Welcome to this new episode of Explore and thank you for your continuous support. If you want to support the show you can give a 5 stars review ✨ on Spotify/Apple podcast. This week, I sit down with Vanessa Larco, a former product manager that became a VC at NEA. Vanessa has spent 9+ years supporting companies like Microsoft and Twilio. She is also the co-founder of FunLoop, a company that she sold after a year. For the last 7-years she has been doing investments in Series A and B in North America. In our conversation, Vanessa talked about: * Growing up with a mom entrepreneur * How she discovered the product role at Microsoft * The creation of a gaming startup for children and her path to acquisition * The challenges of transitioning into VC and learning the ropes * How personal experiences can inform investment decisions * The role of VCs in supporting startups during challenging times * The importance of founder quality in startup success * The way she thinks about assessing product-market fit * How she supports founders through tough times as a VC * Practical advice for founders currently seeking investments * Why founders should do due diligence on VCs * Red flags that she looks for in startups * How to analyze a potential market Listen now on 🟢Spotify or 🟣Apple Podcast. Where to find Vanessa: 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vanessalarco/ Where to find me: 🔗 LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/hugorauch/ 🔗 Newsletter: https://explorepodcast.substack.com/ Timestamps:  00:00 Introducing Vanessa Larco, partner at NEA 01:47 Vanessa's Early Life and Entrepreneurial Influence 03:20 Journey into Product Management at Microsoft 05:58 Founding an Educational Gaming Startup 08:40 Challenges and Acquisition of the Startup 11:43 Role of a Product Manager in Startups 16:48 Transition to Venture Capital 27:11 The Empty Office Mystery 27:35 Finding Purpose in a New Role 28:47 Shadowing Senior Partners 30:47 First Investment Journey 31:12 Investing in Greenlight 35:14 Personal Conviction in Investments 37:33 Market Analysis and Diligence 39:03 Supporting Founders Through Tough Times 41:18 Advice for Founders and Investors 45:06 Rapid Fire Questions 50:38 Conclusion and Contact Information This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit explorepodcast.substack.com