Today I'm talking to Kevin Zhang, Partner at Bain Capital Ventures. BCV sits inside Bain Capital, a $200 billion investment manager spanning private equity, credit, life sciences, and real estate, and Kevin has been there nearly a decade, leading early-stage bets from seed through Series B across AI, crypto, longevity, and industrials.
We talk about confidence, self-doubt, and what it actually takes to back people before it's obvious. Kevin opens up about feeling like there was a pane of glass between him and the people who got to make big decisions — and the slow, honest process of earning his own seat at the table.
We cover
- "Hyperstition": why enough people believing in something can make it true
- Why he thinks imposter syndrome is often just an accurate self-assessment
- The BCV Fellowship: a secret program to find star talent years before they start companies
- Full stack capitalism: why the most ambitious founders need more than just venture dollars
- His dream second career: political talent scout
- SO much more!
Timestamps
00:00 Intro
01:01 The Invisible Glass Ceiling
08:40 Surviving the Almost-Dead Startup
13:40 Full Stack Capitalism
19:24 Bet on People, Not Sectors
23:32 Spotting Greatness Early
27:05 Build Conviction
30:36 Beyond the SaaS Playbook
36:34 Understanding Society
39:21 Why He Stayed at Bain Capital
43:52 Investing in Founders
47:24 Rapid Fire
Links
Luba Yudasina Instagram: https://instagram.com/lifeoflubaa
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