John Connolly, a managing director at Spectrum Equity and a 2006 Georgetown graduate, returned to the Hilltop for a conversation at the 2026 Venture in the Capital Summit, moderated by Mandy Vogel (MSB’26). Connolly ran track and cross country at Georgetown and has led or supported growth investments in companies including Grubhub, GoodRx, Ancestry and Headspace.
Connolly traced his path from equity sales and trading at Credit Suisse, where a mentor urged him to move on, to growth equity, which he says fits his preference for calculated risk. He explained how he looks for durable advantages such as exclusive data and network effects. For students, he looks for evidence of grit over perfect resumes, suggests pursuing the job you want directly when possible, and encourages them to enjoy their four years on campus.