The Investor With Joel Palathinkal

The Investor with Joel Palathinkal is a global omni channel show which highlights institutional investors from all walks of life and supports the continuing education for the next generation of allocators

Megan Ananian: The Helm VC

S1 E121 • Jul 23, 2025 • 54 mins

In this episode, Megan Ananian from The Helm VC, discusses her career shift from policy to investment banking, her time at Yale SOM, and her role at Wells Fargo. She talks about joining Seed Invest, founding The Helm women's syndicate, and the significance of VC branding and media. The conversation covers market shifts, launching a VC community during the pandemic, and the benefits of virtual meetings. Megan also explores traditional vs. virtual investing, sector-specific funds, and trends in Web3, crypto, and NFTs. The episode wraps up with insights on tech layoffs, flexible work schedules, and networking events.

Key Points

Building a strong network and being genuinely helpful to others can create a flywheel effect in sourcing valuable deals and opportunities.
Emerging fund managers often have the best deal flow and are highly motivated to ensure the success of their portfolio companies.
The landscape of venture capital is evolving, with opportunities for more consolidation and strategic acquisitions among funds to leverage specialized expertise and networks.

Speakers

Megan Ananian

Guest • 54%

Joel Palathinkal

Guest • 1%

Sutton Capital Holdings Corporation

Host • 46%

Chapters

0:00	Introduction and career pivot to grad school at Yale SOM
1:20	Podcast introduction and welcoming Megan
2:15	Megan's career journey from policy to investment banking
5:25	Building out the Northeastern division at Wells Fargo and tech curiosity
7:17	Graduate school decision-making and joining Seed Invest
9:46	Learning sourcing strategies at Seed Invest and founding The Helm
13:18	Creating a women's syndicate, importance of VC branding and media
17:13	Building custom VC products and the need for a directory of VC funds
21:32	Limited number of venture funds and Tactic discussion
25:32	Product management feedback and iteration
26:39	Market shifts and launching a VC community during the pandemic
28:08	New York's resurgence and virtual meeting efficiencies
30:37	Alex Hormozi's business strategies and acquisition.com
33:27	Traditional VCs vs. virtual investing and emerging manager sourcing strategies
37:05	M&A opportunities and cultural challenges in corporate acquisitions
40:02	Sector-specific funds expertise and orphan drug manufacturers
43:28	Trends in Web3, crypto, and NFTs
47:06	Post-pandemic New York and the great resignation
50:00	Tech layoffs, job market, and flexible work schedules
52:25	Closing remarks, future meetups, and networking events
53:21	Episode conclusion and thank yous

Transcript

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