BROADCASTS.com

Published: April 18, 2022, 12:10 p.m.

Raza is a Managing Director at Launchpad Venture Group, a Boston-area angel investing group focused on early stage investments primarily in high-tech and life sciences. Launchpad is one of the largest and most active angel groups in the United States, Raza is also a General Partner at Beacon Venture Partners, a Venture Fund that invests in early stage companies. Raza is also a co-host for the On Boards Podcast with Joe Ayoub.

\n

In this interview, we talk about:

\n

- Raza\u2019s journey from Pakistan to the United States

\n

- Raza\u2019s business journey from technology consultant to Associate Director of Informatics to entrepreneurship in the cloud-computing space and being a co-founder of NorthBay Solutions

\n

- Raza\u2019s journey in angel investing and becoming a Manager Director at Launchpad Venture Group, a Boston-area angel investing group, and a General Partner at Beacon Venture Partners (an angel fund as well)

\n

- The On Boards Podcast where Raza is a co-host and discusses the roles of Corporate Boards in business

\n

__

\n

Raza's Socials:

\n

Raza's Twitter: https://twitter.com/razashaikh?lang=en

\n

Launchpad Venture Group Website: https://www.launchpadventuregroup.com/

\n

On Boards Podcast Website: https://www.onboardspodcast.com/

\n

__

\n

Time Stamps:

\n

0:00 Intro

\n

0:57 Raza\u2019s background

\n

11:50 Thoughts on Pakistan?

\n

14:07 Did you have the mindset to come to the US in your early professional career or did that happen more by chance?

\n

16:28 Advice to someone moving from Pakistan to US on adjusting to culture of US?

\n

19:14 Any resources (movies, books) you would recommend to people looking to learn more about Pakistan?

\n

22:24 Any words of advice to someone early in their professional life?

\n

25:10 How did you get over the fear of being an entrepreneur in a new country?

\n

27:30 Leaving corporate to go to entrepreneurship?

\n

29:30 Advice on selling a company?

\n

31:52 Advice on selection of co-founders/partners?

\n

35:02 Believing in the future of cloud at a time when only 5% of companies storage in the cloud?

\n

37:58 Managing culture aspect as NorthBay grew and scaled?

\n

42:53 Managing personal life balance with professional ambitions

\n

45:07 Any marriage advice?

\n

46:55 Why did you leave NorthBay?

\n

48:02 Any thoughts to young people who want to become angel investors?

\n

52:12 Any advice on raising a fund?

\n

54:50 How did you come up with thesis for your Beacon Venture Fund?

\n

58:24 Advice on investing?

\n

1:01:20 Advice on making an appealing pitch?

\n

1:03:25 Do you want to talk about the On Boards Podcast your run?

\n

1:06:06 What is your purpose/motivation in life?

\n

1:07:40 Do you have any regrets or learning lessons?

\n

Grateful Living Info:

\n

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9Bo0LHtRJJNJBUYIceg27w

\n

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3Hn4ttttmbWfVqAhWh4Jhi

\n

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1503185956

\n

My Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aroy81547/?hl=en

\n

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/gratefulliving4

\n

Medium: https://gratefulliving4.medium.com/