Managing Very Well

VINNY PUJJI ’10

When seasoned investor Vinny Pujji ’10 landed on Forbes’ prestigious 30 under 30 list, it came as no surprise to those aware of Pujji’s record as a successful entrepreneur.

In 2019, Pujji co-founded Left Lane Capital, a venture capital and early growth firm focused on consumer and internet technology businesses across North America, Europe and Israel. The firm raised $2 billion in its first two years—one of the largest amounts in the history of its asset class—and Pujji himself has led seven of the firm’s 28 investments from its debut fund. “I love being around company-building, whether or not I’m at the helm,” explains Pujji. “It’s what I read, watch on TV and think about all day.”

Having come from a family of entrepreneurs, Pujji knew that he would follow the same path. After two years at the Wharton School of Business’ Huntsman Program, he left to co-found a tutoring startup called Altair Prep with a few classmates. The business scaled to offices in four cities, but despite its success, his parents impressed upon him the importance of completing his education. Upon graduation, Pujji co-founded a handful of companies across a number of industries, including an app that provided personal styling guidance for men and a platform that helped with the monetization of social media.

In 2014, Pujji made his first move to the other side of the entrepreneurship coin when he joined the global software investor Insight Partners. He experienced great success at Insight, deploying approximately $1 billion across prospering companies such as Calm, the Farmer’s Dog and Chargebee. He credits his firsthand knowledge of company-building for his ability to thrive in venture capital (VC). “Empathy through real startup experience among VCs is rare,” says Pujji. “I’m very proud that I’ve been in the trenches and think it makes me a much better investor, advisor and confidant.”

The success and recognition Pujji has received in the relatively early days of Left Lane Capital have only strengthened his commitment to support aspiring entrepreneurs by serving as a board member and mentor. He has also had to reflect on the secrets of his own success. He considers his experience at La Jolla Country Day School a great complement to the entrepreneurial spirit he inherited from his family. “The biggest thing that Country Day enabled was this ‘go for it’ attitude that’s imperative for entrepreneurs to cultivate. You want a lacrosse team? Start it! You want to study neuroscience or Chinese? We’ll find a professor! The school is truly unique and amazing in the flexibility and opportunity it provides for its students.”

—MICHELLE

Choate

Vinny Pujji ’10 is the managing partner co-founder of Left Lane Capital, a venture capital and early growth equity firm. Pujji is also a member of the ljcds Alumni Council.

Happier Hour: How to Beat Distraction, Expand Your Time, and Focus on What Matters Most

By Cassie Holmes ’98, Ph.D.

Cassie Mogilner Holmes’ first published book, Happier Hour, is a practical guide with actionable strategies for thinking about and spending time to live a more joyful life. Holmes teaches one of the most popular courses at UclA’s Anderson School of Management: “Applying the Science of Happiness to Life Design.”

“After years of teaching traditional marketing courses, I made a decision driven by happiness: I would develop a course that would teach our MBAs and Executive MBAs how to achieve greater satisfaction in their professional lives and their personal lives.”

Holmes’ research uncovered important findings that highlight the high level of happiness that stems from personally connecting with people and with the present moment.

• Merely thinking about time (vs. money) boosts people’s happiness.

• Age influences the way people experience happiness and the types of experiences that produce happiness.

• Having too little or too much discretionary time hurts happiness.

• Gifting time through experiences cultivates happiness in relationships.

• To feel happier, people should spend their days on a variety of activities but their hours on more similar activities

KATELYN SIGETI ’06

A professor at UclA’s Anderson School of Management, Cassie Holmes ’98 is an awardwinning teacher and researcher of time and happiness, and bestselling author of Happier Hour, a practical guide for how to live a more joyful life. Holmes was a Career Day speaker at ljcds in 2023.

CASSIEMHOLMES.COM