and transparent up front will win long term. Everyone will make mistakes, but letting employees feel as they are part of the process matters.

Notorious for being ready to “meet a founder anywhere”, hear how Arteen is adjusting to working from home, “recession” vs “pandemic” investing and how WndrCo is supporting it’s portfolio companies. Key Takeaways: Humans are incredibly resilient and incredibly adaptive. We will find a variety of ways to continue celebrating and sharing expression. There is a spectrum in mental health, not two polar ends. Everyone should be open with their experiences over the next few months and recognize there are others that would love to chat. This environment will push large enterprises to adapt to remote work faster than they would’ve on their own. Although digital adoption will “revert back”, most companies will likely be further progressed than prior to COVID19 levels.

From Microsoft to helping launch a growth equity platform for Bessemer Venture Partners, hear how Elliott and the BVP team are “watching the world” and preparing their portfolio companies for success in times of uncertainty. Key Takeaways: It is critical to “dial in” to the leaders around you who have deep expertise in the fields you don’t. Sharing those findings with portfolio companies is value-add as an investor. Firms and companies alike will need to get prepared to hire individuals who they may have never met in person. There are lots of ways to still do effective diligence and make good decisions. Unit economics like cac payback, churn and gross margins still matter, and some business models will be better able to handle this type of change.