Work ethic and grit were the two values instilled in Brian Reilly at a young age from his parents, whose sacrifices changed the trajectory of his life.

His experience as a first-generation college student and athlete spurred his journey into the startup world. Each step since, has brought a lesson that shapes the drive behind what he does today as Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Will Ventures.

The initial idea for Will Ventures came around 2013, in our conversation Brian walks us through what it took to get from idea to launch in 2020, including:

• What he was testing, building, and researching over a 7 year span to crystalize the thesis for Fund I.
  
• Why “putting in the work” was the determining factor in how he and Isaiah evaluated the different paths to get to launch.
  
• What most people don’t know about raising a first-time venture fund.
  
• How lessons from the challenges along the way have informed the mission for Will Ventures.

Keep up with the latest content and insights from the Will Ventures team here.