Grow Your Network: Danielle Strachman Is A Professional Fairy Godmother Who Invests In Renegades
October 2, 2025·0 comments·zg
Do you know Danielle Strachman? Co-founder and General Partner at 1517 Fund, founding member and director of Innovations Academy in San Diego, and self-proclaimed "Professional Fairy Godmother and 1517 Camp Counselor" - she's someone who literally walked into a neurology department without an appointment and turned it into her first career.
If not, allow me to introduce you. She's built a career on recognizing irrational passion in others - from teen founders building the future to kids making hyper-realistic stuffed animals. I wanted to connect with her because she embodies something I value deeply: the courage to trust your instincts even when they defy conventional wisdom, whether that's starting a charter school during the 2008 financial crisis or printing two t-shirts from Zazzle and calling yourself a venture fund.
Our conversation is LIVE now on The Intentional Investor YouTube channel (and this Intentional Investor Playlist). Listen and you'll hear about rejection from the Walton Foundation, borrowing $175,000 to start a school, and how Peter Thiel's breakfast meeting changed everything.
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