Episode Details

In this episode of Heart + Head Work, Rocky Donati and Tessa Arneson sit down with venture capitalist, entrepreneur, and Beta Boom co-founder Kimmy Paluch for a conversation about risk, inequity, criticism, resilience, and what it actually means to choose to be part of the solution.

Born and raised in Jamaica, Kimmy eventually built a career in Silicon Valley before she and her husband made a massive leap: selling what they had, leaving the Bay Area, moving their family to Utah, and building a venture firm designed to invest differently.

But this conversation isn't really about venture capital.

It's about what happens when you see something that isn't working and decide you can no longer sit on the sidelines.

Kimmy opens up about the experiences that shaped her perspective, the inequities she could no longer ignore, and what it takes to keep moving when people tell you your idea won't work—or criticize the way you're trying to make a difference.

Together, they explore how to discern criticism worth listening to from criticism coming from the "cheap seats," why meaningful work requires both conviction and humility, and how we can fight broken systems without losing our ability to see the humanity in the people standing across from us.

Together, we unpack:
-Growing up in Jamaica and the experiences that shaped Kimmy's -worldview
-Leaving Silicon Valley and asking, "Why not here?"
-Taking enormous risks without knowing whether they'll work
-Why Kimmy chose to enter venture capital
-Inequity, access, and who gets the opportunity to build
-Being part of the solution instead of sitting on the sidelines
-How to handle criticism when you're doing visible work
-"Criticism from the cheap seats" versus feedback from people in the arena
-Fighting systems and ideas without dehumanizing people
-The importance of common ground
-Partnership, encouragement, and having people who remind us what we're capable of
-Why even seemingly small contributions can create meaningful change

This episode is a conversation about action without certainty, conviction without dehumanization, and the courage to keep doing the work even when you don't know exactly how it will turn out.

Resources Mentioned

Beta Boom - https://www.betaboom.com
Learn more about Kimmy and Beta Boom's work investing in early-stage founders and companies.

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