Thank you to the Canadian Venture Capital & Private Equity Association (CVCA) & The Ivey Academy at Ivey Business School for curating such a smart, collaborative cohort. The professors, speakers, and entrepreneurs that spent time with us were incredibly insightful.

During a session led by Hayden Woodley, I came across a quote by Benjamin Franklin that captures this mindset: "If everyone is thinking alike, then somebody isn’t thinking." True innovation and alpha come from unique insights, contrarian bets, and seeing value where others don’t.

My favorite part about pivoting from law to venture capital is how essential it is to think differently. In law, I relied on precedent and structure, where deviating from the norm was risky. But in venture capital, if everyone thinks alike, no one gains a competitive edge.

Kim Furlong set the tone from the start by leading with vulnerability (something we need to see more of from CEOs), creating space for deep conversations, and inspiring us to take up space—to speak up, even when our voices may tremble.