Introductions
I make thoughtful, context-rich introductions between founders—including people in and around Y Combinator—and others who may be useful to each other.
ABOUT
HI, I’M SHAHA. I’m a connector based in San Francisco. I work with early-stage founders building AI infrastructure, drawing on a practical background in UX research and relationships among founders in and around the Y Combinator community.
I grew up in Montclair, Oakland, in a first-generation immigrant family. My father worked in commercial and residential real estate; watching him help people find a place to call home gave me an early model for work built on trust.
I studied business and marketing at Saint Mary’s, then worked across community banking, technology, product marketing, UX research, and real estate. The throughline has stayed simple: listening closely, remembering the details, and making an introduction when it feels natural.
Sometimes a passing conversation becomes a first customer, a new neighborhood, or a friendship years later. I believe a small introduction can quietly change the shape of everything that follows.
I speak English, Russian, and Spanish, plus some Korean. Away from work, I like hosting small gatherings and taking my Bengal cat for walks.
If you’re building at seed or Series A and think I should know what you’re working on, say hello.
PERSONAL ROOTS
I like helping people feel at home.
I grew up in Montclair, Oakland, in a first-generation immigrant family. Homeownership mattered in our house because it meant more than property. It meant that the work and uncertainty of starting over had become something steady.
My grandfather Elijah Balestrin’s story is rooted in Dublin and the East Bay. My father, John Hone, spent years helping local property owners and businesses through commercial real estate, including as a vice president at Colliers International. I later worked beside him and saw how much this work depends on knowing people, knowing place, and keeping your word.
I’ve lived across the Bay Area—from Oakland to Dublin, San Leandro, Hayward, and San Rafael. I still love helping someone find the neighborhood, friend, local business, or next introduction that makes this place begin to feel like theirs.
“It takes a village” is not a tagline to me.
It is how a place becomes home.FROM CLIENTS
She listened for our budget, priorities, and long-term family goals, then turned them into a clear search.
Over eight months of touring Bay Area investment properties, Shaha kept my best interests at the center.
In a tough situation, she stayed beside us, shared what we needed to know, and helped at every step.
WHAT I’M INTERESTED IN
01
Compute & models
02
Data infrastructure
03
Developer tools
04
AI security
05
UX research
06
Y Combinator founders
07
New ideas that don’t fit neatly anywhere
A FEW WAYS I CAN HELP
Small gatherings
I bring together people working on adjacent problems for dinners and unhurried conversations.
San Francisco
I can be a friendly entry point into the city’s early-stage AI community, especially if you’re new here.
WHERE I MADE AN IMPACT
Research became a repeatable path to growth.
I helped shape the product, pricing, positioning, partnerships, and sales system for a live UX research program. One launch cycle brought in ten new clients—about $55,000 in growth—without a paid marketing budget.
A clearer website reached far more people.
I led a research-driven relaunch across information architecture, accessibility, SEO, and content. Organic traffic increased 280% and the site became a stronger path to acquisition and conversion.
Referrals became lasting roots.
My real estate work grew entirely through relationships, helping first-time buyers, families, investors, and people in transition navigate homes from $435K to $1.3M+ and a $5M+ residential portfolio.
AN INVITE-ONLY RETREATORINDA · OCTOBER 2026
The Long
Afternoon
No phones. Live bands. Long tables. A day in Orinda with founders, artists, musicians, neighborhood people, and room to stay awhile.
REQUEST AN INVITE ↓THE FIRST AFTERNOON
October 2026
One long Saturday. The date comes with the invitation.
Orinda
A private East Bay setting. The address stays with confirmed guests.
Invite only
A small, thoughtful list. No public tickets and no plus-ones by default.
REQUEST AN INVITATION
Tell me who you are.
This is not an automatic RSVP. I’ll build the room personally and send confirmed guests a private Partiful invitation and Luma calendar link. Your details will not be published.
Have something interesting in mind?