“Fintechs in Birmingham?” Kelly Ford Knows How to Spot a Great Investment

Politely Pushy with Eric Chemi

Today our host is excited to welcome a fellow New Jersey resident to the podcast. Kelly Ford is a tech industry veteran turned growth equity investor who serves as a general partner at Edison Partners. Kelly discusses what it is like to switch from operator to investor and how these different careers compare to one another. She explains how she landed in her current position entirely by accident, having initially worked “on the inside” for a former Edison portfolio company. Knowing the inner workings of a company Edison backed, she subsequently found herself in the ideal position to help evolve Edison Partner’s strategy from venture to growth equity. Kelly enjoys building and growing companies, but she never imagined years ago that someday she’d be an investor. She explains how she adapted and rose the ranks to leading significant investments and raising capital. She also lets our host know about companies and unexpected industries in underserved markets that investors should be evaluating and in remote pockets of the U.S. not typically recognized by those looking to invest. Kelly is the expert with a keen eye on profiles to examine how to spot great investments in unusual industries and discover opportunities in the most unlikely locales. You’ll want to hear her strategic way of thinking and how it elevated her to where she is today.