As a semi-retired startup guy myself, I was immediately drawn to what Zachary Kushel and his team are up to at Marin Sonoma Impact Ventures, a local social enterprise that builds community for Marin and Sonoma entrepreneurs.
What do you do? I lead MSIV, our community’s first regional venture capital fund. We provide local startup founders the support they need to build the next great North Bay companies.
Where do you live? Corte Madera.
Where can we find you when you’re not at work? Chasing around my two little boys—five-year-old Noah and seven-year-old Nat. When I have a few moments, I try to steal a quick hike up the Dawn Falls Trail in Larkspur.
How long have you lived in Marin? I grew up in New Jersey, and I moved with my wife to Marin from San Francisco in 2016.
If you had to convince someone how awesome Marin is, where would you take them?
Start in the Marin Headlands and head out to the Muir Beach Overlook, hoping for a clear day. Go north up the 1 to Tomales Bay, stopping in Point Reyes Station for a coffee and snack and continuing up to Nick’s Cove for lunch. If you’ve made it that far, you’ve already won the day.
What’s one thing Marin is missing?
Marin is a desert for ice rinks for figure skating and hockey—central Marin is 45 minutes to the closest one in each direction.
What’s one bit of advice you’d share with your fellow Marinites?
Robust local job creation is key to combating many of our challenges—let’s prioritize economic opportunity right here at home.
If you could ask anyone to join you at dinner, whom would you invite?
My wife, Valerie—between kids and work, we don’t get nearly as many date nights as we used to.
What’s some advice you wish you knew 20 years ago?
Personal success can only be defined by you, not by society, your peers or your family.
What’s something that 20 years from now will seem cringeworthy?
Our two-party system. We wouldn’t stand for two private entities having a complete duopoly on any industry, yet we let it hover over our democracy.
Big question. What’s one thing you’d do to change the world?
Elect leaders who put country over personal ambition and party—we need a healthy America to have any shot at a peaceful world.
Keep up with Kushel and his work at msivfund.com.
Nish Nadaraja was on the founding team at Yelp and posts random stuff at @IveGotNissues.
There was an ice rink in Corte Madera where Gold’s Gym is located. It closed in the early 80s due to high liability insurance.