
This episode features Mara Herschensohn discussing entrepreneurship, the characteristics of successful founders, and the importance of peer influence in fostering entrepreneurial skills.
Mara Herschensohn, a founder of Pair VC, shares her experience with over 100 startups worth more than $100 billion. She questions whether successful founders are born or made, citing examples like Palmer Luckey and Melanie Perkins, who exhibited entrepreneurial traits from a young age.
She emphasizes the role of education, particularly at institutions like Stanford, in shaping successful entrepreneurs. Herschensohn discusses her startup simulation class at Stanford, which encourages peer interaction and has resulted in several successful startups.
Additionally, she highlights her initiative to empower women entrepreneurs through mentorship and networking, showcasing impressive statistics on female-founded companies. Herschensohn believes that everyone has the potential to be an entrepreneur with the right opportunities and support.
The episode concludes with a discussion on the importance of confidence, storytelling, and resilience in entrepreneurship, particularly for women facing imposter syndrome.
Mara Herschensohn discusses entrepreneurship, founder characteristics, and the impact of peer influence on success.

Everyone is born an entrepreneur.#AIS: Pear VC’s Mar Hershenson on making successful founders
You have to surround yourself by the best people.#AIS: Pear VC’s Mar Hershenson on making successful founders
I'm not an [ __ ] I'm a [ __ ] right.#AIS: Pear VC’s Mar Hershenson on making successful founders
It's like you see early stage companies and it's very political.#AIS: Pear VC’s Mar Hershenson on making successful founders
You have to provoke failure as quickly as you can.#AIS: Pear VC’s Mar Hershenson on making successful founders
For women to believe in themselves, I think a lot of us don't.#AIS: Pear VC’s Mar Hershenson on making successful founders