In this inspiring episode of No Boxes: Just Verses, we sit down with the influential investor and entrepreneur, Vishal Verma. Are you a leader trying to navigate the high-risk world of venture capital, overcome self-doubt, or find a deeper mission in your work? Vishal's journey is a powerful testament to the value of immigrant work ethic and the idea that "failure is not an option". From his family's humble beginnings to building a global investment firm and championing education at UC Merced, this conversation reveals the mindset and persistence needed to succeed in Silicon Valley and beyond.Vishal Verma is a General Partner at Edgewood Ventures, LLC. and Redwood Collective, LLC. He has invested in 17 top-tier venture capital and private equity firms, and holds stakes in over 20 private companies including Wiz, Anduril, Antropic, Glean, and Mistral. Vishal is a Senior Advisor to Honorable Dick Gephardt and Honorable Secretary Michael Chertoff on International Strategy, and the founder of Sidebar Summit. He is an active member of The Chicago Club, The Indus Entrepreneurs, the US India Cyber-security Track 1.5 Dialogue hosted by CFR and ORF, the Board of Trustees of the University of California at Merced, the Leadership Council at the RFK Foundation, and Best Buddies. While pursuing his MBA at Chicago Booth, Vishal founded Hyde Park Angels. He holds a B.S. in Marketing from Santa Clara University and an MBA in Finance from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.Key Takeaways:The "Too Legit to Quit" Mindset: Vishal's immigrant father, who arrived in the U.S. with $8, instilled an unwavering work ethic, teaching him that failure is not an option.The Power of Relationship Building: An early internship helped Vishal, a self-described high school introvert, master crucial relationship-building skills for business and life.Growth is Slow, Death is Fast: Vishal learned from the dot-com and telecom busts that startups must focus on making money, conserving cash, and building strong fundamentals to survive.Education is the Equalizer: Vishal believes education solves global problems and supports UC Merced to create generational change in immigrant families.Vishal’s journey is a powerful reminder that you are the fabric of the innovation ecosystem—and you belong. What small impact will you make today to contribute? Join his community by checking out his Sidebar Summit.Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, rate, and review the podcast! CONNECT WITH VISHAL VERMA:LinkedInPlaylistSidebar SummitBest BuddiesCONNECT WITH SHANNON:FacebookInstagramLinkedIn Shannon | LinkedIn NBJVTheme Song: Pedal to the Medal by Martin Luther (Spotify | Apple Music) 

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