FUNDER
I have worked as a funder on both the for-profit and non-profit ends of the spectrum. Working in venture capital and philanthropy has undoubtedly been one of the highlights of my career. These experiences have allowed me to comprehend entrepreneurship on a deeper level—beyond what I had already learned through my founder journey.
VENTURE CAPITAL
In 2020, I embarked on a new chapter with Venture For America, a nonprofit dedicated to fostering economic growth in American cities by nurturing the next wave of entrepreneurs. This fellowship focuses on equipping aspiring entrepreneurs with the necessary skills and resources to generate employment opportunities. My objective in joining was to connect with young changemakers and entrepreneurs while simultaneously enhancing my own skill set.
During this fellowship, I had the privilege of working at Red & Blue Ventures, a privately owned and operated venture capital fund investing in startups from the University of Pennsylvania ecosystem. Some notable companies that Red & Blue has invested in include Warby Parker, Jet.com, and more. This role allowed me to engage with numerous students and alumni passionate about their innovative ideas, providing a truly rewarding experience.
Linked here, is a video that recaps my experience with Venture For America
WHAT WERE MY OUTPUTS?
Sourced 700+ Penn-founded startups that align with our thesis and co-led initials calls with founders
Conducted due diligence/market research on 15+ companies in a wide range of sectors (edtech, healthtech, military/drone tech, insurtech, etc)
Assembled 8 quarterly reports for LPs
Judged 10+ pitch competitions
Managed CRM and facilitated all emails and meeting communications with startups and strategic partners
Managed teams of Wharton undergraduate and MBA venture fellows for funded fundraising communications for prospective female investors
Led marketing efforts by writing LinkedIn thought pieces on portfolio companies and relevant Wharton professors’ books and research
Worked with 4+ portfolio companies with market research/validation, measuring impact, and content creation.
Hosted VC workshops for Venture For America through leadership as 1 of 3 of Philadelphia’s City Lead Chairs
Access work samples from my Data Room
(NOTE: It is password encrypted—please email me if you need access)
WHAT WERE MY OUTCOMES?
In this work, I have achieved the following outcomes:
Enhanced pipeline of potential investment opportunities
Aided in making more informed and strategic investment decisions
Maintained transparency and trust with your investors, which was important for upcoming fundraising rounds
Fostered a stronger entrepreneurial ecosystem around the University of Pennsylvania
Diversified the dealflow and investor base and supported gender equity in venture capital
Provided valuable education and mentorship to upcoming entrepreneurs, contributing to the broader entrepreneurial community
WHAT DID I LEARN?
Fascination for Deep Industry Insights and Market Drivers: My VC journey has significantly enhanced my understanding of complex industry dynamics and market drivers. Conducting in-depth due diligence on companies has not only honed my analytical skills but also allowed me to appreciate the subtleties and less visible factors that influence market trends and business success.
Importance of Ecosystem Support at All Levels: Working at Red & Blue Ventures enabled me to connect with a diverse array of passionate students and alumni. My interactions with founders have taught me the critical role VCs play, not just in funding companies but also in building out entrepreneurial ecosystems at scale. The complexities and dynamism of the VC sector have profoundly shaped my appreciation for this field.
Read more key learnings in an article I wrote to recap more key learnings:
Beyond my work with Red & Blue, I always strive to support entrepreneurs and innovators. During my fellowship, I co-founded We Are Gen Z Ventures alongside my Venture For America colleague, Vivek Pandit.
Serving in a more advisory role, I am proud to support the promising work of We Are Gen Z Ventures, which fast-tracks, hustling Gen Z innovators and entrepreneurs to impact and disrupt industries across the board. The majority of our funded and supported companies have identified as people of color.
“Tiffany is a rare one. Most people point to her intelligence, grit, decision-making, management, operational strengths, analytical prowess, and incredible execution ability. But what sets her apart from anyone is her genuine love for her community and the people she engages with.
Everyone loves Tiffany. People believe in her, follow her, and champion her quite immediately. It’s almost like people recognize her genius after the fact. She never ceases to impress. Whether it’s her heart of gold or her brilliant mind, Tiffany is an attractive force and a fantastic builder. Any organization would benefit tremendously from her perspective. I am lucky to have had her as a co-founder, but more importantly, a friend.”
— Vivek Pandit
Co-founder, We Are Gen Z Ventures
Forbes 30 Under 30
"Few people bring the unique combination of social impact, education, and investor experience to the table at the level that Tiffany does. She wears all of these hats to support us in our journey at Scaffold Ed, helping us identify new opportunities in our market and pushing the team to think more deeply about the impact we're making for our customers. She goes above and beyond her role as an angel investor and isn't afraid to dive into the core challenges we face as an early-stage company."
— Evan Wilson
Founder, Scaffold Education
PHILANTHROPY
I embarked in the world of high-impact philanthropy while pursuing my M.S. in Nonprofit Leadership at the University of Pennsylvania. Here, I completed my Honors Practicum at CCS Fundraising.
CCS Fundraising is a global fundraising consulting and management firm that provides a full suite of development services, including feasibility and planning studies; campaign planning and management; and development office management.
WHAT WERE MY OUTPUTS?
Worked between CCS and the United Way to create long-term sustainable growth for multi-million-dollar campaign efforts
Crafted strategies for individual cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies for prospective donor development
Prepared proposals, high-profile donor meeting content, campaign documents, operating materials, and publications
WHAT WERE MY OUTCOMES?
Contributed to the long-term sustainability and growth of United Way's fundraising campaigns through the effective execution of cultivation and stewardship strategies
Increased year-over-year campaign success rate
Informed strategic decision-making through donor profiling to ensure efforts are directed toward the most promising opportunities
In conjunction with enrolling in and being a top student of “Raising Philanthropic Capital” at Penn, I was selected to serve as a Graduate Teaching Assistant the following year.
WHAT DID I LEARN?
Fundraising involves impeccably detailed research: I learned the necessity for thorough research in understanding donor profiles and aligning them with campaign goals, ensuring effective donor engagement strategies.
Successfully executing a campaign requires strong partnerships: Strong collaboration and shared vision among stakeholders play pivotal roles in orchestrating and achieving large-scale fundraising targets.
Fundraising can be powerful when combined with academic theory: Integrating structured academic insights with real-world fundraising practices were proven highly effective in the way I learned from and taught the course, and also how I fundraised as a founder.