Jake Storm

How has your upbringing shaped your worldview?

I lived in several distinct regions across the U.S. and Brazil growing up. Viewing the world from so many different perspectives helped instill in me several key beliefs that I carry with me to this day. First, you can find similarities with anyone in the world; those similarities often create the foundation for trust and relationships. Second, I always felt the need to explore and push the boundaries—this could be physical activity, relationships with different groups of people, or now in venture. The last, and perhaps most impactful, is to take nothing for granted.

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How do you work with founders?

Although every company’s needs are different, the qualities that founders unanimously need are similar: a champion, an advocate, a believer. This active support can take various forms. At the earliest stages, a perfectly placed customer or candidate introduction could be most impactful, whereas, at the later stages, strategic planning or fundraising strategy may enable the company to capture defining moments successfully. If I’ve partnered with a company, chances are you’ve heard me sharing publicly why I’m so excited to be involved! I believe portfolio support is an active pursuit, and I personally use any means possible to improve the odds of success for the companies I partner with.

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What’s a sector you’re passionate about?

I find cybersecurity fascinating. It’s a mission-critical function, and every shift has required the industry to reinvent itself—from on-prem to cloud, mobile and endpoint, and now AI. Furthermore, each shift slightly alters how the technology is distributed and consumed. Security budgets are more durable because they have to be. Attacks are becoming more frequent and complex, and a massive talent shortage exists. The only way to bridge this gap is with advances in technology, and I love the feeling of “us against the world.”

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How do you find balance?

I firmly believe we find the most balance by achieving some success in different areas of life. If something is worth spending time on, we should optimize to be the best version of ourselves in that arena. Outside of work, I prioritize family and sports. Each year, I pick a nearly impossible athletic endeavor and work as hard as possible to achieve it. All aspects of our lives are interconnected somehow, and this ambitious goal serves as both an outlet and inspiration for situations in other areas. There’s something profound in catapulting yourself beyond your previously perceived limits through grit and hard work. 

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What’s a lesson you want to impart to your children?

Extraordinary things happen at the convergence of hustle, focus, and humility. At the core, it’s a mindset that there’s always more to accomplish, more to learn, and more to give. Some of my proudest moments as a father are when my kids set a goal and navigate the learning process to accomplish it.