Rachel Arnold

A Deep Love of Business From an Early Age 

My love of business started at a very young age. When I was seven years old, I started playing office and would use my allowance to buy work supplies. 

Then, I worked all throughout high school and college at various places, from the town newspaper to a real estate office, and eventually ran one of the world’s largest windsurfing schools. During college, I found that I had a knack for thinking commercially and building relationships. 

When you boil it down, my belief is that business is really about relationships. It’s about building trust. It’s about alignment of outcomes. And it’s about making things happen. 

Forging a Unique Career Path 

I first came across Vista in 2003. I was an operator at one of our early investments, SRC Software, where I ran business development, which included international operations and partnerships. After that, I went on to pursue roles at three other Vista companies – Mitratech, MicroEdge and Social Solutions. Through those experiences, I fell in love with the way Vista thought about investing in enterprise software companies. It’s not just about capital. We invest for the long haul and partner with management teams to deliver value that’s differentiated – for customers and employees.  

Now, I am the Co-Head of the Endeavor Fund, which invests in high-growth software companies. Endeavor is a very different partner than anyone else in the lower mid-market of enterprise software investing. We bring the breadth of Vista’s platform and operating experience as we work with talented executive teams to chart the course for unlocking long-term value. We also provide dedicated teams who spend the majority of their time on a handful of companies in order to really understand the business and support them in ways other investors can’t.  

Continuous Improvement Through Lifelong Learning 

One of the things I love most about Vista is that we continue to change the game and evolve our craft. I think it stems from the fact that we’re all lifelong learners. At Vista, we think beyond what’s happening today to what could be happening tomorrow. In my own experience, I’ve seen that when you create a system, a knowledge set and a network of talented individuals, you can take on more than you ever thought was possible.  

Personally, I am someone who believes the best growth comes when you push yourself outside of your comfort zone. Professionally, that has meant taking classes, asking questions, finding great mentors and seeking out help when I need it. It’s also about recognizing where I can play to my strengths versus where I need to tap into a teammate for something I haven’t done before. 

I also take on the practice of learning one or two new things every year — whether that’s learning how to surf or learning a new card game. I believe in the concept of lifelong learning, which keeps me fresh but also keeps me human. I think about continuing to grow as an investor, as a professional, as a mother, as a wife and as a friend.