Breaking Into Early-Stage Investing: A Practitioner's Guide

Breaking Into Early-Stage Investing: A Practitioner's Guide

Please join Kerry Jordan, CFA, President of CFE, for an exclusive conversation with Susan Abrams, founding member of Golden Seeds Chicago, Katherine Stabler, COO of Velveteen Ventures, and Desiree Vargas Wrigley, founding general partner of the Velocity Catalyst Fund and co-founder of The Josephine Collective. 

The venture capital landscape has never been more complex, or more accessible. While mega-deals dominate headlines and AI companies rewrite the fundraising playbook, a new generation of investors is finding opportunities to participate in early-stage investing through angel networks, syndicates, and emerging fund structures. But how do experienced investors actually evaluate deals? What does it take to get started? And what should newcomers realistically expect in terms of returns? Join us for a candid conversation with accomplished female VCs and angel investors who will demystify the world of private company investing.

Our panelists will share:

Deal Analysis in Practice

• The key metrics and signals they look for when evaluating early-stage companies
• How to assess founding teams, market opportunities, and competitive positioning
• Red flags that cause experienced investors to pass
• The due diligence process from the first meeting to the investment decision

Getting Started as an Investor

• Pathways into early-stage investing: angel groups, rolling funds, syndicates, and SPVs
• Minimum check sizes and realistic capital requirements
• Building deal flow and gaining access to quality opportunities
• Common mistakes first-time investors make—and how to avoid them

The Reality of Returns

• What venture returns actually look like across different stages and sectors
• Understanding the power law: why most returns come from a handful of winners
• Typical holding periods and liquidity expectations
• How to think about portfolio construction and diversification