It was only a matter of time until Heidi Roizen came to realize that her familiarity with the internet business and stream of professional success would allow her to assume the role of a venture capitalist. In light of taking on this new responsibility, there exists the need to adapt to the transitioning internet service industry, one that in years prior welcomed an abundance of ambitious individuals. Within the ever-competitive Silicon Valley, many aspiring entrepreneurs began facing the reality that the industry is one that is rewarding to those that held admirable networking skills. In her initial months as a SoftBank venture capitalist, Mrs. Roizen was able to utilize her expansive collection of connections to attain early investment success. However, at some point, one must question the extent to which this strong performance will remain consistent in subsequent months and years with the firm. To once again thrive in such an evolving industry environment, Mrs. Roizen must change her approach to social networking by reestablishing herself as a someone who looks to not only guide others but be critical in the selection of her network and what relationships she could afford to continue to build or lose on in the future.
Throughout much of her early career, when faced with new challenges, Mrs. Roizen was quick to alter her method of networking. Whether it was calling in favors from her connects while working at Apple or helping to recruit individuals to join up-and-coming companies, she sought to capitalize on the strength of her network. More recently at Softbank, as work slowly began to consume large portions of her time, the only way to adjust was for her to become "increasingly efficient in maintaining her network" (11). Mrs. Roizen is not devoid in the number of contacts at hand but has merely established close ties with the nuclei of multiple networks which may or may not serve as leverage opportunities. Although this method may be time-saving, there is a reason to examine how this network constellation approach provides her with a breadth rather than a depth of connections. More importantly, Mrs. Roizen is an individual that prides herself in establishing a close familiarity with a broad set of people that she sees promise in. Therefore, to progress as a venture capitalist she should strive to create deeper relationships with other industry leaders and individuals that are well established at other venture capital firms. In demonstrating a commitment to these individuals, it would only serve as an advantage for her when seeking a request or investment advice during this transitional period in her career. By carving out a niche of influential individuals that she plans to share a profound connection with, it will help to reinforce her industry status as a venture capitalist.
In her first involvement with start-up companies, Mrs. Roizen's position as a mentor capitalist was not particularly technical and required more of an individualized perspective to dealing with young companies. By now having to understand how the financial market changes with time and where potential investment opportunities exist within the internet service industry, she is drifting into unfamiliar territory. In addition to the working alongside a partner, Mrs. Roizen should consider forming a group of experienced financial advisors gathered from different areas across her network. As a recognized leader in her field, she will be able to generate buy-in from these individuals which will impact positively impact the trajectory of the group's performance. Using their industry insight and expertise of the market these individuals will aid her in making more sound investment decisions. Working as a collective will allow Mrs. Roizen to express any uncertainty that may arise during a deal and will give her a sense of "team approach" that she felt contributed to past successes (9). Nonetheless, her willingness to branch out and commit to working alongside a team emphasizes her desire to improve as a professional in this new work setting.
Known to be a reliable connection, Mrs. Roizen is frequently reached out to by former colleagues and those linked to her network often seeking viable favors and career recommendations. When starting off at her new role, she would designate time to personally respond to entrepreneurs with feedback regardless of whether their business plan was accepted or rejected. The idea of "maintaining good relationships with the entrepreneurial network community" was something she was keen to stay true due to the uncertainty of what these individuals will achieve in the long-run (10). Yet, as her responsibility as a venture capitalist grows, it is imperative that she take into consideration that she could no longer meet the ever-growing demands that come her way. In due time, the number of business plans that come across her desk will increase drastically which will require her to be a timely decision maker. Time is an important commodity for a venture capitalist and as a result, Mrs. Roizen must assure that her working hours are dedicated to entrepreneurs worth investing in and whose business plans align with Softbank's investment criteria (Exhibit 2). In terms of the effect on her close network, sacrifices must be made which may come at the expense of people she knows personally. At some point, it is essential that she remain professional in making these difficult decisions and be confident in recognizing business propositions that will lead to future investment triumphs.
Another aspect of her networking aptitudes that requires notice is Mrs. Roizen's ability to maintain a balance between her social and professional networks. In the presence of fewer job obligations, she took it upon herself to bridge the gap between her life at work and social life. Due to the comfort that she saw from being a knowledge broker, it became routine to open her home to close friends and colleagues at Softbank. Now that she is assuming a greater task at the firm, it is in her best interest to take the proper steps to widen the separation between her personal and professional relationships. Although there is the justification that such social gatherings allow her to develop strong connections with either network, one must also consider the possibility that her work-life balance could eventually tilt in a negative direction. By removing her house as a place where the firm can hold forthcoming events, it will refrain from her work life from overtaking her space of comfort and relief. Additionally, in instances where she feels that she needs to reciprocate a favor for one her close friends, choosing to simply say "no" prevents her from jeopardizing both her professional and social rapport. The more Mrs. Roizen looks to separate her taxing work life from her social life, the less she would feel pressured to meet the demands of both of these networks simultaneously. In minimizing the extent of this social dilemma, Heidi will be able to make a greater effort towards building a reputation as a venture capitalist.
When weighing the impact of changing Mrs. Roizen's social networking approach there lies certain risks that are worth considering. In particular, the social image that she established throughout the years may be affected. For instance, once Mrs. Roizen decides to limit the extent to which her personal connections are able to use their friendship for career or investment help more individuals will see her as a less dependable connection. Having taken on a role that is significantly different from her previous occupations, one could also assume that the power to dictate large investment deals has disrupted her ability to use her network to help others like in the past. Furthermore, changing her method of networking contradicts her ideology of staying "consistent after each interaction" (5). With more responsibility and shortage of time, there will be a disparity in the quality of communication between those she feels the most need to stay in touch with and those whom she could afford to become distant with. Still, if Mrs. Roizen past achievements have proven anything, it is that her actions are carefully planned to not only help meet the expectations set by others but to gradually improve as a professional with each new role.
Heidi Roizen's ability to utilize her vast network during different periods in her career is emblematic of someone that obtains fulfillment by making contributions that benefit those around her. By taking the time to reevaluate the current connections she holds, it will provide her with clarity about the relationships she needs to continue to foster and those that are worth letting go for the time being. Using this modified network that is readily accessible when needed, it will enable her to add value to Softbank by guiding young start-ups to achieve their desired goals which will inevitably lead to greater returns for the firm. Overall, Mrs. Roizen's skill to command her network will allow her to follow the path of other accomplished venture capitalists.