Welcome back to the Alt Goes Mainstream podcast.
Journalist and professional soccer player turned immigrant turned self-proclaimed "best carwasher in San Jose" turned Persian rug salesman turned top Silicon Valley seed investor
Pejman Nozad, the Co-Founder & Founding Managing Partner of
Pear VC comes on the show to chronicle his journey that has crossed continents to back many of tech’s top companies.
While his story has taken him many places, one thing has stayed constant — his ability to build relationships and connect with people. And that talent has enabled him to succeed in building a top seed fund in Pear with his partner and serial entrepreneur
Mar Hershenson, where they have backed the likes of DoorDash, Gusto, Guardant Health, Aurora, and many more.
Pejman shares everything from how to build relationships to how to build a seed fund.
We discussed so many fascinating topics:
- What he looks for in founders.
- Why family is so important.
- How and why building relationships is so critical in early-stage investing.
- How Pear has built out a multitude of products and services for founders across pre-seed and seed.
- How companies can go from zero to product-market fit.
- Why some of the largest institutional LPs are interested in a dedicated pre-seed and seed strategy.
- I also learned that he makes some really good Persian tea, which is apparently even better than Sadaf.
It was a pleasure to have you on the show, Pejman, to share a story for the ages and one that is still being written.
What is Alt Goes Mainstream: The Latest on Alternative Investments, WealthTech, & Private Markets?
Alt Goes Mainstream podcast is the place to turn to for interviews with some of the brightest and most experienced minds in the world of alternative investing, private equity (PE), venture capital (VC), real estate, crypto, collectibles and more. For anyone looking to invest into alternative assets (from experienced wealth managers to family offices to the individual investor looking for a more diversified investment portfolio), you’ll hear inside stories from executives and founders at some of the world’s largest financial institutions, alternative investment firms, and FinTech startups. More than a personal finance podcast, Alt Goes Mainstream dives deep into trends, investment strategies, firm building lessons, and innovative technologies that are enabling investors to access private markets and invest into alternative assets.