Jeff began his career helping large brands innovate while at Leo Burnett. He now helps innovators create brands. Over the course of Listen, Jeff has invested in 20+ startups; providing brand and business strategy for consumer-focused companies in a variety of industries. Jeff is active in the Chicago entrepreneurial community through talks and podcasts, and is a Lecturer at Kellogg School of Management teaching Brand Strategy.

Rick leads Listen’s investment team. In 2009, he co-founded Chicago startup studio Dashfire that built and invested in 40+ companies. He was awarded a Clinton Fellowship in 2008, supporting social enterprise in urban Indian slums. A graduate of Georgetown University, he was previously an investor at Madison Dearborn Partners. Rick is a Lecturer at Kellogg School of Management teaching Entrepreneurship, Digital Marketing and was awarded a Faculty Impact award in 2018.

Hylton is always daydreaming about the future and what the world will be like in (insert literally any year). He built his skills analyzing the drivers that make a great business through his time managing IPOs, M&A transitions, and strategic alternatives in Equity Capital Markets at Morgan Stanley as well as Healthcare Investment Banking at Goldman Sachs in New York. During his years at Brown University, Hylton majored in Economics, was involved in “Black in Business at Brown” and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc and studied abroad in Granada, Spain. Hylton is our go-to guy for testing out new products and knowing the latest on the vegetarian food scene.

Fascinated by all things consumer, Ellen has dedicated her career to understanding human behavior and designing elegant interventions that reconcile the rational economic model and the irrationality of the human mind. Ellen brings a rigorous consumer research approach shaped by her time at IDEO, paired with a deep mastery of market dynamics. 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. Ellen is currently working to reimagine how Listen listens to unlock even greater value for our portfolio companies and their consumers.

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.