Stephanie Weiner W'14

What did you study at Penn and when did you graduate?

I studied Finance and OPIM (Operations and Information Management) and graduated in 2014.

What were you involved with as an undergraduate?

I was interested in startups since my first year at Penn so the first thing I got involved with is the Weiss Tech House where I served on the investment committee. This gave me tons of exposure to the startup/tech industry and I had the opportunity to meet founders and people in VC.

I started a subletting website with my friends that gave me experience running a business and the website was eventually absorbed by The DP. I was also one of the first members of the Dorm Room Fund which is a venture fund run by students with the goal of investing in startups founded by fellow students. Being a part of the first DRF team meant spending a lot of time working with my teammates to figure out what a student venture fund would look like. By the end of my time there, we grew the fund to multiple cities and established a foundation for structure. Throughout my undergraduate experience, I spent my summers in VC which is what I work in now as well.

Did you study abroad and would you recommend it?

I studied abroad in Sydney, Australia and 100% recommend it. It gave me a new, insightful perspective on the world. It also gave me a little more time to relax compared to campus. Penn can feel very fast-paced so studying abroad is a great opportunity to try something different.

What was your favorite part of Penn/Wharton?

Candidly speaking, I loved the balance of working hard and having fun. I enjoy being able to hustle during the week, but then having something fun to look forward to on the weekend. I’m really extroverted and enjoyed having so many opportunities to work with people or around people. Penn really shows you that people can be both incredibly smart and fun to be around.

What has your career journey looked like and what do you do now?

For my first summer internship in college, I worked at Blackstone in a PE internship. It was a valuable experience, but I realized I was more excited about VC and wanted to follow that. I was drawn to VC’s mission in building the future and helping companies create the future.

After college, I got a job at Bain Capital Ventures. I spent some time there, but it got to a point where I felt like VC was all I did and knew. At this point in my life, I was considering a couple different options, but ultimately decided to take a year off. I spent a few months traveling and it was such an incredible experience being able to change the pace and see new things.

I came back and played around with a few different business ideas. My fiance actually now runs one of the businesses I launched. I then became the Chief of Staff for a startup because I wanted to experience being in the passenger seat for a fast growing business. I learned so much from my two years in this role, but realized I wanted to go back into VC. The startup I was at actually led me to my firm now which is FirstMark Capital.

How has being a woman affected your career trajectory, if it has?

I would say, being a woman hasn’t necessarily prevented me from getting a job or an interview, but it has had implications for how I was treated at work. VC and a lot of other industries can feel like a “boy’s club,” and being a woman can have certain implications. For example, the boys could ask a male founder (which the vast majority of founders are) to chat over drinks, but if I were to suggest that then it may send the wrong signal. I think there is still a lot of progress that needs to be made in the industry for women and men to be treated alike, but the environment is 10x better since the Me Too movement.

What advice do you have for our members as they begin exploring careers and internships?

You don’t have to figure it out right away. There’s so much pressure to be on a career path and have everything solidified. You have to remember that everyone at Penn is super smart and capable, and you should prioritize taking the time to find what excites you. I’ve seen so many friends pivot industries or roles and even if it sets them back a little in the moment, it’s so worth it because they get to do something that energizes them.