What kind of kid were you in grade school?

I don’t think I sat down until 5th grade-- I played basketball, soccer, and ran track. I was put in remedial classes in grade 4 for a month but they pulled me out after realizing it was because I just never did the homework.
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A role model for all kids. Did you learn lessons from your parents, at least?

Oh definitely! My parents were immigrants who moved across the world to plant roots in an unknown land. They didn’t have a roadmap for success and did their best with what they had. They never looked back. They wanted to create a life where their kids could intentionally make choices they never had. I learned to not take the privilege of my education for granted and to value hard work.
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How did being from Toronto shape you?

It’s a highly diverse city and so I have an appreciation for diverse cultures and backgrounds. Especially now I feel I’ve benefited from that broad exposure. Growing up in a low-middle class family is something that defines me today. We didn’t have much money so no family vacations – I never got on a plane until I interviewed for my first summer internship job in San Francisco! I definitely have something to prove, mostly to my parents.
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What most excited you about joining the Catalyst team?

It’s such a rare opportunity to be on the ground floor of building a venture capital fund. We’re lucky that we have a lot of the existing infrastructure but to start from the ground up (just like our entrepreneurial partners) is really exciting.
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What opportunities ahead most excite you?

I’m excited for us to prove our thesis of applying a bespoke brand building approach across the broader technology ecosystem and watching the impact that we can have on industries like enterprise software where brand is usually an afterthought.
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What was it about the VMG culture that attracted you in the first place?

I think our team mentality translates super well for our founders. We stick with them through thick and thin. When there are wins, we celebrate. When there are losses, we all roll our sleeves up to help.
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Sounds like you’ve learned to sit still and do your homework. How else do you contribute to the team?

Well, I’ve been told I’m funny. But mostly from my mom.

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