"My early perspective on risk-taking and my deep appreciation for the American environment that rewards creativity and hard work was shaped by my family’s journey to the United States. We left Soviet Armenia when I was four years old, traveled through Lebanon just as the civil war was erupting, and spent time in Rome before finally finding a way to make it to America."
My earliest and strongest business influence was my father. He taught me that the foundation for success is hard work, passion, and the willingness to try new things… and to fail. I started working in his multiple side businesses when I was 13, and I’ve been hooked on entrepreneurship ever since.
After earning an Economics degree from UC Santa Barbara, I began my career as a CPA at Arthur Andersen, specializing in business litigation and bankruptcy consulting. I then spent time in finance and product leadership roles at Hewlett-Packard, Agilent Technologies (during its spin-off), and Intel. But I always knew I’d start a business of my own—ever since I accepted that my childhood dream of playing second base for the Dodgers was not in the cards.
At the dawn of the e-commerce era, I co-founded Belami Inc. and spent more than two decades building it into one of the largest online retailers of decorative lighting and outdoor living products in the U.S. We just focused on building a healthy business with consistent, profitable growth, that culminated in a successful exit in 2023. While I loved many aspects of running a business, what gave me the most joy was building a business with people I cared about. Our team was my second family.
After the sale, I was energized by the idea of helping others create great companies. I’ve spent over 30 years in business: as a CPA, a corporate executive, and a founder. Venture gives me a wide canvas to apply that experience to a diverse set of companies, teams, and ideas. What excites me most is working with founders who care deeply about what they’re building and who they’re building it with.
I believe that numbers tell a story, if you look at them closely, but you never get the full picture without understanding the people behind the numbers. The primary driver behind any successful company is a dedicated, passionate and talented team. This belief shapes how I support startups today. I’ve been in the trenches. I know what it takes to grow a business with limited resources and big ambition. Now I get to help others do the same with a talented team at Impact Venture Capital that fosters the same collaborative environment I experienced as a founder.