E64: Josh Diaz - Founder & Managing Partner of Stone Mountain Ventures
Iconic Conversations with John Diaz - Founder & Managing Partner of Stone Mountain Ventures
To the dreamers and all who read this,
A couple of weeks ago, I had the honor of hosting John Diaz on the podcast!
John Diaz is the Founder and Managing Partner of Stone Mountain Ventures. His focus is on early stage investments throughout the healthcare, AI, consumer and technology space.
John and I discuss the interplay of luck and preparation in venture capital; which includes John's story in investing in a unicorn (a startup worth more than $1B+ investment) the significance of building relationships in the industry, and the importance of being prepared for opportunities.
We also also delve into John's passion for running, highlighting how the discipline and mental toughness required in marathon training parallels the challenges faced in business and life. John also shares his journey of overcoming personal challenges, the importance of belief and support in achieving goals, and the significance of self-awareness in personal and professional growth, specifically from this father.
Before founding Stone Mountain Ventures, John worked at Bain Capital Private Equity as an Associate, Grant Park Ventures as an Advisor, and Wellington Management as a Business Development Associate.
He previously interned with Bloomberg and Goldman Sachs and received his BBA in Finance and Risk Management from St. Mary’s University. John is also on the Alumni Board of Directors for St. Mary's University. Additionally, he has founded 2 companies and operated multiple businesses.
Listen or read below:
TLDR Takeaways:
Cultivating a sense of aliveness is essential for personal growth.
Luck is often a result of preparation and hard work.
Being prepared allows you to seize opportunities when they arise.
Running teaches discipline and mental toughness.
Overcoming obstacles is a testament to grit and determination.
Belief from others can be a powerful motivator.
Focusing on positive influences can fuel personal growth.
Cultivating a mindset of gratitude can shift focus from negativity to positivity.
Chapters:
01:19 The Luck Factor in Venture Capital
05:00 Finding the Unicorn: A Personal Story
08:37 Building Relationships in Venture Capital
11:35 The Importance of Preparedness
12:00 Running: A Journey of Discipline and Mental Toughness
16:20 Reflections on Marathon Experiences
18:04 The Multifaceted Life of John Diaz
19:10 Overcoming Life's Challenges
25:14 The Power of Belief and Support
30:35 Cultivating Self-Awareness for Growth
Song of the Week:
In the theme of marathon running and going the distance, this song Beggin reminds me of the days of running with my Cross Country team doing our long runs. Queue this up whenever you go on your run or just want to have some upbeat jams!
Enjoy!
Film of the Week:
Y’all are going to flame me for this, but I DO NOT CARE! This isn’t a movie this is an anime mini-series called The Girl Downstairs.
It has nothing to do with this newsletter, it’s just one of the best slice of life anime series I have watched in a very long time.
Everything about the music, the animation, the drama, the lore, the score, the way things are set up.
I’ve binged the whole thing in 4 and half hours on Sunday at Christian Balzora’s house. Honestly, I cried.
This was based of a South Korean Webtoon (comic) and this is Chinese animated.
Just do yourself a favor and watch this masterpiece!
Rating: 5/5
Here is the link to watch the full show on YouTube:
Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!
Read of the Week:
I read this article last week when I was on the plane back to the United States, after my friend Kaleb introduced me to Henrik’s writing. This article stood out to be, because I think about what makes culture and how does someone become who they are.
In the context of the podcast with John, he grew up with his family being active in the Healthcare industry from his parents to his siblings. This early exposure led to him having a deep expertise and grown interest even as he pursued his private equity career path. This cultural milieu he was exposed to allowed the serendipity of luck to occur and eventually led him to investing into now a unicorn startup that came from his network.
I often think about network effects and curating my own existence when I go to places, events, museums, outings - what inputs of cultural exposure am I lending myself towards that will lead to extraordinary outcomes of new relationships blossoming.
It is a great read and I highly recommend everyone reading the article.
Link of the Week:
It’s the Podcast but in Video Form!!!!
I hope you enjoy the rest of your week and you do something great.
I really love making content and this newsletter! I love you all and thank you for reading!
With Light, Peace, & Loving-kindness,
GUEST: John Diaz
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johndiaz
💻 Website: https://www.stonemountainventures.com/
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HOST: Tanaka Tava
💻 Website: https://www.tanakatava.com/
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