Divot

• #3: From $700 to Silicon Valley’s #1 Seed Investor – Pejman Nozad’s Unbelievable Journey

  How does someone go from washing cars and selling rugs to investing in billion-dollar startups like Dropbox and DoorDash? Pejman Nozad arrived in America with $700, no English, and zero connections, but today, he’s one of the most influential investors in Silicon Valley.In this episode, Pejman shares his extraordinary journey from immigrant to Forbes’ #1 seed investor, revealing the networking secrets, mindset shifts, and high-stakes risks that changed his life. He breaks down how he built relationships with top VCs, the strategy behind spotting unicorn startups early, and how much he learned from a $500M mistake on investing in Facebook.This is a must-watch if you're someone that feels like they are starting from nothing, building a startup, investing, or just someone looking for inspiration. Learn what separates billion-dollar entrepreneurs from the rest and how to break into the startup world—no matter where you start.FollowPejman - X (Twitter): https://x.com/pejmannozadFollow Derek - X (Twitter): https://x.com/derekjandersenEpisode Partners:NotionStartups get up to 6 months free of Notion with unlimited AI. Apply now in the partner drop-down list, and enter code SGXNotion: https://ntn.so/startupGoogle CloudAccelerate your AI startup with the Google for Startups Cloud Program. Apply today: https://partners.startupgrind.com/partner/google-cloud/Follow us:YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DivotpodX (Twitter): https://x.com/divotdotorgInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/divotdotorgTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@divot.orgLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/divotdotorg/#Startups #AngelInvestor #SiliconValley #Entrepreneurship #VentureCapital #PejmanNozad #FounderLessons #ImmigrantSuccess

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• #2 Twitch Co-Founder: Net Worth, Self Worth, Gratitude, and the Hedonic Treadmill

  Justin Kan built Twitch, sold it for nearly $1 billion, and still felt unfulfilled. In this episode, he shares the truth about money, success, and happiness—and how to break free from the endless chase for more.Who is Justin Kan?Justin Kan is a tech entrepreneur, investor, and former Y Combinator partner, best known as the co-founder of Twitch, which Amazon acquired for $970 million in 2014. Before that, he launched Justin.tv, one of the first live-streaming platforms, which later pivoted into Twitch. He also co-founded Socialcam (acquired by Autodesk for $60 million) and Atrium, a legal tech startup that raised $75 million before shutting down. Today, he runs Goat Capital, helping early-stage founders build the next generation of startups. Beyond business, Justin has been open about mental health, burnout, and finding fulfillment beyond financial success.Follow Justin - X (Twitter): https://x.com/justinkanFollow Derek - X (Twitter): https://x.com/derekjandersenEpisode Partners:NotionStartups get up to 6 months free of Notion with unlimited AI. Apply now, select Startup Grind in the partner drop-down list, and enter code SGXNotion to build and scale your company with just one tool: https://ntn.so/startupGoogle CloudAccelerate your AI startup with the Google for Startups Cloud Program. Apply today: https://partners.startupgrind.com/partner/google-cloud/Follow us:YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DivotdotorgX (Twitter): https://x.com/divotdotorgInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/divotdotorgTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@divot.orgLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/divotdotorg/

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• #1: Sequoia’s Doug Leone: Trauma, Hardship, Purpose, and Silicon Valley’s Top Firm

  Doug Leone believes that the toughest challenges create the strongest people. From immigrating to the U.S. at age 11 and struggling through his teenage years to becoming the global leader of Sequoia Capital, Doug’s journey is filled with hard-earned lessons on resilience, success, and leadership.Who is Doug Leone?Doug Leone is a billionaire venture capitalist and former Global Managing Partner at Sequoia Capital. He joined Sequoia in 1988 and became a managing partner in 1996, later taking on the global managing role in 2012. Throughout his career, Doug has played a pivotal role in backing companies like ServiceNow, Nubank, Wiz, Airbnb, RingCentral, and Palo Alto Networks, while also leading Sequoia’s expansion into China and India. Before joining Sequoia, he worked in sales and management roles at Sun Microsystems, Hewlett-Packard, and Prime Computer.In this episode of Divot, we explore:Why early struggles shape the most successful peopleThe hardest moments of Doug’s career—and how he turned them into winsHow Sequoia built one of the strongest VC cultures in Silicon ValleyWhat great founders have in commonThe mindset needed to win in business and lifeDoug helped shape companies like ServiceNow, Nubank, Wiz, and Aruba Networks. Now, he’s sharing what he’s learned so you can apply it, too.Episode Partners:Notion Startups get up to 6 months free of Notion with unlimited AI. Apply now, and enter code SGXNotion to build and scale your company with just one tool.Google Cloud Accelerate your AI startup with the Google for Startups Cloud Program. Apply today. Follow us:YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DivotdotorgX (Twitter): https://x.com/divotdotorgInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/divotdotorgTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@divot.orgLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/divotdotorg/Follow Derek Andersen:X (Twitter): https://x.com/derekjandersen

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