#15 → Mike Raab: Investing in Authenticity

Mike Raab is the Director of "The Garage" in San Francisco, a coworking space that provides community and resources for Northwestern alumni, operators, and investors.

Previously, Mike was an investor at Sinai Ventures where he invested in early-stage consumer tech companies, and has a wealth of experience as a freelance writer with articles commissioned for Business Insider, OneZero, and HackerNoon.

In this conversation, he and Asher discuss similarities between the entertainment industry and venture capital, the importance of authenticity as a leader, and what makes for a fulfilling career.

[0:59]: Starting his career in the entertainment space with Fox after graduating from Northwestern

[2:08]: Why after 4 years at Fox, Mike quit his job to spend 3 months backpacking through Europe

[5:45]: Returning to Fox in a new role with a greater appreciation for having a daily routine

[7:21]: Joining Sinai Ventures in 2018 and similarities between entertainment and venture capital

[10:23]: Frustrations with VC, and moving into a new job at The Garage

[12:11]: The single strongest predictor of whether or not someone will be a good manager

[15:05]: Mike's thoughts on what makes for a fulfilling career

[17:21]: Why volume and quantity of the content we put into the world improves quality over time

Mike's Twitter - https://twitter.com/hithereimmike

Mike's Blog - https://www.theraabithole.com/

The Garage Website - https://thegarage.northwestern.edu/

David Foster Wallace's "This is Water" Speech - https://fs.blog/2012/04/david-foster-wallace-this-is-water/