We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Armine Galstyan a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Armine, we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?
My resilience has been shaped by a unique combination of cultural heritage and professional experiences. From a young age, my upbringing in a small town in Armenia instilled in me the importance of perseverance. Growing up with limited resources and opportunties, I learned to stay committed to my goals despite challenges and obstacles. This resilience was deeply rooted in my Armenian heritage, which values determination and community support.
As I progressed in life, my role as a venture capital (VC) investor became another significant source of resilience. Being an early-stage VC investor involves navigating significant highs and lows. The highs come from witnessing the success of early investments and the growth of promising companies. However, the journey also involves the challenges of fundraising, which can often lead to inevitable rejections. Fundraising requires a strong mindset and the ability to stay focused on long-term goals, regardless of the “no’s” along the way. This experience has further reinforced my resilience, teaching me to maintain a steadfast commitment to my objectives and to see each setback as an opportunity to learn and grow.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I am a Principal at SmartGateVC, a Los Angeles-based VC firm with a portfolio value exceeding $1 billion. I am also a founding team member of the Hero Houses in Los Angeles, a tech hub where I built a community of over 5000 tech professionals and immigrant founders and hosted 200 events in the last 3 years.
As the Managing Director of Hero House, I work closely with scientists and engineers to address complex challenges within the AI sector. By partnering with founders, I help build companies that harness cutting-edge technologies at the intersection of AI and various other fields.
In addition to these, I oversee U.S. operations for SmartGateVC as a Principal which includes identifying and sourcing new investment opportunities, performing due diligence, and supporting the management of portfolio companies.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Three key factors that were crucial to my growth in the venture capital space were strong communication skills, and the ability to build relationships. I believe the best way to develop these qualities is to consistently show up and spend time at industry events, identify and closely observe role models, learning from their actions and approaches.
Awesome, really appreciate you opening up with us today and before we close maybe you can share a book recommendation with us. Has there been a book that’s been impactful in your growth and development?
2 books come to mind:
Atomic Habits by James Clear
One of the most impactful lessons from this book is encapsulated in the quote: “You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.”
The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz
A key takeaway from this book is the principle: “TAKE CARE OF THE PEOPLE, THE PRODUCTS, AND THE PROFITS—IN THAT ORDER.”
Contact Info:
- Website: https://smartgate.vc
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/armine-galstyan/
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
