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đź’° From College Dropout to $100M Venture Capitalist
Powerhouse entrepreneur Marcus Whitney has built, scaled, and funded game-changing companies. Check out his incredible story!
School of Hard Knocks
April 17, 2025
Hey hey, Hard Knocks Fam 💼🔥
We’re back with another no-fluff, action-packed edition of the School of Hard Knocks Newsletter—and this one’s a heater.
This week, we’re diving into the story of Marcus Whitney — a college dropout turned $122M venture capitalist, co-founder of Nashville SC, healthcare investor, and 3x Jiu-Jitsu world champ. From waiting tables to running a venture fund, Marcus has mastered the art of betting on himself—and today, he's showing you how to do the same.
Today’s Schedule
From Broke to $122M Marcus Whitney Went From Broke to Building a $122M VC Fund: How Marcus Whitney built a VC empire from scratch—and what you can copy.
From the Hard Knocks Library: Create and Orchestrate — the blueprint to unlocking your creative power.
In Case You Missed It: Our sit-down with real estate mogul Ben Mallah (you won’t want to miss this one).
Let’s get to it!🔥
How Marcus Whitney Went From Broke to Building a $122M VC Fund
Marcus Whitney didn’t come from wealth. He didn’t even come from a stable career path.
He dropped out of college. He was broke. A young father working as a waiter. And yet today, he’s built and managed over $120 million in venture capital—and even helped bring a major league soccer team to life.
So how did he make that leap?
It started in the early 2000s, when Marcus, fed up with his situation, taught himself how to code using free online resources. He landed his first job at a healthcare tech company in Nashville, then jumped to an early-stage email marketing startup, becoming their Head of Technology. There, he got a front-row seat to entrepreneurship—watching the founders build from scratch, raise money, make decisions, and win.
He realized he could do it too.
In 2007, Marcus launched his first startup: a healthcare ad-targeting company that he would eventually sell to Trillion Health. From there, he didn’t slow down. He partnered with a group of local investors to help turn a semi-pro soccer club into Nashville SC—a professional Major League Soccer team.
Then came his boldest move: creating Jumpstart Health Investors, a healthcare-focused VC fund that now has $122M in assets under management. He built the fund by staying hyper-focused on early-stage healthcare startups—becoming a go-to investor for pre-seed and seed founders in the space.
So what can you learn from Marcus?
Marcus Whitney
4 Takeaways for Entrepreneurs:
1. Start with Systems, Not Just Ideas
Marcus reverse-engineered every business he encountered. He discovered that every company—big or small—is built on 8 core systems: leadership, product, service, marketing, sales, operations, finance, and growth.
If you're starting a business, don’t skip ahead to product or marketing. Ask:
→ What’s my leadership thesis?
→ What systems are missing in my business today?
Building a real company means building all 8 systems. That’s what separates a project from a business.
2. Fundraising = Sales. Treat it That Way.
Don’t pitch investors like you’re looking for “the one.” You’re not dating. You’re closing a deal.
Marcus suggests:
→ Build a CRM of 100+ pre-seed investors
→ Personalize your outreach
→ Follow up relentlessly
→ Once you close one, leverage their network for warm intros
Fundraising is a pipeline game. The pros treat it like outbound sales.
3. Be Professionally Persistent
You won’t “figure it all out” in month one—or even year one. Marcus says it can take years to truly understand what you’re building.
→ Keep showing up
→ Keep learning
→ Keep pushing
The winners aren’t always the smartest or most connected—they’re the ones who stay in the game longest.
4. Protect & Project Your Energy
Your energy is contagious—good or bad. As a leader, you set the tone for your team and your business. Marcus, inspired by martial arts, believes entrepreneurs must harness their energy.
→ Don’t let negativity fester
→ Channel adversity into progress
→ Lead by example
Energy is a tool. Use it to create momentum—internally and externally.
Connect with Marcus here:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marcuswhitney/
Want to hear wisdom like this live?
Join the School of Mentors and get access to exclusive Q&As with millionaires and billionaires like Marcus, along with tactical workshops, 1:1 mentorship, and a community that actually moves the needle.
Join the community today! 👇
Words of Wisdom
“You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start in order to be great.”
In Case You Missed It
We linked up with Ben Mallah one of the most successful commercial real estate entrepreneurs in the country. Ben grew up in the projects of Queens, New York and went on to build a real estate portfolio worth over $500 million. In this video, Ben shares his story, how to get started in real estate, and actionable advice for aspiring entrepreneurs.
Whether you're looking to get started in real estate, scale your existing portfolio, or take your business to the next level, this interview is packed with golden nuggets you won’t want to miss!
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