Why Sidley joined the venture platform

This week on Swimming with Allocators, Marcia Mitchell joins Earnest and Alexa to trace her path from FF Venture Capital to New York Ventures and now Mesa Lane Capital, a GP-seeding fund focused on emerging managers. She shares how her time in government shaped a broader, more responsible view of innovation and capital allocation, and discusses the increasingly crowded emerging manager landscape and where capital is still being overlooked. Marcia also breaks Mesa Lane’s differentiated model of large anchor checks, follow-on commitments, co-invest pools, no carry at the FoF level, and hands-on support, positioning the firm as a true co-builder. The conversation closes with how parenthood reshaped her approach to focus, boundaries, and investing in people who energize her.

Highlights from this week’s conversation include:

• Welcoming Marcia Mitchell to the Show (0:22)

• Moving Into Public Sector Allocations at New York Ventures (3:39)  

• Are We Capped Out on Emerging Managers in Today’s Market? (7:33)  

• How Mesa Lane Differentiates Its Fund of Funds Model (9:49)  

• Facilitating Direct Relationships Between GPs and LPs (12:07)  

• How Engaged Are LPs With Direct Deals and Co‑Investments? (13:22)  

• Radical Transparency and Hands‑On Support in Diligence (14:42)  

• Shifts in Founder Boards, Equity, and Employment Terms (17:54)  

• Power Dynamics and “Prenup” Mindset in Founder–Investor Negotiations (19:46)  

• Drafting Around Founder Entrenchment and Board Deadlock (20:57)  

• Why Rebecca Joined Sidley and the Firm’s Venture Platform (22:14)  

• What a Mesa Lane GP Looks Like (24:16)  

• Industry Maturation, Hedge Fund Parallels, and Co‑Opetition in Venture (26:07)  

• Back Office Platform, Service Provider Discounts, and AI in Operations (28:46)  

• How Parenting Changed Marcia’s Perspective and Boundaries as an Investor (30:42)  

• Prioritization, Structure at Home, and Investing in Energizing People (33:11)  

• Who Mesa Lane Wants to Hear From: Ideal Fund Size and Stage of GPs (35:46)  

• Sector Focus, Crypto Caveats, and Thoughts on Solo GPs (37:10)  

Mesa Lane Capital is a $300M emerging manager investment platform backing early-stage VCs. The firm makes $20M anchor-style fund commitments and offers operational support across legal, tax, admin, and HR functions. Mesa Lane is not a traditional FoF: they offer access to their LP network and prioritize transparency and value-add. Founded by Scott Sherman (ex-Blackstone, Tiger) and Mark Friedman (hedge fund builder), they blend Wall Street rigor with venture approachability.

Sidley Austin LLP is a premier global law firm with a dedicated Venture Funds practice, advising top venture capital firms, institutional investors, and private equity sponsors on fund formation, investment structuring, and regulatory compliance. With deep expertise across private markets, Sidley provides strategic legal counsel to help funds scale effectively. Learn more at sidley.com.

Swimming with Allocators is a podcast that dives into the intriguing world of Venture Capital from an LP (Limited Partner) perspective. Hosts Alexa Binns and Earnest Sweat are seasoned professionals who have donned various hats in the VC ecosystem. Each episode, we explore where the future opportunities lie in the VC landscape with insights from top LPs on their investment strategies and industry experts shedding light on emerging trends and technologies. 

The information provided on this podcast does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice; instead, all information, content, and materials available on this podcast are for general informational purposes only.

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