Pippa Lamb

1. When you were at Brighton & Hove High School, and what is your fondest memory of school?
I was a student at BHHS between 1992 and 2005.

There were so many memorable moments, it’s hard to choose just one. I loved art classes, especially life drawing and portraiture, taught by Ms Croydon. More broadly, going back to the Old Vicarage as a Sixth Former was a real full circle moment for me, given I’d first joined the school in the same building, aged four.

 

2. Who was your favourite teacher and why?
I had lots of great teachers. I loved history lessons with Mr Sherwood, despite the fact they were some of the most challenging. He taught me analytical rigour and made me a more deliberate writer. I still think of him every time I have to write the word parliament (“parli-A-ment”). I always looked forward to art lessons with Ms Croydon and French lessons with Madame Burnett-Smith.

3. What were the benefits of being in an all-girls school?
Without the counterfactual it’s hard to say, however I do know that I made life-long friendships and enjoyed being part of a close-knit community. The Sixth Form years felt particularly intimate as we were a small year, which was nice given how many daunting next-chapter decisions were made around that age.

4. What did you want to be when you ‘grew-up’?
I wanted to be a graphic designer.

5. What do you do now, and what are the most rewarding and challenging parts of your job?
I run an early stage venture capital fund investing in startups. For me, the human-side of the job is both the most rewarding and challenging part: on one hand, I’m inspired on a daily basis by the optimism and determination of the entrepreneurs I work with. It’s fascinating to spend my time working with ideas that will shape the future. On the other hand, working with early stage startups means you’re constantly faced with the fallout of failure – the reality is roughly nine out of ten startups don’t make it. It takes an emotional toll on the teams. For me, being a good early stage investor is much more about how you navigate the tough times more so than it is about celebrating the wins. The former is much more common than the latter. And the latter doesn’t tend to occur without a lot of the former.

6. What are you most proud of so far?
At the micro level, there have been several tough scenarios that I’ve helped entrepreneurs navigate that I’d like to look back on and feel proud about how I acted. At the macro level, I’m happy to have prioritised relationships with those closest to me against the demands of work, alongside maintaining a strong moral compass.

7. What was the best piece of advice you were given whilst at Brighton?
Treat others with compassion and an open mind.

8. What advice would you give to your 18 year old self?
You never know when you’ve had a good day. And, rest is important (I’m still trying to learn that one).

9. What book, film or piece of music would you recommend to your younger self and to your fellow alumnae?
The Beatles: In My Life, The Planets suite by Gustav Holst

10. How would you like to be remembered?
For taking care of those closest to me and living an interesting life full of curiosity and optimism.

Brighton Girls is very much a family affair, and as part of our Family Alumnae of the Month we have Pippa’s mum Elizabeth as our Alumna of the Month July 2024 and sister Nicola following on from this in September. Links are here!