In 2006, Aydin Senkut was an unlikely candidate for a venture capitalist.

A Turkish immigrant who arrived in Silicon Valley by way of Boston, Philadelphia and Istanbul,  Senkut held product positions at Silicon Graphics and a small startup named Google.

Now, a decade later, Senkut has raised four funds with Felicis Ventures and invested in 150 companies with 55 exits — three of them initial public offerings.

Despite his unconventional entrance into the investment world, Senkut has made a name for himself by establishing Felicis as a boutique investment firm whose hustle has landed the firm investments in companies like Rovio and Shopify.

For Senkut, hustle and relationships are the two determinants for being a successful investor. And despite the fact that initially many investors “did not want to give him the time” Senkut has thrived alongside his firm.