Katelin Holloway frames venture capital through an HR lens. She argues sourcing founders is identical to recruiting talent, selecting investments is like hiring, and servicing portfolio companies is about enabling human potential—all core HR competencies.
At Pixar, Katelin Holloway learned that culture is not a soft benefit but hard infrastructure. Elements like feedback loops and psychological safety were intentionally designed by leaders like Steve Jobs not just to “feel good,” but to enable excellence, which directly produced massive financial success.
Hiring shouldn't be a reactive process. Katelin Holloway advises founders to constantly talk to interesting people, even during layoffs. This builds a continuous pipeline of talent and market insights, preventing poor hires made from a limited, time-sensitive pool of applicants.
Founders delay firing out of a false sense of compassion. Katelin Holloway argues the employee knows it isn't working, and every day you delay is a day they aren't finding a better fit and earning equity elsewhere. Being clear and fast is the kindest action for everyone involved.
At a crisis-ridden Reddit, investors wanted Katelin Holloway to “add process.” She realized the core issue was a broken social contract among employees. Her first priority was restoring trust and a shared identity, which then enabled high-leverage process and systems work.
Don't hire preemptively. Katelin Holloway's "hire when it hurts" principle advises founders to perform a job themselves until they are overwhelmed. This ensures they develop a deep understanding of the role's requirements and sincere empathy for the person they eventually hire, leading to better hiring decisions.
Katelin Holloway argues that focusing on human systems isn't “soft.” It's a critical form of risk management. While VCs mitigate financial and technical risk, they often overlook that managing human dynamics is essential for preventing company-destroying failures. Empathy becomes a tool for durability.
Katelin Holloway notes an ironic VC behavior: investors are often absent during the difficult early grind but flock to a company once it's clearly succeeding. They want to be associated with the “rocket ship,” but this is the moment founders need their help the least. True value is delivered during the struggle.
To truly understand a founder, Katelin Holloway bypasses typical pitch questions. She engaged one founder in a conversation about wormholes and the time-space continuum. This abstract dialogue revealed how his brain worked and his core values, giving her conviction in him as a person, not just his idea.