Jeff is an entrepreneur, investor, and brand builder who founded Listen in 2010. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of Black Buffalo, The Fresh Factory (CSE:FRSH), Miss Grass, Fable and Modern Pediatrics. Prior to founding Listen, Jeff honed his craft at the global ad agency, Leo Burnett, where he strategized, energized, and innovated some of the world’s largest brands including Marlboro and Pop Tarts. In addition to Listen, Jeff is also an adjunct lecturer at Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management teaching startup branding. He is also active in the community serving as a member of the Economic Club of Chicago and as Board Chair for Ronald McDonald House Charities Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana.

Rick is a Managing Partner at Listen and has invested in Jolie, Factor_, Own Up, Sigo Seguros, Public Goods and Dame. Prior to Listen, Rick founded Dashfire, a startup studio that built and invested in over 40+ companies from 2009 to 2014. He previously was an investor at Madison Dearborn Partners. In 2008, Rick was awarded a Clinton Fellowship in 2008 and spent one year leading social enterprise strategies in urban Indian slums. Rick is an Adjunct Entrepreneurship Lecturer at Northwestern's Kellogg School of Management, teaching New Venture Development and was awarded a Faculty Impact award in 2018. He is a graduate of Georgetown University.

In her element behind the scenes, Nika’s passion for creativity and her eye for detail empower teams in bringing brand creative to life. Before coming on board, Nika formed meaningful relationships with her creative and client teams to produce scrappy, quick-turn social media content to 360 campaigns for big brands at DDB and Energy BBDO. At Listen, she helps guide the brand process, collaborating with portfolio companies on our value-add creative product. Additionally, Nika helps drive awareness of the Listen brand through social media and happenings.

Fascinated by all things consumer, Ellen leads Listen's consumer research and insights practice — turning human stories into consumer insights and intellectual curiosity into investment conviction. Borrowing from her background in design thinking, she mixes qualitative and quantitative research methods to explore behavior shifts, center the consumer in due diligence, and help Listen portfolio companies design their organizations to listen. Her design ethos is heavily influenced by her roots — she blends the curiosity of a Montessori kid with the grit of a Deloitte consultant, the creativity of an IDEO designer, and the business acumen of a Kellogg MBA.

Shawn joins the Listen team as a Venture Partner as we raise our third fund. Shawn has an incredible history of business and operational leadership to drive sustainable, profitable, and scalable business growth for major consumer brands. She’s spent her career at GoldieBlox, DreamWorks Animation, Mattel, Dell and the NFL. Shawn sits on the board for many companies, including Slumberkins.

Mike has a proven track record as a successful entrepreneur that makes him an incredible Venture Partner for Listen. As the Co-Founder and CEO of Factor, he has built a rapidly-growing, nationally recognized brand that was acquired by HelloFresh in November 2020. Mike was recently named an Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2021 Midwest Award finalist. With an impressive history of investing in and advising food and beverage brands prior to his time at Factor, Mike’s operations expertise is sure to bring 1000% to the Listen team.