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The World Cup, New York, and the Founder Journey
- Steve Walsh
- Jul 8
- 2 min read
A few weeks ago, I checked something off my bucket list as a founder .
I went to a World Cup match.
But the part I’ll remember most isn’t just the game.
It’s that I got to experience it with one of my founders, Ben Simpson from Collective Shift.
We were in New York for investor meetings, big conversations, and a few intense days around his U.S. expansion and fundraise.
Then, in the middle of all of it, we got to step into a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
World Cup.
Packed stadium.
Electric atmosphere.
One of those nights you never forget.
And it reminded me of something I love about this work.
People think my job is helping founders raise capital.
And yes, that’s a big part of it.
But the best part of this job has always been the relationships.
When you spend real time with founders, you see the full journey.
The ambition.
The stress.
The uncertainty.
The momentum.
The moments when they need someone to tell them the truth.The moments when they need someone to remind them they’re not crazy.
Somewhere along the way, the relationship becomes bigger than the work.
That’s what happened with Ben.
He started as a founder I was helping.
Now he’s a friend I genuinely care about.
And that’s the part of this business I never want to lose.
The capital matters.
The meetings matter.
The strategy matters.
But the relationships are what make the work meaningful.
Twenty years from now, I probably won’t remember every investor meeting from that trip.
But I’ll remember sitting at a World Cup match in New York with a founder I believe in, watching him build something big, and feeling grateful that I get to be a small part of the journey.
That’s the real gift of this work.
Until next time—keep building.
Cheers,
Steve Walsh
Hands On Angel
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