Panic With Friends – Nicole Glaros Is The Chief Investment Strategy Officer at Techstars

Read on about Nicole and today’s podcast but you can listen to it right here on Spotify.

Onwards…

Today’s Guest: Nicole Glaros

Profile: Chief Investment Strategy Officer at Techstars

Where to Find Her: LinkedIn, Twitter

Fun fact: Nicole is a self-described adventure junkie. She has even driven across the country twice with her family. Oh, and according to her bio she does her own stunts. Quite impressive considering not many people in the investing world can say that. If you want a front row seat into how her incredible mind works, check out her blog “Nearly Nicole.”

What’s the Panic About:On this podcast episode, I spoke with the hardest working person you may have never heard of — Nicole Glaros. She is an unsung hero of the startup industry, the steady hand of innovation, and someone who has made me a lot of money (all things I say with the highest of regard). Nicole has seen so much magic from the earliest stages.

Nicole has been with Techstars, a bootcamp for entrepreneurs, for nearly 15 years. She helped spark the organization’s growth from just two people to a global powerhouse with nearly 50 programs worldwide. Not to one-up her, but I was there for the Techstars’ first program in 2007. In this episode, I chatted with Nicole about her role in the startup process, what makes a great founder, how and where she spots trends, moving the needle toward more industry diversity, as well as what it means to foster relationships within our networks. Nicole’s knack for tending to her relationships goes beyond the professional sense, which is apparent when she speaks about her family, meeting her husband, all her traveling adventures, and more.

The Takeaway:Success is not just about who you surround yourself with, but also being proactive about those connections. Fostering genuine relationships is just as valuable as any other aspect of the work you do. And now more than ever, the way we approach our network is changing. Before COVID-19, our circles were growing so much they were becoming unmanageable. After talking with Nicole, I personally am taking this time to reflect and focus on my tighter, inner circle, something I encourage my listeners to do as well.

Favorite Quotes:“I don’t know if it’s spotting talent rather than wanting myself to be stretched and pushed in ways that I recognize in others and saying ‘I want to be more like that.’”

“When you find someone who is wise beyond their years, those are the founders you want to invest in.”

“I’ve had this thought with some company before where I think: ‘This company is either going to be worth a billion dollars, or this founding team is going to prison.”

Food for Thought:When Nicole left her job at another organization, she made a list of 10 people she wanted to stay in touch with because she appreciated their perspective. Who are the 10 people you would put on your list?

PS – I am now doing two ‘Panic With Friends’ podcasts per week. Thanks for listening and make sure you subscribe over on Spotify or Apple.