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Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser.  Upcoming Events & Announcements Jan 10 - Synergist NY | Women in Tech VC & Growth Equity (In Person) Join Synergist NY and start off the new year with an evening of canapés and networking, featuring small group discussions with female leaders on challenges and trends in technology investing. Register here.   Other Updates Mentorship Programs Synergist chapters will be launching the annual mentorship program, which pairs female associates in investing with more senior women in the industry, in January. Stay tuned for updates here. Wishing you a happy holiday season from Synergist!  Synergist Senior Sound Bites - December 2023 Cathy Gao Partner at Sapphire Ventures   Background: Cathy is a San Francisco-based Partner at Sapphire and joined the firm in 2019. Prior to Sapphire, she was an investor at AXA Venture Partners. Earlier in her career, Cathy was an operator at Gusto, working across finance, strategy, and product roles. She also worked in growth equity at TA Associates and started off her career as an analyst in Blackstone’s M&A advisory & restructuring group. She graduated summa cum laude from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania with a B.S. in Economics and a Minor in History. You’ve worn many hats from investment banker to operator. Can you tell us about your journey to being a venture capitalist and what drew you to it? As the daughter of a software engineer and a small business owner, I have always been fascinated by business, technology, and entrepreneurship. I went to an undergraduate business program where I learned about banking and the various career paths that it could open up, so I decided to join Blackstone’s M&A group which was amazing training in finance fundamentals. After that, I joined TA Associates, a global growth equity firm with a 3-year training program, which taught me to be how to be an investor. I came to love investing and saw it as a long-term career path. However, my curiosity about tech led me to explore an operating role at a software company. So, I packed my bags, moved to SF, and landed a role at Gusto, a fast-growing Series B startup.  After a couple of thrilling years, I decided to jump back into investing but focused on venture and on enterprise software. To me, investing is the best job in the world because you get paid to learn something new every day as you encounter such a wide variety of companies. The constant state of learning and thrill of finding the next big thing are very attractive to me. What have you found rewarding about being an investor? What have you found challenging? The most rewarding aspect is the long-term relationship building with portfolio companies. Given we’re invested in companies for years, you really get to know the founders you work with. You become part of their team and whilst they are the ones on the battlefield every day making things happen, the feeling of making an impact on their trajectory is truly special. On the flip side, the recent volatility in the VC space has been challenging but it’s something we learn to navigate in this field. What do you think is an underrated skill when it comes to analyzing and making good investments? When it comes to analyzing a private company, information asymmetry is a challenge we all face. Success often hinges on being creative and proactive in gaining even a slight edge to build conviction or make informed decisions. It could be having an exceptional network, accessing unique opinions, or connecting seemingly unrelated dots to spot underrated opportunities. Effective communication with entrepreneurs also plays a crucial role. Putting yourself in their shoes and understanding their perspective is key. Any words of wisdom for balancing life, family, and motherhood with a career in investing? I believe women can have it all, but not at the same time. It requires navigating different phases of life with trade-offs. We're motivated individuals, striving for success in our careers, being healthy, enjoying hobbies, and maintaining great relationships, etc. Yet, achieving all these simultaneously can be challenging. It's crucial to recognize that priorities shift, sometimes even on a monthly basis. For example, I am a mother to a 10-month-old, so my life is hectic right now, but my non-negotiables are sufficient sleep and regular exercise in order to function properly. To maintain these, I've made the trade-off of having almost no personal time for entertainment and hobbies. However, this is a choice I'm ok making right now at my current life stage. Trying to optimize every aspect of life at once can be overwhelming. Any favorite books, podcasts, or shows that you recommend? I’m a history nerd and enjoy reading biographies in my spare time. One of my all-time favorite authors is Erik Larson because of his unique approach of presenting historical nonfiction in a narrative, almost fictional, format across various topics. Thank you for your time, Cathy! To learn more about Sapphire Ventures, click here. December 2023, Synergist Network Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list