41: Kiva Dickinson on Founding a Boutique Investment Firm (@selvaventures)
On this episode I sit down with my childhood friend, Kiva, discuss his journey from leaving an investment firm to create his own boutique firm, @selvaventures, focusing on investing in brands that are inventing products that will help their consumer feel better. We discuss what it’s like to take that leap, the biggest risks, and our greatest fears along the way.
Follow Up Q&A:
First thing you do in the morning? Hang out with Chantal (my fiancée). I bought us Ariana Huffington's phone bed a couple of years ago so we'd sleep with our phones outside the bedroom. The morning becomes a time for us to listen to some music and chat before we check our phones and face the outside world.
What advice would you give your younger self? Goals are helpful to focus your efforts but often the best things in life happen by chance when you're doing the little things right every single day. When things don't go according to plan, trust that adversity will make you better and open your eyes to opportunities you never would have considered.
Wellness trend you love and wellness trend you wish would end? I love the growing focus on mental health -- de-stigmatizing mental health is super important so I'm encouraged by the cultural shift towards being more open about it. I'm a bit fatigued by the rise of CBD -- not CBD as a therapeutic agent, which I believe may be a really important wellness development, but rather the belief that adding CBD to anything should make that thing cost 3x more and will make you feel better in unknown ways.
First Job? Sports collectibles store in Toronto called Pro League Sports. From age 9 I would go there every day after school and hang out with the owner (Tex) until finally when I was 15 he agreed to give me a job; easy decision for him as I would end up spending a lot of my paycheck at the store! That job taught me so much about responsibility and accountability, but also how to connect with customers and build long-term relationships.
Proudest moment? Proposing to Chantal or taking the leap to start Selva Ventures. So hard to choose between them...2019 was a big year.
3 most used emojis? 🤷🏻♂️😻😏
Favorite ice cream flavor? Peanut butter chocolate. Big fan of Loving Cup and Swensen's in SF, Ample Hills and Van Leeuwen in NY. Always looking for more.
Always in your bag? A reusable water bottle and packets of Liquid I.V.
Person or brand you are currently loving on Instagram? Kind of a weird one, but @nathanwpylestrangeplanet -- aka those comics of aliens acting out ironic things that humans do. Always makes me laugh, especially the ones about pets.
Show Notes:
This episode was recorded in Samsung’s 837 building in the Meatpacking District @samsungmobileusa #samsungexperience
This episode was sponsored by Beam CBD. Use code FRECKLEDFOODIE15 online for 15% off the website.
Follow Kiva:
Instagram: @kivster and @selvaventures
Twitter: @kivadickinson
Website: selvaventures.com
Follow me:
Instagram: @freckledfoodie
Website: freckledfoodie.com
Youtube: Cameron Rogers / Freckled Foodie
Pinterest: Freckled Foodie
This episode was edited by Tim Flanzbaum