Welcome to Brazen Careerist!

About Me

Former Entrepreneur Seeking an Entry-Level Position at a Venture Capital Firm:

For the last 10 months, I lived and breathed start-up, but now I would like to attain an entry-level position at a venture capital firm. I was what many call, a “solopreneur.” During that span of time, I had but one mission: get my start-up event-based social networking website off the ground. Without any experience in web development or design, but rather a BBA from the Ross School of Business (at the University of Michigan) with an emphasis in finance and accounting, I spent every waking moment- and many sleepless nights- trying to launch a successful business.

Despite my greatest efforts, I was forced to pull the plug on my start-up, as I lacked the funding to compete in a highly competitive market.

While my original dream may be dead, my passion lives on. I am a bit of a technology nerd, and I have an obsession with start-ups. With that being said, I would love an opportunity to get my foot in the door on the other side of the table with an entry level position at a venture capital firm.

I want to immerse myself in the start-up culture and learn as much as I can about what it takes to run a successful business while working at a VC firm. After going through what I have, I believe I know what it takes to run a successful business. I’ve learned more about start-ups than I ever could have in any course taught at a university. I’ve learned the finer points of bootstrapping, marketing on a budget, and making a dollar stretch to its furthest limits.

If you know of any entry-level venture capital opportunities in New York City for which I would be a good fit, I would appreciate the help, so please send me a message.

Best,
Devin Chasanoff

Work History

• THE NEW 2 DO.COM, LLC
• Founder & CEO
• June 2009 to April 2010

• · Founded an eventbased social networking website called TheNew2Do.com, which was aimed at helping people connect to participate in activities of shared interest together
  · Developed a detailed business plan and designed an entire website, both conceptually and functionally, which laid out the strategy and framework for the entire business
  · Sought, hired, and led a team of developers over the course of four months to develop and launch a fully functional social networking website
  · Pitched services to a profusion of Ann Arbor local business owners, resulting in a number of local events and special deals available exclusively on TheNew2Do.com
  · Prepared a wide array of marketing materials and executed a fullscale marketing plan, which included a broad social media strategy, resulting in over 1,000 registered users

• HOULIHAN SMITH & COMPANY, INC.
• Investment Banking Analyst
• December 2009 to December 2009

• · Improved and maintained financial models used to value Auction Rate Securities
  · Researched firms through financial statements and database analysis to gauge the
  potential use of Houlihan Smith's valuation services, resulting in several new clients

• MAXIM GROUP, LLC
• Investment Banking Analyst
• June 2008 to August 2008

• · Developed and maintained financial models used to value companies and transactions;
  findings were incorporated into presentations and pitch-books for potential investors
  · Researched client companies' strengths, weaknesses, and market outlook to gain
  qualitative insight; portrayed resulting data as attractive components of investments
  · Created valuable PowerPoint presentations and pitch-books highlighting profitable
  investment opportunities that were presented to institutional investors to raise capital
  · Worked with unique investment vehicles, such as Master Limited Partnerships (MLPs),
  Private Investments in Public Equity (PIPEs), and Special Purpose Acquisition
  Companies (SPACs), and prepared materials to facilitate closing of related transactions

• TRADINGSCREEN, INC.
• Intern
• June 2007 to August 2007

• · Led a team of three in researching client base; developed an understanding of key
  information and relayed that information to the sales team in order to increase revenues
  · Designed a model classifying client characteristics and trading tendencies, which will be
  included in all future versions of TradingScreen's software created by the tech team
  · Arranged meetings for TradingScreen's CEO to speak with BusinessWeek and Google
  Finance to express interest in white-labeling the home pages of their respective websites

• TRADINGSCREEN, INC.
• Intern
• June 2006 to August 2006

• · Analyzed information of over 600 clients through billing statements, administrative
  programs, and sales programs to identify discrepancies in individual client records
  · Designed a new system in Microsoft Excel to record clients' billing statuses so they
  correctly corresponded with statuses in a new software program, called Salesforce,
  enabling management to correct prior billing errors and ensure future billing accuracy
  · Presented findings to management in an Excel model, along with screen shots, showing
  how to efficiently use a new software program, resulting in adoption of a system that
  would allow the sales force to better assist current clients and track company progress

Education

• Stephen M. Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan
• Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA), Finance, Accounting
• 2006 - 2009

• Member, Finance Club