Ep 025 - Kevin Jiang, Managing Partner at Mangusta Capital

This is the story of the ultimate finance resume! 💰💼📈​​

From Harvard to Investment Banking at Goldman Sachs to investing at a PE Megafund to becoming a founding investor for Softbank and then creating a VC firm, Kevin Jiang, GP at Mangusta Capital has accumulated top tier finance experiences like trading cards. In episode 025 of “New to Venture”, we dive deep into his experiences working with some of the most storied brands and talented individuals in high finance. If you’re looking to take your game to the next level, give this episode a listen!

Key Takeaways:

1️⃣ Working hard and putting in the hours are table stakes. What makes people stand out are communication skills. Good communicators are heard more clearly, more often, more loudly and can move the needle.

2️⃣ Hiring is one of the hardest things to do. Early on, having the right people on board will change the trajectory of your business. Find the people that aren’t afraid to step above or below their job description or their “weight class.”

3️⃣ When you are looking for a long term hire, fit matters. Trial periods where you can see how they work, gauge cultural fit, and answer any unknowns can be extremely helpful. It's a technique that larger companies can’t implement, but smaller companies may be able to, so use that to your advantage.

4️⃣ Expand your network wide and deep. VC relationships are everything. Your future self will thank you!

Timestamps:

(00:00) - Introductions

(02:08) - Investing in yourself

(05:05) - Pulling all nighters

(10:39) - Best practices to stand out in high-finance

(14:18) - What “Mangusta” means

(16:55) - Firm origin stories

(21:23) - What Kevin looks for in founders

(23:01) - Kevin’s interest in Vertical AI

(26:37) - Electric boat sponsorship?

(29:46) - What Kevin looks for in a new hire

(36:40) - Highlights and lowlights

(43:22) - Ceremonial Final Qs