Ellie Wheeler

As we’ve learned about the tech industry thus far, the road to success is usually unpaved. This week we learn that becoming a VC is not dissimilar. Ellie Wheeler is a principal at Greycroft Partners, where she is a Series A investor and has been investing in the tech industry for almost four years. However, getting here was not an easy or clear path, in fact, one that she didn’t even know existed. What it took was dropping out of medical school, balancing the world of Private Equity and major corporate M&A, a business school degree and exposure to the startup world filtered through Chris Sacca. Her story is a meticulous experience of writing and rewriting checklists that have helped her get to whatever next step she needed to make.

Over a couple glasses of Merry Edwards Pinot Noir, Ellie shared with us the method to her madness; how in her experience, she has been able to develop a set of standards and keys for success for any startup in this industry, as well as a list of red flags. This, of course, is critical to her as an investor, as she has her finger on the pulse of business and sees trends come and go every six months. And this, of course, is critical to anyone in the early stages of the tech industry — as founders and investors — who are looking to be meticulous in their next steps as well.

For more insights, check out @Ellie on Twitter.