One Of Silicon Valley's Most Powerful VCs Says This Recession Will Resemble 2000, Not 2008 | Forbes

Theresia Gouw launched Acrew Capital, an early stage venture capital firm focusing on software and security technology, in late 2019. In 2014 she cofounded venture capital firm Aspect Ventures with Jennifer Fonstad; in 2019 the two women parted ways. Gouw earned her stripes in the VC world at Accel, where she spent 15 years and was the firm's first female partner. Successful investments she led while at Accel included bets on real estate site Trulia and cybersecurity firm Imperva. Melinda Gates has been a backer of both Aspect Ventures and Acrew Capital. She is vice chair of education nonprofit DonorsChoose and a board member at ONE, a nonprofit focused on ending poverty.
0:00 Introducing Theresia Gouw and Forbes' Maggie McGrath
0:12 Gouw's Thoughts On The American Dream
1:42 How An Engineer Became A Venture Capitalist
5:51 Gouw's First Investment Story
7:08 How Acrew Capital Came Together
12:10 "Treat Your Kids Like A Portfolio Company"
15:59 Identifying The Support System That Led To Silicon Valley Success
18:45 Is Being Over 50 An Advantage Or A Disadvantage In Your Career?
23:15 Gouw's Advice For Young Women Suffering Burnout
26:15 Focus On The Macro To Understand The Current Financial Environment
31:03 Gouw's Outlook For Female Founders In 2023
33:20 What It's Like To Be A Female Investor In A Male-Dominated Industry
36:36 Gouw's Advice For Navigating A Lasting Career
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[@Thegoats_69]

Love how she is so intelligent and yet has a simple way of communicating. Live her life story. Education, hard work and finding one’s passion ❤️

[@jeffufcfanaticrosenberg]

yup she is - she was my boss awhile ago

[@juneyang1400]

A brilliant mind and a driven force, inspiring not only for women, girls but also for men and boys. Find one’s own passion and follow through ❤

[@Leahhli__]

So inspiring to hear about personal stories from women leader role model like Theresia, what a nicely conducted interview!

[@skleptic]

You'll never do anything similar now go make me a sandwich

[@TMM-N]

Inspiring? She dont even want to work more , while men will continue to work 70-80hr week

[@ranwang707]

@@TMM-N stop commenting from your mom's basement

[@skleptic]

@@TMM-N having to work 70-80hrs a week isn't inspiring lmao it's poverty

[@lildon112]

Agree! We need more people like her in upper management - companies should be looking out for their employees and allowing a better work-life balance.

[@user-rn6iz8nj2f]

This was great but it doesn’t really correlate to the title

[@silvanarossotto4323]

outstanding questions ! The VC really opened up. Congrats

[@nc8903]

Thank you for sharing your story. I commend your strength and also a source of inspiration as I am a start-up founder.

[@dianavangeles]

This is so inspiring! Thank you for sharing

[@andracoisbored]

Great interview!

[@lildon112]

Great interview! Gouw is very well-spoken and had some very insightful comments. I hope more executives and managers will watch this and take to heart what she said about allowing employees to have a better work-life balance. Looking out for the well-being of your employees can lead to better productivity and a happier workplace.

[@LMays-cu2hp]

Thank you for sharing..

[@emiliaemiko1869]

Tks! See you!

[@JohnnyKhars]

amazing interview. well done ladies!

[@HollyXu]

was valuable to listen to someone who has traveled the road before us

[@Ray-iz7tv]

Would agree the recession will be more like the tech crash of 2000. The high tech companies' high valuations will be coming down to more fair value.

[@TehBananaBread]

Nobody knows what is going to happen. Just specualtion. 1 year ago these people were screaming olds models were invalid.

[@ronnywuisan4472]

True, it is so exagerrating. She is not powerful at all, is not her money. She is just betting, make mistake and hope one or 2 of her betting make big money. That's all.

[@jonathanhuang2955]

The only certainty is uncertainty. If you had bought any houses right after the pandemic started, when everyone was as scared as a rabbit in a wolf’s den, you would have gained more than 50%. Tell me what the experts said back then.

[@windsong3wong828]

Great story. 👍

[@GNARGNARHEAD]

she seems sane

[@tragicrhythm]

Great interview. She’s inspiring. Good questions by interviewer.

[@Omikoshi78]

Shout out to ncsa mosaic, that set the course of my degree and profession as well.

[@emiliaemiko1869]

Good morning Forbes! ♥️☕

[@goldbrick2563]

Loved it, but at the end she advises older women to dye their grey hair more often...that was the only thing I don't align with. Be yourself and if you'd like to go natural, this is okay. As a young person, I don't judge older people who have silver or white hair. It's quite beautiful. Men and women should feel okay w/being natural

[@brucemah609]

#HERO

[@bowls123]

Of course Indonesia!

[@12digit53]

I’m from Indonesia 🇮🇩 proud of this woman

[@User-007imwnx]

But you guys have killed so many Chinese descendants in Indonesia, in the most gruesome ways 🙄 I bet her family escaped the country for the reason.

[@iamdavidjehovahsolomonroth6890]

THERESIA LOTS OF LOVE AND REGARDS THE RECESSION IS DUE TO LACK OF LEADERSHIP IN THE WEST , STARTING FROM USA TO EUROPE HOPEFULLY THE RECESSION WILL END SOON TRULY JOSEPH

[@ronnywuisan4472]

There is no such thing as most powerful, VC represent someone else money, is not their money. VC makes mistakes, lots of them, even silly mistakes in WeWork, FTX. Most VC do not have real experience, just betting on something they think will be big. They act like God because they can make big money decision.

[@shotimemillionaire]

On the flip side VCs have ability to change the world!

[@teenytinytoons]

They’re just gamblers like anyone else.

[@shotimemillionaire]

@@teenytinytoons Every product you use in your daily life was at one point a gamble that someone took a chance on. Ponder that my friend!

[@megnelli]

"those things in place" = the american dream. Having everything in place where you can achieve. If you don't have that option available to you, there is a problem.

[@gigglegagaing5]

Yay indo

[@RayMak]

Many people lost their jobs the past few months

[@Brodragon2225]

She is gorgeous

[@ryankjohns9849]

Super snooze fest! 😴😴 Title and content do NOT align. This was a pep talk 👎👍

[@kendaniel7249]

MINE 000

[@SuperbizonR]

Is that a real forbes interview? So unprofessional. A home grown girl asks innocent questions... Why she?

[@roberth3566]

Never Herd of her

[@mozartdeux1440]

Because you're in the "herd" and not in the their club. LOL

[@AKA96369]

@@mozartdeux1440 sorry Mr. Mozart!

[@Christie39j]

😂❤

[@hchou5474]

I was expected to watch to get some economy view from the title of the video. But it was a lengthy interview of this VC lady's personal story. Not impressed.

[@hechovisto]

Illlll

[@emiliaemiko1869]

Me too... I don't know who are U... Sorry

[@dallastexas6341]

Puke. Did she pay for this advertising? Most powerful? Lol

[@TMM-N]

Difference between women and men, is that women talk more about balance life and work While men they rarely complaining about work life balance Men willing to work 60-70 hr work week even through their 50s-60s While women when they 40s 50s, they started to work less and prefer work life balance over the age of 50s. Hence this explains the pay gap. If u look at top 100 richest people, majorityof them are men Because they work hard throughout their 50s-60s. Thats why companies led by women over 50s, will not be as big as those led by men over 50s and 60s as men are crazy enough to work without life balance

[@wendywei6557]

You are absolutely right!

[@ranwang707]

Men rarely complaining about work life balance because they don't even think about it as they automatically assume housework responsibilities and raising kids are women's responsibilities. So many women give up their careers to support their families and significant others, and look at what you ungrateful brats think about them. I bet your mom regrets giving birth to you and sacrifice her career for you. Please don't ever get married or have kids

[@mikedc]

Trump2024

[@nandanjha3551]

DeSantis 2024!

[@jeffufcfanaticrosenberg]

my xboss doing good !