Think Like a Founder: Former UNLV President Len Jessup on Leadership, Venture Capital & Success
From In The Studio With J Haleem · 55:44
Show by J Haleem Media
What does it take to go from being a first-generation college student who just wanted to play baseball to leading a major university—and eventually investing in the next generation of billion-dollar companies?On this episode of In the Studio with J Haleem, J sits down with Dr. Len Jessup, former President of UNLV, longtime higher education executive, author, and founder of Desert Forge Ventures, for a conversation about leadership, entrepreneurship, education, venture capital, innovation, and creating opportunities that extend beyond yourself.Len's journey began in a working-class Italian family in San Francisco.Neither of his parents had attended college. His father was a firefighter, and many of his relatives owned small businesses.Len initially attended junior college to play baseball. But a coach encouraged him to think bigger.That encouragement eventually led him to earn a PhD, become a professor, lead business schools, serve as President of UNLV, and return to his entrepreneurial interests by launching a venture capital fund in Las Vegas.Now, he's helping connect capital with promising startups—and sharing the leadership lessons that shaped his career.His message? You don't have to own a business to think like a founder.
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