Portland: The Honest Conversation Every Founder Needs
Last week, we headed to Portland for an intimate gathering of female founders and investors. It really turned out to be the type of evening that we didn’t know we needed until we did.
Leslie Feinzaig and Nicole Schmidt (Founder & CEO of Source, a G&W portfolio company) led an unfiltered conversation about what it actually takes to build, raise, and lead in today’s market. No pitch decks. No performance. Just real talk.
What struck us most: the hunger for honesty. Founders and investors alike craving a space where ambition doesn’t have to be wrapped in false confidence. Where vulnerability and power can coexist.
HUGE thank you to our friends at Perkins Coie for making it happen. And to everyone who showed up ready to connect.
About Graham & Walker
Graham & Walker is an early-stage venture fund rooted in a powerful founder community. We back pre-consensus founders and ideas that break the mold, combining capital with honest guidance, extensive networks, and a culture that embraces the unglamorous work of building. We believe in substance over hype and place founder success at the heart of everything we do.
