Scott Kelly

Scott Kelly is the founder and CEO of Black Dog Venture Partners and a long-time operator in the world of startups, sales, and venture growth.

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Hilmarie Hutchison

Scott Kelly

Founder & CEO, Black Dog Venture Partners | Startup Advisor | Sales & Fundraising Strategist

Scott Kelly is the founder and CEO of Black Dog Venture Partners and a long-time operator in the world of startups, sales, and venture growth. With a career spanning more than three decades, Scott began on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, moved into Silicon Valley during the early tech boom, and worked as an investment banker helping technology companies go public. He went on to found and exit multiple businesses, then built Black Dog Venture Partners to help early-stage companies fund, scale, and position themselves for exit.

Over the years, Scott and his team have supported companies in raising approximately $5 billion, with dozens of successful exits along the way. He’s trained 1,000+ salespeople, taught marketing and entrepreneurship at university level, and built one of the largest investor and partner networks in his space. He also runs VC Fast Pitch, an event platform that connects startups with investors and has helped raise over $130 million through pitch events. More recently, Scott launched the Emerging Managers Podcast, focused on bringing visibility to newer venture fund managers who often outperform larger funds but receive far less exposure.

Scott’s work sits at the intersection of practical sales execution and founder strategy, with a consistent message: build relationships, master the craft of selling, and stay tenacious when things get hard.

About this Episode

→ Read the executive analysis inspired by this conversation

In this episode of the Matrix Green Pill Podcast, host Hilmarie Hutchison speaks with Scott Kelly about what actually separates founders and sales teams who grow from those who stall. Scott breaks down the fundamentals behind consistent sales results, starting with a simple truth: sales is a numbers game, and most people don’t have a big enough funnel. From there, he shares how founders can build a real network (not just contacts), why relationships matter more than pitching, and what he sees as the most common mistakes early-stage companies make when trying to sell or raise capital.

The conversation also explores what makes founders succeed long-term, with Scott pointing to tenacity, humility, and the ability to pivot as core traits. He explains why funding is often treated as a solution when it may only be a symptom, and why strong execution comes down to building the right team around the founder, especially when technical founders lack sales or go-to-market strength.

Scott also shares one of his most memorable cautionary startup stories, highlighting how skipping product-market fit can destroy even heavily funded companies. He closes with a powerful “green pill moment” from the third day of his first job, a moment that shaped his belief in grit, opportunity, and never judging what’s possible by appearances alone.

If you’re building a business, selling a product, or trying to scale something early-stage, this episode is a practical reminder that tenacity wins, relationships compound, and sales are still the skill that keeps everything alive.

“Establish a relationship with them first. Use events, use online social media, concentrate on relationships, not just contacts.”

Scott Kelly

” Tenacity means being willing to do what other people aren’t willing to do.”
Scott Kelly

Show highlights

Build a team around you because investors don't just invest in ideas, they invest in the people who can execute on those ideas. Click To Tweet

“The greatest thing that the world provides us is an opportunity to build a business and build a legacy. It’s hard, but don’t give up.”

Scott Kelly

“I very quickly realized that if you’re truly, truly passionate about something, the way you find those answers are not necessarily in what people might seem as mainstream ways to be able to find answers.”

Scott Kelly