Today we’re in conversation with Rob Vickery, the founder and Managing Partner of Hillfarance Venture Capital.

In this episode, we get an insider’s look into how Rob evaluates startups and what he cares about as a VC. We also uncover the person behind the title, touching on Rob’s life outside of work, his experience with burnout, and how he sets boundaries to respect his time and mana.

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Timestamps:

01:13 - Rob’s beginnings in the UK and successful venture firm in the US

04:43 - Rob’s vision for the NZ tech startup space

06:13 - How to become successful at enterprise sales

08:55 - Who is Rob outside of the VC space?

10:16 - Success and failures as a VC

11:40 - How Hillfarance is 47% higher than the industry in representing women-owned companies 

13:00 - Three common barriers for startups

14:50 - How much should founders pay themselves? Should they?

18:55 - How Rob evaluates a tech startup

21:26 - Conversations with founders about pivoting 

23:03  - How Rob approaches burnout as a VC

25:13 - Tips for setting boundaries and respecting your time

28:13 - What Rob would like to see more of in the startup space - seed investing and embracing failure