Vice President of Optimism & Purveyor of Coziness* 

A concert singer pursuing a master's in music might seem an unlikely fit for a summer at Yale Ventures—but that's exactly the leap John Richardson is taking. Drawn by a long-standing curiosity about startups and finance, John is spending his summer with the Cultural Innovation Lab, exploring an interest he's held for years.

His biggest takeaway so far: nothing is fixed. There's no rule that things must be done a certain way. A well-grounded idea, pursued with enough work and enthusiasm, can drive real change. Unlike past roles where he simply executed tasks, Yale Ventures has given John a seat at the table for strategic decisions. No two days look alike—one might mean working one-on-one with a startup, the next crunching data, the next sitting in on meetings with university and state leadership.

Outside of work, John is a walking contradiction. As a professional concert singer, you'll find him in a tuxedo performing in opulent venues; he's also an avid surfer, skier, kayaker, and backpacker. His music coursework—including diction classes across multiple languages—has sparked a fascination with the subtle sound differences that separate fluent speakers from the rest. Fashion is another world he'd love to explore; he loves clothes but has no idea how the industry works, and would jump at a day inside a design studio.

Given an extra hour each day, John would keep it cozy: tea, a lit candle, and a good book.

Reflecting on his time at Yale, John doesn't take the opportunity for granted—and never expected to find himself in venture capital. It's that openness, to new sounds, new industries, and new versions of himself, that makes his summer at the Cultural Innovation Lab feel less like a departure from his musical path than a natural extension of it.

* This summer we asked our associates to give themselves their own titles. This is what John selected.