This Summer, I found myself interning at Atento Capital, an early-stage investment firm focused on unlocking unsung potential in Tulsa, Oklahoma. While I was initially apprehensive about relocating to the midwest for the Summer, I have found myself growing quite fond of the people, the places, and the memories I have made here.
Over the past 10 weeks, I experienced my first rodeo, stepped back into medieval times, and even touched bison! While each activity has uniquely shaped my perception of what the Midwest has to offer, it is truly is the people who make this place special. While we are a group of 19, it has been surprisingly easy to connect with my fellow “Atenterns.” We are co-workers during the day but we seamlessly blend into close friends by night. With everyone coming from such different backgrounds, it truly is such a privilege to be in Tulsa and learn more about the impact venture capital can make on the local community.
Indeed, since coming here I’ve learned many things about venture capital, including how to do due diligence and analyze product-market fit. As part of a startup company, I have learned how to be resourceful and flexible, taking each day as a learning opportunity. Contrary to what some might expect, the most important skills I’ve learned here have not been how to pitch companies or network, but how to embrace being a giver and through so, build community.
For every drive to work, coffee chat, and weekday/weekend spent together, I’ve learned to appreciate the importance of community in both my immediate and broader circles of friendship. Community is big in Tulsa — it is what drives the transformation of the city’s tomorrow. This transformation, to me, is what makes the city pulse with hope. This hope is what makes my work, and the work of every person who lives here, feel like it has a purpose and an impact beyond ourselves.
At the start of the summer, I asked myself how I could take everything I’ve learned at Princeton to improve the work I would do in Tulsa. Now, I find myself asking how I can take the lessons of being “Atento” (helpful) to shape the trajectory of my last two years at Princeton. While I do not know what these last two years will look like, my personal and professional experiences have taught me to take that leap of faith — whether it be in a new industry or a new city and to never cease to venture.