Seeing Differently, Leading Generously: Dyslexia, Venture, and Human Connection with David Hornik
What happens when a venture capitalist builds a career not on transactions, but on relationships—and embraces dyslexia as a lifelong advantage?
In this episode of Human Side Up, host Natasha Nuytten sits down with David Hornik—Founding Partner of Lobby Capital—for a conversation that blends venture capital, art, and humanity. David shares openly about growing up dyslexic, the resourcefulness it forced him to develop, and why he now sees it as a superpower for entrepreneurship and investing. From his eclectic path (computer music at Stanford, criminology at Cambridge, law at Harvard) to two decades backing companies like Splunk, GitLab, and Fastly, David frames venture not as flashy deal-making but as community-building.
Together, Natasha and David explore what it means to “think differently,” why arts and education foster empathy in leadership, and how inclusive founders—and inclusive investors—create more than wealth: they create possibility. It’s part story, part philosophy, and all heart.
Highlights & Takeaways
💡 Dyslexia as a leadership advantage—and why resourcefulness matters
💡 From law to VC: how David found the right “superpower job”
💡 Why he believes generosity beats transactionalism in venture
💡 The role of art, improv, and empathy in building better leaders
💡 How underrepresented founders can frame problems big enough to be seen—and funded
Learn more about David Hornik & Lobby Capital:
🌐 Lobby Capital
🔗 LinkedIn
Human Side Up
What happens when we stop following the playbook and start writing our own? Hosted by Natasha Nuytten, CEO of CLARA, Human Side Up cuts through the noise to reveal how real leaders create workplaces—and lives—where people can thrive.
Connect with Natasha:
🔗 LinkedIn
🎧 Spotify
📺 YouTube
Connect with CLARA:
🔗 LinkedIn
🌐 Website
📺 YouTube
