Taking a risk - wish a brotha some luck

All,

I am a 1Y at a MM / LMM inv bank and I leaving banking after a year and joining a startup VC Fund ($50M AUM ) as the only associate at $180K Base, with 2% carry. I leveraged this role through a personal connection, but just want to share with the community. I know I am taking a risk by not trying to lateral to a BB / EB then go MM / MF PE especially in this environment. I am dedicating the next 7-10 years to this fund and hopefully we build an interesting venture capital business. Since most of this site is classic standard EB>PE moves, I just wanted to share and show people that if you feel like pulling the plug and doing something creative, fuck it and do it - life is short.

Either you die a shitty analyst or live to see yourself become a shitty MD. Because he's the hero Gotham deserves , but not the one it needs right now. So we'll hunt him. Because he can take it. Because he's not our hero.

Comments ( 23 )

  • Associate 1 in PE - LBOs
3mo

Good luck - following. Let us know how it plays out when you remember this thread a couple of years down the line!

3mo
Anonymous Monkey , what's your opinion? Comment below:

aren't VC and tech investments drying in this economy ?

3mo
Anonymous Monkey , what's your opinion? Comment below:

If I had em, I wouldn't have time for WSO

But loafers always go with socks, no exceptions

  • Intern in IB-M&A
3mo

Mans got balls of steel

Funniest
3mo
Smoke Frog , what's your opinion? Comment below:

Wow what a huge risk moving as a first year at a crappy bank to 180k base and carry!

  • 19
  • Associate 1 in CorpDev
3mo
[Comment removed by mod team]
3mo
Dr. Rahma Dikhinmahas , what's your opinion? Comment below:

Where did he get the courage?  What is the salary bump?  The carry?  The chance to ride out a recession working for a family friend?

Giving up the legendary comforts of LMM banking is difficult, but our hero looked deep into his soul I guess.

  • 4
3mo
JOHNSON12321 , what's your opinion? Comment below:

Lol still a risk from a career point of view - clearly OP indicates he likely was at a bank where he could have lateraled to a BB / EB but choose this route. Funds like this go bust all the time, and rarely promote internally unless everything goes super well. Salary bump? lol maybe $ 10k max and carry only works if the fund performs well. Sure working for a fam friend eases a little pressure of macro factors, but cannot deny that this is still a career risk

3mo
JOHNSON12321 , what's your opinion? Comment below:

LOL - dawg do you not realize funds like this go bust every 3-4 years. Are you really that shortsighted that you think he's gonna make millions? He's risking potentially a better IB name leading to better exit ops for a no name fund..who cares about the salary lol no one got rich off of that

  • Associate 2 in VC
3mo

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  • Analyst 1 in CorpStrat
3mo

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