In this episode of The Leadership Chronicles, Deborah Farrington shares her inspiring journey from a close-knit family background to becoming a leading venture capitalist. She discusses her experiences at Harvard Business School, the influence of her parents, and the importance of building relationships in her career.
Deborah reflects on overcoming setbacks, particularly her experience of being fired, and emphasizes the need for resilience and self-confidence. She also addresses the challenges women face in venture capital and shares her vision for mentoring future leaders.
ABOUT OUR GUEST
Debby is co-founder and managing partner of New York City based StarVest Partners, founded in 1998 to invest in technology-enabled business services and one of the largest women majority-owned venture capital firms. It was an early investor in Software-as-a-Service. Notable investments include NetSuite, the first SaaS ERP company (sold to ORCL for $9.2 billion in 2016); the first internet insurance company; the first digital ad agency; and the first digital contingent workforce company. Debby is a director of Dayforce, Inc. (NYSE: DAY), Cumulus Media, and Planful Inc.
She graduated from HBS in 1976, where she served on the Visiting Committee, as Vice-President of the Alumni Association and chair of the HBS Club of New York. She is a graduate of Smith College and served on its Board of Trustees.
She has been named to the Forbes Midas List of Top 100 Venture Capitalists; received the Foreign Policy Association Medal for Achievement in Financial Services; and, in 2025, received the Smith College Medal and HBS Alumni Achievement Award.