Episode 31: Shawn Xu (@shawnxu) is an early-stage investor, product launcher, and growth hacker. After graduating from UCSD in 2012 with three separate degrees - global business, political science, and psychology - Shawn worked in Silicon Valley, managing Square’s and Vungle’s business expansions into Europe and Asia respectively. After five years, he packed his bags and headed to the east coast to pursue an MBA at The Wharton School.

While at Wharton, Shawn joined First Round’s Dorm Room Fund as a partner, eventually becoming their managing partner, making investments in over 20 startups founded by students. While there, he also realized the lack of diversity in the startup ecosystem, vowing to create a more inclusive space for women, people of color, and graduates of schools outside the Ivy League. He now works as a senior associate on the investment team at Floodgate.

Most recently, Shawn was a part of the Forbes 30 Under 30 class of 2020, under the Venture Capital category.

Show Notes:

• 1:45 - Intro, discusing forbes 30 under 30, knowing really inventive people
• 4:45 - Joining the founding team of startup Bayes Impact, managing international expansion for startups
• 7:21 - Business school and his intellectual journey through geopolitics and venture capital
• 11:23 - Getting involved into venture capital
• 14:34 - Day to Days with working in venture capital and why he loves it
• 17:04 - What are some of the biggest problems Shawn has seen entrepreneurs tackle?
• 22:02 - Entrepreneurs tackling remote work and coronavirus
• 24:10 - Politics and using a methodical approach to solve problems
• 28:03 - The Asian American identity, low turn-out rates on elections, and Asian representation
• 30:15 - A lack of governmental candidates, political polarization, and high level policy initiatives
• 34:09 - The rising automation of jobs and retraining towards high demand industries
• 37:10 - Advice to a new grad--find someone who will invest in you. Floodgate and seed investments
• 41:20 - Start-up mafias as great resources to consult, and be intentional about the people you self select into
• 42:58 - Do things that terrify you to go outside your comfort zone
• 43:44 - Bucket list item--travel to places that are untouched and different from your experiences
• 46:30 - Shawn's podcast episode on North Korea
• 47:22 - How to contact Shawn and follow him

Article of Shawn's Experience in North Korea
https://medium.com/@shawnxu/what-i-found-in-north-korea-c6670385d777

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