ANGEL: Surviving a down market, early VC stories & more with four-cycle investor Geoff Yang | E1676

Early Ventures

Geoff Yang reflects on his early ventures in the field of venture capital, highlighting his first significant deals. He began his career at First Century Partners, a venture affiliate of Smith Barney, where he navigated the challenging landscape of financial institutions with venture arms. His first major deal was with Concord Communications, a company specializing in manufacturing floor networking, which was groundbreaking at the time.

The first deal I was ever point on was at first century, and it was in a company, it was a communications company called Concord Communications.

--- Geoff Yang

Yang's journey continued with investments in Synoptics and Wellfleet Communications, both pivotal in the networking and router industries during the late 1980s and early 1990s 1.

   

Breaking into VC

Breaking into venture capital was a formidable challenge for Geoff Yang, given the industry's limited size and opportunities at the time. He recalls the arduous process of reaching out to numerous firms, often without a formal hiring process, to secure a position. Despite the odds, Yang's persistence paid off, leading him to a successful career in venture capital.

I probably reached out to 30 or 40 [firms]. And there weren't that many firms.

--- Geoff Yang

His interest in venture capital was sparked in high school, influenced by his family's engineering background and a family friend's involvement in the industry. This early exposure fueled his ambition to pursue a career that combined technology and business innovation 2 3.