From the beginning…what kind of child were you?

Highly energetic and independent. I was a tomboy, more interested in sports than dolls. Always outside, looking for adventure. There was never a dull moment in our house.
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Any early lessons from your parents?

My parents (and grandparents) and I are really close. A very Italian family – brutally honest and always loving. They taught me to develop the thick skin I needed to weather the ups and downs of life. My mom and I actually started a company together when I was in Middle School. I learned about the grit and hustle required for entrepreneurship from her at an early age.
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So… you’ve got entrepreneurship in your blood.

Definitely. The two constants in my life have been sports and entrepreneurship. When I wasn’t on the field, I was off working on a new venture. I’ve always felt that they were a lot of parallels between both. It’s the journey, complete with highs and lows, that make the wins worthwhile – both in business and sports.
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Describe that journey in your work with entrepreneurs at Catalyst?

I understand that it won’t be a straightforward path to success, and I want to help when times get tough. I love to work with entrepreneurs and value those relationships above all. It’s important to have a relationship that extends beyond the board room. That only happens if the trust is built with the team and they know you’re there to help weather the ups and downs. Again, like sports.
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And Catalyst is also part of the broader VMG team. How does that connection serve your founders?

We’ve been seeing the lines between enterprise and consumer blurring for quite some time, in a trend that I’ll call the Consumerization of Software. I’m excited to invest in those companies. The core elements of brand building are the same for consumer products and enterprise technology. We can leverage VMG’s deep consumer expertise to elevate SaaS companies. It’s a win-win for our founders.
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So how does an entrepreneur/athlete fit in with VMG/Catalyst.

As an athlete I love how VMG embodies a team-first, family culture. It’s an atmosphere where every “player” can excel. As a part of the Catalyst team from the beginning, I’m not only working with passionate entrepreneurs, but we’re actually building something exciting ourselves.
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Sounds like a win-win situation

Yup. My kind of game.

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