Favorite Parts of Being a Cofounder and CEO at Unconventional Ventures
As a Cofounder/CEO/CFO at Unconventional Ventures, Aaron is most involved in the hands-on, high-risk nature of working with early-stage companies, relishing the opportunity to add value through significant influence; it's about "being interested in what I'm doing and working with people that I wanna work with," even if that means working at unconventional hours. The emphasis isn't on monetary gain, but on the impact and the quality of the work and the people involved.
Leadership, Early Stage Startups, Venture Capital, Decision-Making, Influence
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Aaron Chavez
Cofounder/CEO/CFO
Unconventional Ventures
Arizona State University (ASU) - W. P. Carey | Barrett
Finance
Consulting & Related Professional Services
Business Strategy
Honors Student, Scholarship Recipient, Took Out Loans, Greek Life Member, First Generation College Student
Video Highlights
1. Hands-on role with high risk and high reward: The role involves working closely with early-stage ventures, handling significant financial decisions, and having a direct impact on the direction of companies.
2. Opportunity to influence and add value: The professional values the ability to influence important decisions and contribute to the success of organizations.
3. Prioritizing interesting work and good people: The professional emphasizes the importance of enjoying the work and collaborating with quality individuals, even if it means working long hours.
Transcript
What are you doing most about being in your role?
I love that my role is so hands-on. It's a high-risk role because I work with early-stage individuals, many of whom are using their own money or raising millions from others. So, I'm dealing with real money and making important decisions.
If I advise someone to do something, I recently advised a client to make a significant product shift because I could see the writing on the wall. The CEO agreed, and now the entire organization will change direction based on a few sentences I said on a call. It's not about wanting that level of influence, but I'm glad I have the opportunity to influence at such a high degree to add value.
I love contributing to an organization. So, the ability for me to have influence, not just the money – again, money is always good to a certain point – is what matters. I care about being interested in what I'm doing and working with people I want to work with.
I'd rather be there at 2:00 AM than 2:00 PM if the work and people were better, any day of the week.