Annelies Gamble named to Forbes 30 Under 30 female executives in Venture Capital

 

In connection with Women’s History Month, we are celebrating some of the amazing female investors and entrepreneurs in our community and shining a light on the incredible work they are doing in their respective industries. SHACK15's Journal spoke with member Annelies Gamble, who was recently named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 List for her work as the first woman ever to join WTI's investment team in its three-plus decades.

SHACK15: You were recently named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 List for your work as the first woman ever to join WTI's investment team in its three-plus decades.  What did it take to get to where you are today?  

Gamble: I am so grateful for the opportunity at WTI, the team there is incredible and it's where I started honing my skills as an investor. It's also cool to see that WTI now has several women on the investment team — all of whom are rockstars! I like to think I helped pave the way, but in truth, I know they all would have gotten there regardless of whether I had come first.

In terms of how I’ve gotten to where I’m at, I think it’s because I’m relentless about working towards my goals. There is a lot of power in willing something to happen, even if it seems an incredible stretch. 

As an investor, this is also a trait I look for with founders. When you surround yourself with people who are as passionate as you are about changing something in the world, there are truly no limits to what can be achieved. It's this passion that fuels you through all the ups and inevitable downs.

SHACK15: Tell us about your background before joining WTI.  

Gamble: After college, I went straight into investment banking. I quickly learned that it was not a good fit for me. I felt like a cog in a wheel. So, when I got the chance, I jumped at the opportunity to join Dropbox! It was an incredible experience. Extremely fast-paced and so many opportunities to take ownership if you raised your hand. I came in doing customer support and sales, but eventually found my way to the product side where I helped start the Product Analytics team, which was the key liaison between the product and engineering teams. It was a really cool time in the company trajectory where I was able to take on a lot of ownership and work with some amazing people, many of whom I'm still very close with and are involved in what I do now!

SHACK15: What is it like being a female executive working in VC? What are the main challenges you've had to face, if any?

Gamble: It's a fantastic time to be in venture as a woman. There are still challenges and more work to be done, of course. But there's also a thriving community of high-caliber female investors and female founders. I’ve been lucky to have some pretty amazing female mentors early in my career! Now, I get to help shape a firm that prioritizes diversity and mentorship first and foremost. And we get to work with an amazing group of angels and VCs, women and men, who are truly building diverse, inclusive organizations that promise to change the world. 

SHACK15: What are a few of your current projects?

Gamble: One of the companies I’m on the board of is Whatnot, which is a live auction marketplace. As part of my involvement with the company, I’ve been spending more and more time focused on marketplaces and the online commerce experience. For example, what are the key differences between B2B and B2C marketplaces? How do these differences change priorities in the earliest days? How is the experience of online shopping evolving? How does that impact how marketplaces interact with their supply and demand? I think the way businesses and consumers buy goods and services online is going to continue to change a lot over the next few years!

 
Jaron Gandelman