We dive deep into our sectors. Our research drives our insights and thesis-driven approach.

We’re excited to launch a new program at Equal Ventures to connect talented generalists early in their careers with early-stage companies in our network. Through the program, participants will be matched with Chief of Staff opportunities in a mutually agreed upon startup where the operators will work directly with the C-suite.

We first met Chelsea at the end of 2019 (doesn’t that seem like a lifetime ago…) when we were recruiting MBA interns for the Spring. I distinctly remember my interview with Chelsea and her ability to speak in intimate detail about the industries she worked on while at LEK (a high-end strategy consulting firm that she joined after graduating from the University of Chicago). Chelsea had deep experience working with clients in an industry theme we were particularly interested in, but we decided to send her a case study on an industry she had ZERO experience with. Her case was seemingly flawless. She was extremely prepared, insightful and brought perspectives that I hadn’t thought about despite operating in the sector for years. Shortly thereafter we asked Chelsea to intern with us for the Spring, while she finished up her 1st year at Wharton.

At Equal, we have been following the regulatory environment (particularly AB5 in California) regarding the treatment of W2, 1099, and project-based workers. While the long-term treatment of workers is still up in the air, we are certain that there will be increased legislation and scrutiny regarding how workers are treated and that the line between W2, 1099, and project-based workers will be clearer in the future. The entertainment industry is a multi-billion-dollar industry that heavily relies on project-based workforces. There is over $22B spent on payroll in the entertainment industry across TV, Film, Commercial production, and Live Events, of which the vast majority is processed manually.

We’re kicking off hiring for our MBA interns for the 2020–21 school year. Our internship program runs from October-April with the option to extend into the summer. Interns will focus on assisting the firm’s research deep dives to support investment thesis development. More on the role and application below. All internships include a stipend. Given the current circumstances, we expect the internships will be remote and we’ll be considering applications from across the U.S.

The Retail industry has seen massive shifts over the past several years as eCommerce continues to grow as a percentage of overall spend. COVID-19 accelerated many of the events that had been forecasted by industry observers for years: from the pressure and bankruptcies of legacy offline retailers to increasing adoption of eCommerce across categories that had historically been underpenetrated across the U.S. (ex. Grocery). These trends accelerated an already dominant trend toward eCommerce platforms like Amazon and Shopify.