Disclosure certainty 3/5 debate potential 1/5

Liao volunteered 10-15 hours weekly before 500 Startups hired him

Marvin Liao · 20 VC 083: 500 Startups Week: New Funds, Startup Mentoring and Dave's Masterplan with Marvin Liao, Partner @ 500 Startups · Oct 28, 2015 · at 3:26

Marvin Liao, Partner at 500 Startups, describes how his volunteer mentoring led to a full-time position when the firm expanded to San Francisco.

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“I was spending almost close to, I think, like, almost 10 to 15 hours, like, a week over there, because it was fun, and they felt guilty, and I guess they gave me a job when they opened up the San Francisco office.”

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