Loves tackling the new, ambiguous, and unknown to help build a world-class operation and a high-functioning team.

Ajay is a Vice President of Strategic Operations at Juxtapose. Ajay leads the firm's efforts to establish the strategic systems and processes that are enabling it to scale. Prior to Juxtapose, Ajay was an operator in the consumer products space at Harry’s Inc., first working to grow and scale the business in international markets, then helping launch and lead the newest brand under the Harry’s umbrella. Ajay began his career at Boston Consulting Group and graduated Summa Cum Laude from the Wharton School and College of Arts & Sciences of the University of Pennsylvania.

What do you find most compelling about Juxtapose's model?

Focusing on only a few things drives us to maintain a really high bar for rigor and intellectual honesty between ourselves, ultimately helping us get to the best ideas and answers.

What inspires you to do your best work?

Having interesting, hard problems to solve alongside fantastic teams.

What’s the most adventurous thing you’ve ever done?

An Amazing Race-style road trip starting in Poland, up through the Baltics, over to Finland, and ending in St. Petersburg.

What 3 people living or dead would you like to make dinner for?

Donald Glover, Kurt Cobain, and James Blake.

Believer in the power of storytelling to empower, inspire, and make change.

Alex is a Vice President of Strategic Communications at Juxtapose, where she leads efforts to build the firm's brand and outreach strategy, as well as supports portfolio companies' communications initiatives. Prior to Juxtapose, Alex led innovation communications at Instagram, where she oversaw the company's engineering and design communications functions and helped launch products to over one billion people. Most recently, Alex founded and operated a strategic communications and marketing consulting practice focused on early and growth-stage startups. She began her career at Facebook, where she led projects across corporate, engineering, and product communications. A journalist by training, Alex has a BS in Journalism from Northwestern University.

What inspires you to do your best work?

The energy of amazing colleagues working toward a shared goal.

What do you find most compelling about Juxtapose's model?

I think the focus on brand early in the process of company creation sets Juxtapose companies up to be uniquely enduring, beloved businesses.

What’s your favorite way to spend a Sunday?

Shopping at the farmer's market and preparing a meal for friends.

What’s one thing people don’t know about you?

I moonlight as a Reiki healer.

Driven by curiosity and creating a sense of community in everything we do. Jack of all trades, a master of none.

Alyssa is a Senior Manager, Community and Culture at Juxtapose, where she focuses on cultivating strong relationships and impactful engagements with the firm’s internal team and external network. She works closely with Juxtapose leadership to bring team-building and flagship events to life and drive the "one firm" culture forward. Before joining Juxtapose, Alyssa built her career at hyper-growth companies like WeWork and Figma, where she managed co-working spaces, led community teams in sales and hospitality efforts, and executed a diverse range of marketing programs from field events to marquee user conferences. Alyssa graduated summa cum laude from San Diego State University with an Integrated Marketing and Communications degree.

What inspires you to do your best work?

I'm inspired by seeing firsthand how event and culture initiatives impacts people and contributes to their loyalty and trust to a brand or organization. I find purpose in making thoughtful connections within an ecosystem and seeing companies or team members expanding through it. Last but not least, I'm inspired when I work on challenging projects with a supportive team!

What do you find most compelling about Juxtapose's model?

I'm so intrigued by Juxtapose's incubator to investment model. I found the firm's strategy of developing, green-lighting, and CEO matching in-house to be particularly rare and exciting.

What's the biggest learning experience you’ve had?

I made a massive career jump from co-working space operations to an HQ role as an event manager at the very start of COVID (March 2020). The role was a dream opportunity - I'd be running event programs for our Enterprise sales team globally. As soon as I started, the world shut down and in-person events became impossible. Our team had a choice to stay stagnant or pivot and offer unique ideas for virtual experiences while we navigated the unknown. We chose the latter. I look back on that time as an incredibly challenging but pivotal chapter in my career.

What’s a cause that’s important to you?

Animal rescue and rehabilitation! I'm on my 2nd foster dog and passionate about giving rescues a chance at a new life and loving home.

Energized by thinking about business model innovations and where/how value gets created in dynamic ecosystems.

Andy is Partner on the Concept Development team at Juxtapose, where he helps to lead company-creation efforts at the research phase, and supports our ventures from inception through their full lifecycle. Andy works closely with the user research & design, and talent teams, as well as with the firm's portfolio companies on capital markets efforts. Prior to Juxtapose, Andy founded a direct primary care business and was previously a private equity and hedge fund investor, first at Hellman & Friedman and later helping to start Thorntree Capital, a consumer- and internet-focused hedge fund where he led consumer and retail and international investing. Andy began his career at Bain & Company and is a graduate of Harvard College.

What advice would you give to budding startup founders?

Don't become seduced by your own narrative, focus on reducing the number of bets you are taking that you don't control (e.g., consumer behavior change), and bet on an economic model that has a lot of margin of safety early on (high LTV customers, low prevailing CAC, fragmented and unsophisticated competition).

Which industry or category do you enjoy working in most (and why)?

I most enjoy working in healthcare, primarily because of the triple bottom lines. The best business models are pure net positives for the world - they create profit, but they also reduce costs, improve outcomes, increase access, and create better patient experiences. There are few industries where you can "disrupt" and leave just about everyone better off, including those you have "disrupted"!

What's a framework you've found particularly insightful?

I find prioritizing "system-level value creation" above all else to be an incredibly helpful north star - it is easy to get caught up in the business model to be built and the competitive dynamics too early on, but focusing first on "how much value can I create?" and "for whom?" clarifies the questions to ask and the work to be done, and ultimately allow you to confidently proceed to the rest of the work. If you can create a lot of new value for an important constituency, there is usually a compelling business to be built.

What’s your favorite way to spend a Sunday?

I like to go for a really long walk with my family in the country in the morning, eat lunch at a diner, come home and read a book on the couch, and cook a dinner that takes a long time to finish, where you can smell it all through the house.

Andy is an Associate Director of Concept Development at Juxtapose, where he focuses on company-creation efforts at the research phase and supports our ventures from inception through their full lifecycle. Andy works closely with the research, design and talent teams, as well as with the firm's portfolio companies on capital markets efforts. Prior to Juxtapose, Andy was a growth investor at Spectrum Equity focused on software and information services businesses. Andy began his career at EY-Parthenon and is a graduate of Williams College.

I am inspired by the team’s creativity, discipline and approach to problem-solving.

Anne-Marie is General Counsel at Juxtapose, where she oversees matters involving legal and compliance. Anne-Marie leads Juxtapose's efforts around company formation and portfolio investments, transactional matters, fund formation, employment matters, regulatory matters, and corporate governance. Prior to Juxtapose, Anne-Marie served as General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer at Accretive. Before joining Accretive, Anne-Marie was a corporate attorney in the corporate finance group at Chadbourne & Parke LLP, and, prior to that, was associated with Fried, Frank, Harris Shriver & Jacobson where she practiced in the bankruptcy and restructuring group. Anne-Marie received her BA in Economics from Yale University and her JD from Villanova University School of Law where she was a member of the Law Review.

What's the most valuable career advice you've received?

"Take hold of your career. No one else will drive it, and no one else knows as well as you where you want to go or what is important to you. "

What's an example of a company that inspires you (and why)?

Herself Health is a company that inspires me because it addresses a unique need in the market and aspires to improve the healthcare experience for its patients.

Why do you believe in Juxtapose's success in the long-term?

Simply put, the team.

Best advice you’d give your teenage self?

Step out of your comfort zone -- believe you can do it!

Curiosity didn’t kill the cat

Augusta is an Associate Director of Concept Development at Juxtapose, where she focuses on company-creation efforts at the research phase and supports our ventures from inception through their full lifecycle. Augusta works closely with the research, design and talent teams, as well as the firm’s portfolio companies on capital markets efforts. Prior to Juxtapose, Augusta was an investor on the growth equity team at Blackstone where she evaluated, executed, and supported investments across multiple sectors with a focus on consumer, consumer technology, and enterprise software. Augusta started her career at Goldman Sachs in the Healthcare and M&A groups and is a graduate of Harvard College.

Whats the most valuable career advice you’ve received?

Stay hungry, stay foolish.

Whats a framework you’ve found particularly insightful?

A simple pros & cons list – some things become incredibly clear once they’re written down.

On a scale of 1-10, how excited are you about life right now?

Is 11 an option?

What brings you joy?

Dogs of all shapes and sizes… and a really strong shot of espresso.

I feel incredibly lucky to work with our Founder/CEOs. They are immensely talented, yet willing to teach. Running 100mph, yet manage daily inventions.

Ben is a Partner at Juxtapose on the Concept Development team, where he leads company-creation efforts at the research phase and supports our ventures from inception through their full lifecycle. Ben works closely with the research, design and talent teams, as well as with the firm's portfolio companies on capital markets efforts. Prior to Juxtapose, Ben had a decade of experience in venture capital and company creation, including the creation efforts to launch Strive Health at Oxeon Ventures and Hims at Atomic Labs, as well as a foundational systematic company creation building experience at Accretive. Ben started his career at Boston Consulting Group. He has an MBA from Harvard Business School, where he graduated with Distinction, and a BA from the University of Oklahoma, where he graduated Summa Cum Laude.

What's an example of a company that inspires you (and why)?

Paypal --> it became a mafia. I'm inspired by the talent-density > the business itself.

What's an idea that didn't make it through the process for which you feel there's still potential?

A marketplace for personal injury lawsuit cases that manages to (1) filter out dud cases (improving the way the legal ecosystem functions) and (2) commoditize personal injury lawyers (improving the way the world works).

If you weren’t doing this job, what would you be doing?

Biographer for controversial heads-of-state around the world.

If your life was a musical, what would the marquee say?

A petit bourgeois take on "The Odyssey."

Always be optimizing.

Carmen is an Associate Director of Concept Development at Juxtapose, where she focuses on company-creation efforts at the research phase and supports our ventures from inception through their full lifecycle. Carmen works closely with the research, design and talent teams, as well as with the firm's portfolio companies on capital markets efforts. Prior to Juxtapose, Carmen was a private equity investor at Leonard Green & Partners. Carmen began her career at Citi and is a graduate of The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

What's the most valuable career advice you've received?

Know your audience.

Which industry or category do you enjoy working in most (and why)?

I geek out thinking about businesses focused on the individual patient or consumer. How can we improve someone’s experience and deliver better value?

What phase of Juxtapose's process excites you the most?

Early stages of research during which falling down intellectual rabbitholes is encouraged and may unlock new worlds of possibilities.

What’s the most adventurous thing you’ve ever done?

Solo hiked 600+ miles across France and Spain.

Thankful for the opportunity to become the firm's first CFO (Chief Feline Officer)

Cashew is a Grey Tabby at Juxtapose, where she is currently helping build out the firm's Feline practice. Prior to Juxtapose, she was a Kitten in Residence at Animal Care Centers of NYC (Brooklyn shelter office). Cashew started her career as part of a litter of fellow cats also named after various plant-based milks.

What's the most valuable career advice you've received?

Don't put off until tomorrow the naps you can take today.

What's been your favorite moment working at Juxtapose?

Getting to know the Juxtapose team via regular appearances on team Zoom calls.

If you weren’t doing this job, what would you be doing?

Either hunter-gatherer, or middle-market private equity.

As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?

Adopted.

Inspired by thinking ahead, fixing goals, and achieving them. Allows me to look back and say, "I did that."

Cassidee is an Executive Assistant on the Admin & Office team at Juxtapose. As the primary lead of the office, Cassidee ensures that the New York City office runs smoothly, while facilitating in-person events for employees, founding teams and investors. Prior to Juxtapose, Cassidee worked as a Fashion Assistant for a New York-based clothing label, and more recently spent time in administration at an investment firm. Cassidee has a BS in Fashion Merchandising from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

What inspires you to do your best work?

Helping others! Knowing the fact that my hard work and perseverance will help the team achieve greater professional success is what keeps me going.

What's been your favorite moment working at Juxtapose?

Field Study Day in Harlem. Melba's <3

What song can you listen to on repeat?

Night Moves - Bob Seger, Sweet Disposition - The Temper Trap, Everybody Wants to Rule the World - Tears For Fears (You Pick On This lol).

What’s one ingredient you put in everything?

Mirepoix!!!

I am deeply curious about the why, a big proponent of the growth mindset, and motivated by a desire to build relationships and learn from the people around me.

Chloe is an Operator in Residence at Juxtapose, where she is focused on the development and growth of a new venture from inception through its full lifecycle. Once the venture launches, she will become a founding member of the team. Prior to Juxtapose, Chloe was Chief of Staff and led strategy and corporate development at pymetrics, an enterprise SaaS startup in the HR technology industry. Before that, she was a private equity investor at BC Partners and an investment banker at UBS. Chloe has an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business and a BA in Economics and Arts Practice from Stanford University.

What's the most valuable career advice you've received?

Focus on trying to be 1% better every day - the results will compound over time.

What's been your favorite learning experience at Juxtapose?

Figuring out how to ask the right questions and unlocking new insights as a result.

Best gift you’ve ever received?

When I studied abroad in Paris, my friend bought me a chocolate macaron from 10+ bakeries across the city so that I could do a taste test and find my favorite one.

What’s your favorite city?

Saigon. Every time I get a chance to visit I'm amazed by the chaos, youthful energy, and incredible food

If you need something furry to pet, see my sister. If you need words of wisdom, see me.

Cleopatra is a dog at Juxtapose. She was an early Juxtapose collaborator, helping to establish the firm's pet practice in 2017. Prior to Juxtapose, Cleo was an aspiring child actor and model.

What inspires you to do your best work?

A healthy respect for the ephemeral nature of all things. A year for me is 52.143 days. Every quarter matters.

What's the most valuable career advice you've received?

Speak softly and carry a big stick (in your mouth).

If you could switch lives with someone for one day, who would it be?

Cashew.

Just trying to be a bit better than yesterday.

Colin is a Principal of Concept Development at Juxtapose, where he focuses on company-creation efforts at the research phase and supports our ventures from inception through their full lifecycle. Colin works closely with the user research + design, and talent teams, as well as with the firm's portfolio companies on capital markets efforts. Prior to Juxtapose, Colin was a growth investor at General Atlantic focused on software and consumer internet businesses. Colin began his career at J.P. Morgan. He graduated magna cum laude from Washington and Lee University and has an MBA from Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business, where he was an Arjay Miller Scholar.

What's the most valuable career advice you've received?

Do what you say you're doing to do - ideally, when you say you're going to do it.

What's a framework you've found particularly insightful?

The urgent vs. important 2x2 matrix. It's far too common to spend your work life stuck in the urgent and unimportant quadrant.

What phase of Juxtapose's process excites you the most?

For me, it's the moment when things click into place in a new category, and I start to really understand how a new space works.

What’s one thing people don’t know about you?

I'm red / green colorblind, so coloring books have never been a forte.

Determined to work on the hard problems, with the most ambitious teams, in order to bring a vision for the future to-life.

Daniel is a Director of Concept Development at Juxtapose, where he focuses on company-creation efforts at the research phase and supports our ventures from inception through their full lifecycle. Daniel works closely with the research, design and talent teams, as well as with the firm's portfolio companies on capital markets efforts. Prior to Juxtapose, Daniel helped lead new product expansion, corporate development, and strategic partnerships as part of the special projects team at Coalition, Inc. Daniel began his career as a private equity investor at Blackstone. He is a graduate of Dartmouth College, where he graduated Summa Cum Laude and as Salutatorian.

What's the most valuable career advice you've received?

A mantra at my prior company, Coalition, was “sweep the floors”: no task was too small for any given individual and we all felt collective ownership to help out others on the team when their hands were full. One of the most memorable examples of this was the entire organization (from intern to CEO) jumping in to close out all customer service tickets the evening before the winter holidays. The impact this had on the organization was profound, and I’m excited to work with people who embrace the same sense of teamwork.

What's an example of a company that inspires you (and why)?

My dad has run a small business most of my life. I think small businesses help us most tangibly understand some of the core pillars of building a great business (at any scale), as there’s nowhere to hide and customer feedback loops are super tight. It’s about doing right by the end customer, aligning behind a team culture and mission, and ultimately showing up everyday and giving it 100%. It’s something I feel lucky to have been so close to.

What’s one thing people don’t know about you?

I was born in Texas. My allegiance to sports teams sits squarely with Seattle teams, though.

Favorite app?

YouTube. The more niche the content, the better.

Dev is a Special Advisor to Juxtapose, where he advises the Managing Partners and team on a variety of high priority internal and external initiatives. Dev has extensive experience at the juncture of the talent identification and consumer goods space, and outside of Juxtapose is currently the CEO of Bode, a boutique fashion brand. Prior to his time at Juxtapose, Dev founded and led Catalog LLC, a specialized executive search firm. He remains an active author, most recently of two books including 50 Ways to Get a Job (which was a national bestseller). His writing and work have been featured in numerous media outlets including the NY Times, CNN, Time Magazine and Fast Company. He is a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and was awarded the Queens Jubilee Medal for Community Service for his work helping young people in Canada. Dev is a graduate of the University of Western Ontario.

What's been your favorite moment working at Juxtapose?

For me, the best moments are those in-between ones, that happen during real in-person interaction. When you bring together a diverse group of talented, multi-hyphenate individuals, and let the natural gravity and tension of working together naturally allow for small moments of discovery, spontaneity, and insight.

Why do you believe in Juxtapose's success in the long-term?

There's an organic flexibility and creativity to how the firm operates that is different from other investment firms or creative organizations I've encountered. The juxtaposition of process and spontaneity, materiality with fluidity; these enable Juxtapose to bring the best of investment rigor with entrepreneurial creativity.

What’s one thing people don’t know about you?

I have always loved books, and even more so the libraries that house the knowledge stores in those books! I am the creator of Sorted Library, an organization dedicated to promoting and preserving private libraries, and am currently building a 50,000-book collection, which will be housed at a permanent site that was recently acquired in Norfolk, Connecticut.

What would you like to be remembered for?

Somebody who you could come to with anything, for anything.

Energized by exceptional people, complex problems, and a relentless desire to change healthcare for the better.

Elizabeth is an Operator in Residence at Juxtapose, where she is focused on the development and growth of a new venture from inception through its full lifecycle. Once the venture launches, she will become a founding member of the team. Prior to Juxtapose, Elizabeth worked on the Massachusetts COVID-19 Response team and spent several years immersed in Medicaid policy and operations as the Director of Strategy at MassHealth. She started her career in the healthcare practice at McKinsey & Company. Elizabeth has an MBA from Stanford University's Graduate School of Business, where she graduated as an Arjay Miller Scholar, and a BA in Economics from Northwestern University.

Which industry or category do you enjoy working in most (and why)?

Healthcare - it's the perfect blend of science and humanity, data and intuition, innovation and impact.

What's the most valuable career advice you've received?

It's all about the people - find and follow exceptional people.

What's the most impactful learning experience you’ve had?

Working on the COVID-19 Response in Massachusetts - I learned to move fast, make decisions with limited data, and quickly pivot along the way.

What’s the most adventurous thing you’ve ever done?

Most recently, it was Googling "hardest hike in Vietnam" and convincing a dozen friends to spend 3 days trekking up a steep, rocky, more-than-a-little-bit perilous mountain near the border of China.

Driven by the opportunity to build a better world for my children and their children.

Geoff is a Partner at Juxtapose on the Concept Development team. He leads the platform build strategy at Juxtapose, driving the firm’s investments in platform-style, private equity and inorganic growth builds. Geoff also works closely with the firm’s leaders across the business, including meaningful participation with the portfolio and its CEOs. Prior to joining Juxtapose, Geoff was an investor at Genstar Capital, where for over a decade he partnered with talented operators to identify and execute thematic, growth-oriented investment opportunities in technology-enabled markets. He started his career in investment banking at Baird. Geoff has a BA in Mathematical Methods in the Social Sciences and Economics from Northwestern University, where he graduated with honors, and has an MBA from Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business.

What's the most valuable career advice you've received?

What you do matters less than how you do it.

What phase of Juxtapose's process excites you the most?

Defining the intervention - our 10x better user experience.

Why do you believe in Juxtapose's success in the long-term?

We bring together ambition, intention, and talent in balance.

As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?

An astronaut!

Driven by the pursuit of excellence through thoughtful problem solving and creativity.

Heather is a Senior Advisor to Juxtapose, where she works closely with the partnership of the firm on capital formation and investor relations, focused on growing and supporting the firm's limited partner base. Prior to Juxtapose, Heather spent nearly a decade as a capital raiser and marketer in the private markets; most recently helping to lead fundraising, co-investments, and investor relations at K1 Investment Management. She began her career with the Private Fund Group at Credit Suisse. Heather has a BA and BS from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she graduated summa cum laude, and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

What inspires you to do your best work?

I’ve worked in service-related functions since I was 14 years old and truly love the ability to delight people through commerce while also delivering value. At Juxtapose, I feel grateful for the opportunity to serve our limited partners and know that my work is a part of a value chain that positively impacts pensioners, students, and foundations.

What do you find most compelling about Juxtapose's model?

Our investment approach accesses a powerful structural advantage that creates substantial value for our founding teams, investors, and partners.

How do you know when you have a good idea?

Good ideas often come to me during a yoga class, and I’ll often find myself bursting to write down or sketch out thoughts right at the end of savasana.

What’s your favorite city?

New York City, where I feel like the opportunity for serendipity exists around every corner. Amor Towles captures the feeling beautifully: “…Manhattan was simply so improbable, so wonderful, so obviously full of promise – that you wanted to approach it for the rest of your life without ever quite arriving.”

Excited about every day.

Jack is an Associate Director of Concept Development at Juxtapose, where he focuses on company-creation efforts at the research phase and supports our ventures from inception through their full lifecycle. Jack works closely with the research, design and talent teams, as well as with the firm's portfolio companies on capital markets efforts.Prior to Juxtapose, Jack was a Senior Associate in the Financial Services team at General Atlantic. Jack began his career at Morgan Stanley in the Financial Institutions Group and has a BA from Dartmouth College where he graduated Cum Laude.

Which industry or category do you enjoy working in most (and why)?

I have always loved working in the financial services ecosystem, an industry ripe for disruption that gets to touch both consumers and businesses in meaningful ways.

What's the most valuable career advice you have ever received?

Don't assume you are the average customer.

What would you eat for your last meal?

Ramíre’s Mexican Food.

What’s your biggest weakness?

My addiction to backcountry skiing.

Lover of People. Searching for the simple amongst the complex.

Jed is a Founder, and Managing Partner, of Juxtapose. As a Managing Partner, Jed is active across the firm's key pillars, working closely with the fund's leaders in concept development, user research, and talent identification. Jed also participates meaningfully with the portfolio and its CEOs, including involvement at the board and advisory level. Prior to co-founding Juxtapose, Jed worked as a private equity investor at KKR, and helped to lead BeaconLight Capital, a public market hedge fund. Jed also worked closely with early stage businesses as an angel investor and serial entrepreneur. Jed has a BA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, where he graduated Summa Cum Laude and as a Joseph Wharton Scholar, and has an MBA from The Wharton School, where he was a submatriculant and Palmer Scholar.

What phase of Juxtapose's process excites you the most?

The moment when we are on the precipice of "cracking the code", finding that little known, but immediately intuitive insight that can form the basis of a twenty year vision.

What's one of the worst ideas you've proposed for Juxtapose's process?

Year one of Juxtapose I was obsessed with the idea of a home swapping marketplace...flies in the face of everything that makes a high functioning marketplace business.

How do you know when you have a good idea?

When the universe of data, experts, customers, and intuition collude to tell me so.

What brings you joy?

The look on my sons' faces when their minds are blown by something so ordinary I would have barely noticed it.

Juliet is Senior Executive Assistant to Jed Cairo and Patrick Chun, the Co-Founders of Juxtapose. Additionally, she holds the position of Administrative Manager, leading administrative initiatives and overseeing the administrative team at Juxtapose. Prior to Juxtapose, Juliet was an Administrative Director at Monogram Capital Partners in Los Angeles, where she provided Executive Assistant support to the firm's Co-Founders and was responsible for office management, event planning, and the optimization of administrative procedures for the firm. Juliet graduated from the University of Tampa with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology.

How do you know when you have a good idea?

Juxtapose embraces and promotes radical candor, a principle with which I have resonated, both in my personal and professional endeavors. This creates an environment where I feel at ease expressing ideas. Whether they're "good" or suboptimal, I trust the team to let me know. This commitment to candid communication is instrumental in problem-solving and a catalyst for personal and professional development.

What's been your favorite moment working at Juxtapose?

Participating in Juxtapose's inaugural 'Ladies of Juxtapose' gathering. Our female guest speaker shared her journey in building brands for both clients and herself, as well as her experience as an advisor, writer and speaker. We participated in exercises aimed at reimagining our presence and self-advocacy across both personal and professional spheres, which made the experience fun and inspiring!

What phase of Juxtapose's process excites you the most?

Fundraising!

What’s the most adventurous thing you’ve ever done?

Volunteering at an animal orphanage in Zimbabwe, ensuring round-the-clock care for animals, as well as radio tracking of rehabilitated leopards in Matobo National Park, going on rhino walks, and participating in anti-poaching efforts. During some downtime, I traveled to Zambia for gorge swinging off of Victoria Falls and swimming at the edge of the Falls at 'Devil's Pool'. Residing in a hut-like structure helped me confront, but not conquer, my fear of spiders (google "common wall spider").

I deeply care about design. Everything around us is thought through — from interfaces in our favorite apps to the size of sidewalks in our neighborhoods. I feel the same way about creating a business. It needs to be designed in a thoughtful and holistic way — from a seamless experience centered around user needs to a beautiful and differentiated brand identity that speaks to all stakeholders.

Kateryna is an Associate Director of User Research & Design at Juxtapose, where she focuses on company-creation efforts from the early concept phase through the full venture lifecycle. Kateryna specializes in design and branding, working closely with the concept development and talent teams, as well as with the firm's portfolio companies on their UR&D priorities. Prior to Juxtapose, Kateryna led product design and brand for a new educational venture at IDEO. Previously, she consulted Fortune 500 healthcare, media, and technology companies on human-centered innovation and organizational change. Kateryna practiced architecture in Seattle, Kyiv, and Moscow. Kateryna is a Fulbright Scholar and holds an MA in Theory of Architecture and a BA in Urban Planning from Kyiv University of Construction and Architecture.

What advice would you give to budding startup founders?

It is crucial to understand your product from the user’s perspective. Prototype, test, iterate, and prioritize what really matters to them. Think about accessibility & all possible constituencies that will directly & indirectly interact with your product. Does it help or harm? Does it solve a real need? What impact will your product have in 1-5-10 years from today?

What's a framework you've found particularly insightful?

I like the “5 whys”. It’s a technique that's used to identify the root cause of a problem by asking “why” questions five times. The idea is that each answer leads to the next question, helping to uncover progressively deeper insights.

What brings you joy?

I really enjoy teaching. I’m a mentor to Fulbright scholars and other programs. Occasionally, I guest lecture on design thinking, product, and brand. I’m always looking for opportunities to support genuine individuals in their career paths, particularly women and immigrants.

What’s your favorite city?

I’m an architect by training. For vacations, I often choose the city over nature. You may see me wear a T-shirt saying “I’m in love with cities I’ve never been to.” I love observing how history has shaped a city. I’m avoiding the question so I don’t have to pick a favorite child. Kyiv.

Value above all wonder about the world, and a drive to leave it a better place.

Katie is a Director of Concept Development at Juxtapose, where she focuses on company-creation efforts at the research phase and supports our ventures from inception through their full lifecycle. Katie works closely with the research, design and talent teams, as well as with the firm's portfolio companies on capital markets efforts. Prior to Juxtapose, Katie was a private equity investor at TPG. After starting out on the consumer private equity team, she was hired as Chief of Staff to the Chief Investment Officer, and then was part of the founding team for TPG’s strategic public equities strategy. Katie began her career at J.P. Morgan and is a graduate of The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

What inspires you to do your best work?

The people and the mission. I don't, and the world certainly doesn't, operate in a vacuum. Surrounding myself with collaborators who are as driven and passionate as I am about building the next generation of businesses pushes me to think creatively and critically.

What do you value about the diversity of functions at Juxtapose?

I love witnessing others at their craft. There is something both humbling and inspiring about being part of a braintrust and watching others execute on skills they've invested years behind honing, and how different those skills are to mine. It takes high trust and respect to collaborate and navigate through healthy tensions that come from operating in such a diverse environment, and that trust stems from knowing we're all aiming for the best outcome.

When do you feel most productive?

I value the spaces in my day when I can accomplish deep work. Usually, that exists sometime between my first sip of coffee in the morning and my first meeting.

What’s your favorite book?

The Little Prince. The best books respond to the complexities of life with simple, enduring truths. That is what The Little Prince does. I re-read it every so often to reground myself in what really matters.

A people person by nature, I’m fascinated by human behavior and motivation and use that as the foundation for innovative design.

Laurel is an Associate Director of User Research & Design at Juxtapose, where she focuses on company-creation efforts from the early concept phase through the full venture lifecycle. Laurel works closely with the concept development and talent teams, as well as with the firm's portfolio companies on their UR&D priorities. Prior to Juxtapose, Laurel held roles in both consulting and tech, helping brands innovate by leveraging a strategic human-centered design approach. She began her career as a visual designer at a branding agency, and most recently led user research for both internal- and client-facing initiatives at Chime and Salesforce. She holds an MDes (Master of Design) from the IIT Institute of Design and a BBA in Marketing, International Business, and Visual Communication Design from the University of Notre Dame, where she graduated magna cum laude.

What's the most valuable career advice you've received?

When faced with a decision between opportunities, choose the one where you will learn the most.

Why do you believe in Juxtapose's success in the long-term?

We hire smart and talented people who love the work we do, and our passion fuels our ability to continue developing disruptive businesses. While our ideas are bountiful, our process is rigorous and ensures only the best make it to greenlight.

When are you most inspired?

After wrapping up a riveting user interview; while soaking up the local culture in a foreign city; taking my DSLR out for a spin in a new pocket of NYC.

What’s your favorite city?

Chicago, without a doubt. I moved to the Windy City without a job after my college graduation. Chicago is where I “grew up”—here I had my first full-time job, went to grad school, met my future husband, got my puppy, made many of my lifelong friends. I know this city like the back of my hand, and going back to Chicago feels like going back home.

Seasoned operations leader driven by a desire for organization and functionality

Lindsay is an Operations Analyst on the legal and finance team, where she focuses on analyzing business operations, developing effective strategies and improving overall organizational efficiency. Prior to joining Juxtapose, Lindsay was an Executive Assistant, providing administrative assistance to the COO of Townsquare Media. She was responsible for office management, expense processing and event planning. Lindsay graduated from the University of Bridgeport with a Bachelor of Science in General Studies with a concentration in Business. She also received a certificate in Project Management.

What's the most valuable career advice you've received?

The most valuable career advice I've received is to “get uncomfortable”. True growth comes when we step outside of our comfort zone and stimulate our minds. Embracing discomfort can actually be very motivating.

What inspires you to do your best work?

What inspires me the most is my desire to find out how far I can go. Also, I understand that good things don't come easy in life. You have to work hard to escape the average.

What phase of Juxtapose's process excites you the most?

User research. I am curious by nature and fascinated by the way people think, so I enjoy learning what motivates them and what their challenges are.

What’s a cause that’s important to you?

Animal rescue. I volunteer for three rescues and foster dogs whenever possible. I've foster-failed twice and have fostered more than five dogs that were adopted out into loving homes. It is a very rewarding feeling when you take a lost dog and show them that they are loved.

Former operator & executive coach, passionate about the transformative impact of exceptional leadership on organizations.

Lorraine is the Head of Talent at Juxtapose where she leads the firm’s efforts to hire exceptional CEOs and supports the portfolio across a wide range of strategic talent needs throughout the company build process - from organizational design & leadership development to compensation programs, performance & talent development. Prior to Juxtapose, Lorraine was the Chief People Officer at Orchard, Juxtapose’s 3rd company, where she built the People team and scaled the business to ~1000 employees. Prior to Orchard, she spent over a decade in Talent leadership roles at fast growing tech companies like AppNexus and Squarespace. Lorraine started her career in Financial services, she received her BA from Dartmouth College and her executive coaching certification from the Co-Active Institute.

What inspires you to do your best work?

The opportunity to learn and make things better than we found them, one iteration at a time.

What's a framework you've found particularly insightful?

Radical candor - caring enough to push past your own discomfort to share feedback humbly and openly fundamentally changes the tenor of any relationship.

What's the biggest learning experience you’ve had?

Being an operator at Orchard, Juxtapose's third company, was a masterclass in company-building & leadership. I loved every phase of the journey and the culture we were able to create.

As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?

The next Celine Dion - sadly, my vocal chops did not measure up to my ambition.

Motivated by the desire to help unlock the true potential in individuals and inspired by the brilliant minds I have the opportunity to work closely with day to day.

Maggie is a Director of Talent at Juxtapose, where she focuses on recruiting and providing talent counsel and support to CEOs and senior executive teams across our ventures. Maggie works closely with the concept development and user research & design teams to enable our company-creation efforts to succeed. Prior to Juxtapose, Maggie was a Senior Associate at Daversa Partners, where she played a key role in leading executive searches for digital health and consumer wellness companies within the venture backed startup ecosystem, as well as helped to build the firm’s internal workforce. Maggie graduated Magna Cum Laude from Fairfield University with a degree in Psychology and Management.

What's the most valuable career advice you've received?

To never plan out your career more than 2 years in advance: you never know what opportunity might pass you by if you're too focused on achieving what you're expecting to achieve instead of what you're meant to.

What phase of Juxtapose's process excites you the most?

The CEO offer phase- the biggest relief and also the most exciting part of the journey: all that's left is ahead :)

When do you feel most creative?

When I'm not trying to be.

What would you like to be remembered for?

My laugh and the way I made people feel.

Proficient in adapting and finding resourceful solutions in intricate situations.

Matt is an Operator in Residence at Juxtapose, where he is focused on the development and growth of a new venture from inception through its full lifecycle. Once the venture launches, he will become a founding member of the team. Prior to Juxtapose, Matt led M&A at the fintech startup Universe, and before that was VP of Product at Olive, focused on building the automation platform for large healthcare organizations. Matt began his career in investing at Drive Capital. He has a BBA from The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business.

What advice would you give to budding startup founders?

You need to be able to describe the large market for your company in under 30 seconds. Then you'll be able to easily convey the same to recruits and customers.

Which industry or category do you enjoy working in most (and why)?

Vertical software. It's a category where the best of the consumer internet and enterprise technology are in constant tension

Favorite movie?

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid

What’s the best compliment you’ve ever received?

My 4.94 Uber rating

Lover of painting, sculpting and playing the piano.

Michael is Executive Chairman of Juxtapose, where he works closely with the Managing Partners to guide firm strategy, and is involved as an advisor in concept development and portfolio management. Outside of Juxtapose, Michael is the Founding and Managing Partner of Accretive, where he has founded and invested in a number of companies including Fandango, R1 RCM, Accolade, Insureon, Everspring and Accumen, among others. Before founding Accretive, Michael was a General Partner at General Atlantic. He received his BS from Cornell University and his MBA from Harvard Business School, where he was a Baker Scholar. Michael is currently Chairman of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and serves on the Harvard Business School Rock Center for Entrepreneurship.

What's the most valuable career advice you've received?

Focus on customer value, customer value, customer value.

Which industry or category do you enjoy working in most (and why)?

Healthcare - the mission is fantastic, it means a lot to me.

What’s your favorite book?

The Structure of Scientific Revolutions

What's the first question you ask a founder?

Tell me about your life story from age 5 on.

Opportunity comes from asking, "Why are things the way they are?" and doing something different.

Nate is a Vice President of User Research & Design at Juxtapose, where he focuses on company-creation efforts from the early concept phase through the full venture lifecycle. Nate works closely with the concept development and talent teams, as well as with the firm's portfolio companies on their UR&D priorities. Prior to Juxtapose, Nate led research efforts for consumer products at both Instagram and The New York Times, and started his career consulting for a wide variety of industries at the product development agency Beyond. Throughout his career, he’s specialized in creative research methods at scale as well as data-driven decision making. Nate has a BA in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from the University of Pennsylvania.

What's been your favorite moment working at Juxtapose?

A couple members of our team traveled to Mexico City where we saw firsthand the way small independent store owners manage and supply their shops, including taking a visit to the largest wholesale market in the world.

What phase of Juxtapose's process excites you the most?

I love our research process at the early stages of the funnel where we dive deep into understanding the status quo, building our expertise before being in the position to suggest potential opportunities or improvements.

What’s your favorite way to spend a Sunday?

Sundays are reserved for some favorite hobbies with my family, like going on morning hikes, golfing, sitting on the beach in the summer, visiting with friends, and making elaborate dinners.

What’s your favorite time of day?

Golden hour, which is usually when I take a break from work to spend time with my family, prepare dinner, go out for happy hour or enjoy the sunlight outside.

The best answer is sometimes the simplest. Simple solutions are easier to understand, execute against, and iterate on to expedite progress.

Neda is an Associate Director of Strategic Launch Finance at Juxtapose. Neda focuses on existing and newly launched Juxtapose portfolio companies across strategic finance, FP&A and operations. Prior to Juxtapose, Neda was on the Finance team at Ro, a D2C healthcare company, where she partnered with cross functional teams to understand and advance business performance, supported General Managers with strategic planning and financial analysis, and worked with the Leadership team on various strategic projects. Neda began her career as an investment banker at Goldman Sachs. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from Duke University.

What's the most valuable career advice you've received?

Try to do your bosses job - it pushes you to answer the "so what" in all you do and allows your to better contextualize your work product for the ultimate stakeholders.

What advice would you give to budding startup founders?

Don't be afraid to work fast - faster decision making creates more opportunities to learn what works (or doesn't work).

Which industry or category do you enjoy working in most (and why)?

Healthcare. I love building companies that help people navigate the complex and antiquated healthcare system and live healthier lives.

What would you eat for your last meal?

Ghormeh Sabzi, a Persian stew, made by my Dad.

Thankful everyday for the opportunity to learn from and build with the best.

Patrick is a Founder, and Managing Partner, of Juxtapose. As a Managing Partner, Patrick is active across the firm's key pillars, working closely with the fund's leaders in concept development, user research, and talent identification. Patrick also participates meaningfully with the portfolio and its CEOs, including involvement at the board and advisory level. Prior to co-founding Juxtapose, Patrick spent a significant portion of his career building businesses at the inception stage, including partner level experience at early stage and company creation-oriented firms such as Thrive Capital and Accretive. Prior to his building experience, Patrick was a venture and growth equity investor at Bain Capital Ventures and Francisco Partners. He started his career at McKinsey & Company. Patrick has a BA from Harvard College, an MA from the Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

What advice would you give to budding startup founders?

Learn to embrace (and enjoy!) the tensions inherent in the entrepreneurial journey. At times you will need to do; at other times, to lead. The market will ebb, then flow. There will be moments when you will need to focus on growth; and then, around consolidation. A great founder needs to be the water to the vessel that is your company, environment, and team.

What phase of Juxtapose's process excites you the most?

I love the unique moment in our concept development process when a bottom of funnel dig is reaching greenlight and where the focus on the work shifts from the deep concept work to the dreaming up the ideal CEO profile. It's at this point, for me, that the fun of "great concept" will soon meet the reality of "great business". Talent is everything.

How do you know when you have a good idea?

The root of a good idea is one that actually is NOT consensus. Most great, large opportunities stem from an insight that is counterintuitive to most (or at a minimum, very much non-obvious) and potentially controversial. Perhaps an idea that, when looked back with the advantage of hindsight, looks inevitable, but at the time had great minds truthfully disagreeing. Honing in on the deep truth and reality of that insight is the kernel of that good idea.

As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?

At different points in my childhood: a teacher, a lawyer, an astronaut, a fireman, a computer programmer, a journalist, a tennis pro, a car audio installation specialist, a professional eBay seller, a Command & Conquer gamer, an owner of a basketball card specialty store.

Will work for treats.

Penelope is a Goldendoodle at Juxtapose, where she currently holds the firm record for curliest hair and most bullysticks consumed in in one sitting. Prior to Juxtapose, Penny trained at farms in Massachusetts and Indiana. She is a Forbes "Furry Under 30" Honoree.

What inspires you to do your best work?

Personal relationships, finding the puppy lover in all people.

What do you find most compelling about Juxtapose's model?

The well stocked pantry.

What’s your biggest weakness?

I can't pet myself on the top of the head.

If you could switch lives with someone for one day, who would it be?

Cleo.

Driven by a passion for innovation, I approach complex challenges with an analytical and creative mindset, seeking practical and elegant solutions.

Shawn is a Vice President of Finance at Juxtapose, where he leads the finance and accounting functions both internally for firm operations as well as externally with limited partners' capital. He is both a lawyer and a certified public accountant. Prior to Juxtapose, Shawn spent time in financial and tax advisory. Most recently, he was a senior tax consultant at Deloitte, where he counseled multinational organizations on complex financial & tax compliance matters. He has a JD and an MA in Accounting from the University of Miami, and an MSM and a BS from the University of Florida.

What phase of Juxtapose's process excites you the most?

When we first launch a company and the idea becomes reality.

What's one of the worst ideas you've proposed for Juxtapose's process?

Conducting candidate interviews at a petting zoo.

What’s one talent you wish you had?

I wish I could speak multiple languages.

What’s one ingredient you put in everything?

Hot Sauce.

Searching for what people wish existed — and exceeding expectations with brand and experience.

Sloane is a Vice President of User Research & Design at Juxtapose, where she focuses on company-creation efforts from the early concept phase through the full venture lifecycle. Sloane works closely with the concept development and talent teams, as well as with the firm's portfolio companies on their design and user research priorities. Prior to Juxtapose, Sloane spent nearly a decade helping major consumer brands build relationships with consumers through human-centered products, services, and communications. After beginning her career in brand strategy, she led multi-disciplinary design teams at IDEO, with an emphasis on service design. She also led design strategy at Casper, where she worked across digital product and environments design teams. She has a BA from the University of Virginia, where she graduated with Distinction, and an MS in Communications from the VCU Brandcenter, where she was the AICP Director’s Scholarship recipient.

What advice would you give to budding startup founders?

Hire design and product talent that wants to iterate, quickly but with intention.

Which industry or category do you enjoy working in most (and why)?

Healthcare. Consumer expectations are low, and a little compassion and connection goes pretty far.

Why do you believe in Juxtapose's success in the long-term?

Our strong culture of intellectual honesty and a willingness to confront and learn from mistakes.

Best advice you’d give your teenage self?

Get a little more sleep!

Experienced technologist driven to solve the hardest of business problems with software and hardware solutions.

Steve is a Partner at Juxtapose on the Concept Development team, with a focused passion to build innovative B2B companies. Steve also works closely with the firm’s leaders across the business, including hands-on support for the portfolio and its CEOs. Prior to Juxtapose, Steve was a managing director at General Catalyst, where he invested and served on the board of numerous B2B companies, including Corelight, Datto, Illumio, Menlo Security, Securiti.ai, and SignalFX. Prior to General Catalyst, Steve was CTO and Sr. VP of R&D at VMware. During his 11-year tenure, he helped build a world-class 3,000-person engineering organization that delivered numerous industry-changing products. Herrod holds a PhD and MS in computer science from Stanford University and a BA with distinction in computer science from the University of Texas at Austin.

What inspires you to do your best work?

My parents - my Mom was a family counselor and my Dad has a PhD in physics. Their unique mix of empathy and technical chops inspired me to lead great technical teams that do the best work of their career in pursuit of solutions to meaningful problems.

What's an example of a company that inspires you (and why)?

I loved my time at VMware. It was a very technical product, but made it simple for businesses to save massive amounts of time, money, and energy usage.

What’s one thing people don’t know about you?

I'm part owner of an (outstanding) Italian cafe in Palo Alto.

What’s the biggest risk you’ve ever taken?

Drove my clunker Nissan Sentra from Texas to California for graduate school without knowing a single person in the state.

Motivated by the potential of innovation to empower people and challenge the status quo.

Temi is an Associate on the Concept Development team at Juxtapose, where he focuses on company-creation efforts at the research phase and supports our ventures from inception through their full lifecycle. Temi works closely with the research, design and talent teams, as well as with the firm's portfolio companies on capital markets efforts. Prior to Juxtapose, Temi was a private equity investor at KKR, where he was a member of the firm’s inaugural analyst class. Temi has a BBA from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan, where he graduated with High Distinction.

Which industry or category do you enjoy working in most (and why)?

I enjoy working with concepts where demographic change serves as a catalyst. Our society is ever evolving and our institutions need to reflect these changes. While it can be challenging, it’s undoubtedly rewarding to tackle.

What phase of Juxtapose's process excites you the most?

I really enjoy our middle of the funnel phase because it feels like a treasure hunt for the point of inflection that determines if a concept might work. In this process, we’re able to immerse ourselves in a new space and start to understand its inner workings.

If you could master one instrument, what would it be?

I’ve played the violin since childhood, and I’d love to master it. Any day now…

Vintage or new?

Vintage.

I’m motivated by the constant quest to try and be a bit better today than I was yesterday.

Zain is an Operator in Residence at Juxtapose, where he is focused on the development and growth of a new venture from inception through its full lifecycle. Once the venture launches, he will become a founding member of the team. Prior to Juxtapose, Zain was an early hire at both Oscar Health and TrialSpark, where he was involved in a number of roles in operations, strategy, and growth. Most recently, he managed operations and technology at Redesign Health. Zain is a graduate of the University of California, Santa Barbara where he studied Molecular Biology.

What's the most valuable career advice you've received?

Think bigger. It’s not always about making the status quo slightly better, the lightbulb wasn’t created by people who only saw value in optimizing a candle.

What's an example of a company that inspires you (and why)?

Teenage Engineering. They are a Swedish electronics / music equipment company and their commitment to minimalist and aesthetically appealing hardware is truly remarkable. It’s refreshing to see a company reject the idea of high consumerism and put in the effort of designing products that customers buy once and keep forever.

What's a framework you've found particularly insightful?

For every project or decision, sketch three possible outcomes: the dream upside scenario, the likely ‘regular’ scenario, and the nightmare downside scenario. Plan for each and, most importantly, revisit your reasoning for all three when one occurs.

What’s your favorite city?

Paris! I've yet to see a city built with more attention to detail than Paris. The façades, the lampposts, the doorknobs, the balconies, the flower boxes — everything was designed with intention and beauty. Also, I met my wife there :)