Kristen Faulkner’s remarkable Olympic success, earning two gold medals, can be attributed to the lessons she learned during her previous career as a venture capitalist.
Faulkner worked as an associate investor at Threshold Ventures and Bessemer Venture Partners before transitioning to pursue cycling in 2021. Initially not scheduled to compete in the 158-kilometer road cycling race, she stepped in for her teammate Taylor Knibb at the last minute and surprised everyone by winning the gold medal. Faulkner further secured a second gold medal as part of the winning US women’s velodrome track cycling team.
In an interview with Fortune, she shared, “As a VC, you interact with passionate entrepreneurs daily, who are willing to take risks and pursue big ideas. This mindset has definitely influenced my approach to winning races. In venture capitalism, you evaluate risks, make decisions, and then fully commit without looking back. This mentality has shaped me as an athlete.”
