Perspectives

Putting People First: Becoming Emergence’s First COO

June 3, 2021

past decades built career around love empowering others helping companies reach full potential worked consultant executive investor look back common threads always finding developing teams inspire begin next chapter reflect originally set came Bain four years ago accomplished role Head People Talent Bay Area first launched coming college 24 working associate eventually left work private equity served CEO Luxury Link CFO Tea Collection roles taught grow scale businesses sustainably returned senior tasked organization handle healthy growth office scaled 600+ chance roll sleeves side team evolve processes become efficient thoughtful put loved serving incredibly proud together particular humbled community navigate COVID-19 crisis pioneering company's efforts racial justice crafting initiatives adopted globally huge thank bottom heart family focus scalability sustainable people-centric systems hope bring Emergence first-ever COO looking job knocking mutual friend touch Gordon let know help run operations thought point right direction hire conversation felt karmic perfect confluence prior operating experience smaller passion entrepreneurs shared values specifically value something greater self knew missing piece puzzle Meeting wider partnership rest confirmed inspired every although difficult decision leave found home partners venture capital dug realized belief winning big stunned vision creating lasting thriving platform portfolio LP's easy choice backchannel reference checks kept hearing consistently great investors better long now true learned throughout course business care focused continue stellar track record advancing remember explaining three-year-old Mommy helps goal attain position stage maturity incredible ambitious founders accelerate support strong empower time make decisions quicker forward building generation continuing momentum without losing magic

Welcoming Julie Bell to Team Emergence

June 3, 2021

proud welcome Julie Bell firm's first-ever COO equal partnership single GP Emergence wants run show design pride true team good person plays position Sometimes move quickly takes ball grow want make sure focus performance knew wanted add someone seat table help 10x better say found joined Chief Operating Officer Iwill never forget first Zoom meeting middle snowstorm Sierra running generator six feet snow cut power chaos felt sync within 45 seconds recall immediate connection sense deeply understood loved connected belief amplifying talents strengths struck said world turn ego captures core brings industry Getting know impressed incredible competence 600+ office Bain partner private equity firm CEO roles multiple companies truly stood remarkable reputation servant leader talked dozens people common remarks inspirational engine advocate coach Everyone pointed ability manage complexity described gets job done importantly trusts delivering tough news right valuing long-term relationships perfect fit prepare journey ahead unfair advantage balance competing priorities develop talent work side-by-side expert operators platform invent post-investment strategy entrepreneurial community time confident whole new voice force positive change long feels forever partners excited together already showing decisions struggled large small now rearview mirror making faster begin invest sixth fund opportunity catalyst need next phase growth continue

Put Your Best Pitch Forward

May 7, 2021

Emergence Principal Carlotta Siniscalco shares advice frequently asked questions early-stage founders fundraising improve process actively involved firm's sourcing activities oversee diligence years assessed thousands companies reviewed hundreds pitch decks Given role feel strong sense obligation support early navigate experience pitching investors share hear often provide actionable looking better understand want put best forward make Zoom stand virtual pitches seen ones reinvented Investor's days stacked back-to-back meetings remembered think outside box comfortable focus every detail deck transactional Instead present conversation aim connect personal level great break ice dedicate first 10 minutes tell story naturally segue presenting important information coach entrepreneurs slides supporting party fall trap simply clicking slide let know leave impression However build thorough sure hiding behind drive example investor asks market size pull discuss shows homework creates interesting memorable Additionally format hosting demos believe provides seamless in-person recommend demo within 30 executed lasting Takeaway Whether trying connection time less rushing always confident compelling concise plenty room excited vision Meeting new building amazing reason business likely already interested work done continue capturing attention order company need big long-term bring life storytelling wait long sell easy lose control narrative operational plan step realistic practical product go-to-market approach Proactively paint picture start convince worth multiple billions relationships founder least preparing next raise background identify suited participate round find ways head fundraise hopefully trust able decisions quickly Second keep updated hand part conversations ask teaser receive usually five mission Frame opportunity Showcase team especially members backgrounds domain expertise Demonstrate traction high-level chart revenue growth Highlight thoughtful sample customers give full customer list Third emphasize bringing onto board decision taken lightly entering agreement play critical Never haste factors weigh another nurturing learning ahead possible reverse fund importantly person working Regardless top prepared goal establish figure right partner speak time-consuming favor shake confidence prepare advance reasonable balance parties approaching topic target dedicated sharing starting explain reasons reference intentional help hire talent future possibilities benefit hesitations push back alternative record interview permission course password-protected file consolidate package answer sincerity listening recording comes across real raw use marketing jargon industry acronyms Lastly importance setting criteria typically reserve heavily invested completed fair amount due appropriate references Set success showing positive impact milestones look Series actually care momentum general rule thumb generally see 2-3X last 12 months standpoint firm weighs love high Net Promoter Score NPS growing dollar retention ideally positively competitor front center values reviews several people talk company's data 1 return investment ROI 2 unit economics expensive take recoup cost vary segment assess G2 active users calls case studies economic large portfolios conflicts interest self-select deals goes without saying raising money well-versed potential portfolio research website press releases Crunchbase Pitchbook responsibility direct competitors challenging assessing become competitive something asking respond revealing honest frank dismissive defensive percentage small rights risk mitigated going greater Fortunately vast majority VCs ethical tools available common turn startups pass startup fast enough meet grow dollars scale Timing Oftentimes times slowly expected concept technology exciting mature succeed piece rely back-channel proactive reach shared connections contacted baseline purpose check maturation key none matters poor Please follow LinkedIn learn upcoming events community Thank

Thank you, David.

May 7, 2021

saddened news David Swensen legendary Chief Investment Officer Yale lost battle cancer week Along knew team Emergence deeply touched friend advisor firm 2007 took major risk became largest investors second fund ECP II last 14 years honor David's guidance every step memory share lessons shaped decisions culture people Disciplined size creates constraints force high bar make decision-making pays number different perspectives around table outperform single smart investor Venture capital asset class value added decision truly pay people-based business integrity matters abdicate responsibility public securities always clear distribute investments early cutting long-term potential taken seriously confidence gave strength stay focused evolving thesis areas take relationship influence entrepreneurs personally develop within long run importantly power trusted hard together support ups downs industry core thank believing miss continued wisdom humanity live

A Step Back and a Step Forward

May 6, 2021

almost 20 years Emergence made difficult decision step back active investing role new fund VI However intend stay actively engaged portfolio firm foreseeable future Founding Partner incredibly proud become since Brian Gordon first dreamt possible team delivered remarkable performance multiple decades impactful LPs make positive difference world achieved maintaining highly focused disciplined collaborative caring culture endeavored service important partners amazing entrepreneurs teams foundation success impact companies workplace broad profound Salesforce Zoom Veeva Box Bill.com Yammer Gusto SuccessFactors ServiceMax SalesLoft others changed millions collaborate work together around globe recruit grow partnership within produced next generation investors leaders consistent values help steward firm's built cares deeply treating good never stronger position grateful take venture industry unleashing human potential fueling entrepreneurship innovation globally time recognize equal access resources advice talent foster board member Endeavor leading global non-profit serving high served Chairman Kauffman Fellows Program educational capital seen hand powerful building trusted networks relationships organizations heart committed broadening opportunity ethos paying forward zero-sum game breeds excited continue efforts expand enhance diversity entrepreneurial ecosystem begun advise LP investments emerging firms run talented passionate needs MaC Slauson Co Age Zeal led outset diverse managers dedicated inclusion serve accelerate inclusivity broaden opportunities Hometeam Ventures Chingona Buoyant great examples funds founded women making returns supporting addition wife Ann set Greenbridge Family support philanthropic societal issues helping need initiatives including ending mass incarceration providing disadvantaged youth reducing carbon emissions net-zero adapting negative impacts climate change include Freeworld creating second chances formerly incarcerated Peninsula Bridge supports Bay Area mentorship Cool Earth Acre Clean Air Task Force non-profits reduce spend learning identifying backing environmental social causes hope meaningful hard now feel blessed journey Onward Upward Jason Green

Announcing Our New Funds

May 5, 2021

ECP VI Emergence Capital Opportunity delighted announce raised new funds Partners 575 million core fund lead investments early-stage B2B technology companies inaugural 375 vehicle complement enabling make select later-stage begin invest recommitting values founders established started firm nearly decades ago Focus Drive Conviction start team believed matters investment strategy focused building groundbreaking passion beginning partnership early stages journeys modest size comprised experts focusing positioned best investors space great investor requires true creating time spent able build stronger earlier firms fully aligned goal primarily allow continue successful occasionally use funded initially others fund's emphasis Strive Important Partner want work alongside creates feels warm enduring hope trusting supportive collaborative relationships around limited within word part believe never done close partnerships ongoing dedication business often years love working people care connection makes rewarding ability raise announcing today hinges built continuing exceptional extend gratitude choosing support Win Big Long Run investing long-term commitment founder know together number said world ever faster-scaling seem old fashioned company achieve greatness decade hard journey beautiful iconic brick-by-brick relish inspired create something real difference matter require comes long-run thinking applies fortunate vast majority LP base institutions positive change humbled uses returns impact areas racial ethnic gender justice climate science education medical research founding Jason Green retiring miss portfolio active advisor thank enough everything personally inspire better human beings look forward lives everyone supported since trust placed

Welcome Assembled: The Operating System for Modern Customer Support Teams

March 23, 2021

prefer communicate companies whose products services use something breaks text vendor wife question always picks phone dad interested upgrading fires email maintain customer love must meet customers want add live chat video myriad messaging channels mentioned complexity mounts quickly handled poorly experience suffers Delayed support response times already feeling frustrated leads churn angry social media posts serious hits NPS underlying reason situations getting worse despite attention execs tools built manage resourcing teams category known workforce management diverse mind mentality empowering agent agency work Modern increasingly view facing potential value creators require software stack treat faceless cogs machine Enter Assembled operating system platform empowers deliver timely effective putting right person place time connects various channel platforms provide single pane glass forecast schedule operations Looker Harry's Stripe come rely core orchestration layer become backbone Ops first met Assembled's founders Brian Ryan John 2019 friend seed investor Lan Basis Set Ventures connected immediately struck deep empathy team problem focused solving customer-facing led hairiest integration projects number Stripe's grew teamed build solve internally seeing internal success product spun backing venture fund help building integrates variety complex communications ticketing systems assemble better grown strongest integrations talent world DNA plus solved rare combo gives outstanding founder fit know including office dogs conviction need power rising function saw portfolio understand relatively underserved nature space via investments Guru ASAPP serve Functions sales engineering complementary operate tasks effectively devops respectively believe similarly standard perfect usher era mission critical evidenced favorite quotes diligence conversations stopped using screwed next day passion evident renewal expansion rates achieved resulting charts net dollar retention 160 perhaps excited partner John's focus enduring company anchored part iconic committed generational proud decades now thrilled journey win big long run

How The Next Big Industry Cloud Company Is Making Insurance Loveable

March 11, 2021

Emergence led Hi Marley's 25M Series believes insurance industry ripe innovation focused finding next iconic Cloud company within vertical quite time recent post partner Joe Floyd Wave Data discusses Veeva expanded CRM additional software solutions power pharma continue bullish startups building vertically-focused entire Traditionally industry-focused companies perceived niche plays tended offer application often built top existing horizontal platform single However interested leverage infrastructure several layers value named layer cake approach short compelling due potential broader penetration product line far greater market share winter connected new Today excited announce adding expanding portfolio operating space includes Vymo ThreeFlow believe become Marley intelligent communication people truly know business introduced Founder CEO Mike Greene Lily Lyman investor Underscore friend firm immediately struck deep experience passion Historically necessary evil purchase made purely sake safety security likely agree experiences dealing insurers times need less ideal unpleasant altogether wants reverse indifference negative reputation mission make lovable given family's roots partnering hits personal level inspired Mike's part journey core purpose-built ecosystem front end meets consumers making easy seamless text messages back enterprise-grade quickly integrates systems deliver critical insights fuel continuous improvements employee customer Unlike chat tackling whole fabric tie together especially important note significance communications pandemic world communicates changed forever team entering opportunity true strategy conviction goes deeper particularly Emergence's Coaching Network thesis use machine learning guide workers toward jobs effectively real-time components distributed touchpoint unique position able build solve customers needs Beyond investment set find board member shared values bold vision evidence excellence enterprise Despite competitive term sheets found Gordon Ritter Jake Saper combination founder-friendly belief Networks track record unmatched honored others Gordon's speaks asked better Co-Founder already seeing immense growth last year number carriers using doubled seen 4x increase user base incredibly welcome Family perfect mix background technical knowledge leadership Previously co-founders Mitesh Suchak John Miller successfully consulting later sold Aon large broker demonstrates done inner workings understand pain points end-users face ultimately breakthrough decision weighed heavily person getting never met relationship grew trust mutual respect foundation humility max courage ubuntu oneness overlap awesome collaboration underway Congratulations support

The Next Wave of Industry Cloud is Data

February 23, 2021

Emergence long believed software tailor-made needs industry deliver value horizontal focused function 2008 partnered first cloud companies Veeva Systems started CRM life sciences last decade grown 45B market cap 30 integrated solutions span multiple functions Similar rise SaaS applications 2000s excited today Modern Data Stack core pillars consist Ingestion Warehousing Transformation Output Successful demonstrated tooling turn insights driven cloud-native architectures new built around feed Production Pipeline expanded additional power pharma bullish startups building vertically-focused stacks entire vertically integrate deeply within ingest specific sources pipe tuned schema subsequently industry-specific analytics engines company tackle long-tail niche vertical-specific problems make sense target shared lightweight example framework characterizes industries good fit industry-focused believe necessary attributes determine ready vertical Legacy live silos Large enterprises hybrid multi-cloud on-prem deployments Regulations sharing Accelerated digital tailwinds ripe numerous potential pitfalls observed difficult takes foundation integrations pipelines models delivered customers Second every customer trigger set complex choices build scalable integration source use services fast one-off point-to-point connector Third enterprise different points journey becoming data-driven need hand-holding warehouse order run simple BI reporting fully model workflows Identifying right user persona selling proposition stage critical component go-to-market strategy treacherous waters require domain expertise technical prowess strong captains ample opportunities deeper connections robust ultimately powerful advantages compound system yield enduring competitive advantage able beat competitors due ability tailor product worked unique watch works unlocks tremendous next-generation please reach

Our Sound Investment in SoundCommerce

February 23, 2021

Emergence excitedly supported explosive rise Modern Cloud Data Stack previous blog post Next Wave Industry shared view emerging opened big opportunity see build company deeply focused vertical companies ingest vertically specific sources pipe tuned schema subsequently trigger insights workflow actions within industry-specific applications business users work short continue bullish building vertical-specific systems uniquely target challenges horizontal solve box Using framework evaluated multiple industries determine ones primed exhaustive research selected 5T retail market Pre-COVID e-commerce penetration growing 1 per year 2.5 UK goes without saying pandemic vastly increased numbers 5 10 words COVID forever changed consumers shopping habits accelerated adoption years future Every brick mortar retailer now statement almost clich acceleration caught majority retailers guard scrambling adapt order compete likes Amazon need harness full power Today decision must optimized real-time profit customer lifetime value across omnichannel footprint challenge solved new hire purchase simple software total overhaul understand level channels requires tying together often sitting silos simply complex scoured DataOps landscape looking parts ecosystem met SoundCommerce Founders heard vision entire commerce knew immediately found needle haystack excited officially announce joined Family believe CEO Eric Best CTO Jared Stiff positioned iconic infectious passion working last 20+ first founded height dom-com era sold second venture Mercent 30B+ annual GMV CommerceHub better nearly founder critical experience deep connections able onboard service agree watch tailor works needs unlocks tremendous Read SoundCommerce's 15M Series Crunchbase News VentureBeat