Joey Kim

PE folks believe port-co leadership drives >50% of returns (Alix Partners survey). But here's the real head scratcher: <10% of MM firms are programmatic about developing port-co leaders. It's a massive untapped opportunity. If your talent strategy begins and ends with recruitment, you’re not playing a winning game. Why? → The war for talent is brutal (And it’s not getting easier.) → Everyone’s fishing in the same pond (Your competitors use the same search firms.) → Even strong leaders need support to grow (No leader is ever a finished product.) Firms that are taking a full-lifecycle approach to talent strategy & systematically developing leaders are quietly building a moat: 1. BRAND EDGE ↳ "We'll grow your leaders, here's exactly how" ↳ Powerful differentiator with founder-owned businesses ↳ Stands out in a sea of sameness 2. PERFORMANCE EDGE ↳ Leaders hit their stride faster ↳ Fewer costly mistakes ↳ Better returns, period. 3. PIPELINE EDGE ↳ Control your own destiny ↳ Build vs. buy talent ↳ Have bench strength Firms like Vista Equity, Alpine, and Shore Capital get it--and are reaping the benefits. Expecting we'll start to see others coming around. And when they do, our Ascend exec accelerator will be there. Info in the comments.

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I’m thrilled to announce defy.vc’s investment in Birches Health as part of their $20M combined Seed and Series A funding round, alongside incredible partners like AlleyCorp, General Catalyst, Will Ventures, and others. As someone deeply passionate about backing companies that tackle important problems for our society, I couldn’t be more excited about what Birches is building—a national virtual clinic dedicated to treating gambling addiction and related behavioral disorders like gaming, sex, porn, and internet addictions. What excites me most is Birches’ innovative health assurance model: proactive, accessible, and affordable care that’s evidence-based and delivered right at home. With the explosion of legal sports betting—think nearly $1.5 billion wagered on this year’s Super Bowl alone—we’re staring down a looming public health emergency. Traditional options like hotlines or generic therapy fall short for this high-acuity issue, but Birches changes that by offering specialized therapy from trained clinicians, multimodal treatment, and peer support, all covered by major insurers like United Healthcare, Cigna, Aetna, and Blue Cross Blue Shield. It’s available in all 50 states, breaking down geographical and financial barriers that have left so many without help. The impact is already profound: 96% of patients report an improved quality of life, and 94% give Birches a 5/5 rating. By partnering with state governments, payors, and policymakers, Birches is pushing gambling addiction into the spotlight of behavioral health conversations, where it’s been neglected for too long—often leading to shame, worsened outcomes, and higher suicidality risks. This funding will supercharge their growth: expanding the provider network, boosting clinical excellence, scaling infrastructure, and deepening insurance and state partnerships to meet surging demand. Very excited to partner with Elliott Rapaport and the entire Birches team! See more about our POV in the blog post linked in the comments. #GamblingAddiction #BehavioralHealth #HealthTech #VentureCapital #Innovation

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