The Consumer VC takes a look into early-stage consumer investing and venture capital. If you are interested in learning about consumer trends, have a b2c business and interested in learning about the fundraising process at the early stage, you have come to the right place. Mike interviews some of the top venture capitalists in the world that focus on B2C and consumer type companies or have a deep track record investing in these categories such as marketplaces, SaaS, social, CPG and non-tech subscription. Mike also interviews founders that are building some of the most disruptive consumer facing companies in the world. The conversation usually includes the insight the founder discovered, fundraising strategy, and the pitch. This podcast also includes bonus episodes. Each bonus episode dives into a particular subject that might not have to due with the fundraise or venture capital, but still would be helpful to founders. For example, a bonus episode on brand strategy or how to construct a board of directors. All bonus episodes will be clearly labeled. For all episodes, please visit <a href="http://www.theconsumervc.com" rel="nofollow">www.theconsumervc.com</a>. For updates, you can follow <a href="https://twitter.com/MikeGelb" rel="nofollow">@mikegelb</a> on Twitter.

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2024/4/24/16/349c6545-4bf9-43c6-b76f-6bd580311d96_dayton_miller_audio_episode.mp3

Our guest today is <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/daytonlmiller/" rel="nofollow">Dayton Miller</a>, Managing Partner at <a href="https://www.bfgpartners.com/" rel="nofollow">BFG Partners</a>. BFG Partners help entrepreneurs build exceptional businesses that deliver sustainable growth and outperform competitors in the better-for-you food, beverage, and consumer products space. Their investments include Olipop, Athletic Greens, Caulipower, and Bobo’s. We discuss the inflection points at seed, series A, and Series B in today’s market, categories he’s excited about in consumer today, ozempic, operations metrics, and his time as an entrepreneur building Function Drinks from scratch to $20 million in sales. Thank you to our Partner –– <a href="https://www.propellerindustries.com/" rel="nofollow">Propeller Industries</a>Propeller Industries is the leading strategic finance and accounting partner for venture-stage companies.

What Consumers Care About in Health & Wellness Products, How Competition Builds New Categories, and Will Ozempic Have an Impact on CPG Demand? with Dayton Miller, BFG Partners

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2024/4/18/23/79d1df6d-a2cb-43d3-9d74-bce76e492339_yellow_bird_sauce_audio_episode.mp3

Our guest today is George Milton &amp; Erin Link, Founders of YellowBird Foods a Modern Hot Sauce business. We discuss:• How did they get into Whole Foods?• How did they also get into Walmart?• How did their approach to retail expansion?• How did they approach branding and positioning for Yellowbird Thank you to our Partner –– Propeller Industries – <a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.propellerindustries.com%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbnVXWWxFRDN2eUxWWHk0VnFQMFpzZ0xSa1MtUXxBQ3Jtc0trWC1pd2hpMHItd05naHB3cWl4UzBBWGhhakdlUWNiV3hZUndsQy15VjJaaV84U0ZpUDFydWFhY3NiNjU3MDVaNG0xNjlqTWV1ejhBbXRnTk0waXJoTW9FWXBVVjdsVXZuYnBaS3VzZF90eXFDS25fUQ&v=ZfrfPTZHs_g" rel="nofollow">https://www.propellerindustries.com/</a>Propeller Industries is the leading strategic finance and accounting partner for venture-stage companies.

Live from SXSW: George Milton and Erin Link – How They Founded Yellowbird Sauce

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2024/3/8/14/81052e5e-0f57-442b-b3bd-7ec367c5935a_amrit_audio_episode_v1.mp3

Our guest today is Amrit Richmond, Founder of Indie CPG since 2019, and has also joined SecureCPG recently We discuss:• What gives a food and drink brand accusation energy?• What are the different profiles of the acquire today?• Why acquire emerging brands? Thank you to our Partner –– <a href="https://www.propellerindustries.com/" rel="nofollow">Propeller Industries</a>Propeller Industries is the leading strategic finance and accounting partner for venture-stage companies.

What Gives a Brand Acquisition Energy with Amrit Richmond

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2024/2/29/17/f46171a7-b9cc-42cf-89fa-7deff03889a5_ep318_samyr_laine_audio_episode.mp3

Our guest today is Samyr Lainé, an Olympian, an amazing operator who worked with Jay-Z&#39;s, Will Smith and Jada Pickett Smith who is now the founder of Freedom Trail Capital. We discuss:• How he trained for the Olympics while being a full time law student• Working at Monumental Sports (owners of the Washington Capitals and Wizards)• Shifting towards the MLS• Getting the email that Jay-Z was looking for someone to help run his businesses• All of Jay-Z&#39;s businesses• His view on how brands can collaborate with talent• Why he left to work for Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith&#39;s Westbrook• His thesis behind launching Freedom Trail Capital Thank you to our Partner –– <a href="https://www.propellerindustries.com/" rel="nofollow">Propeller Industries</a>Propeller Industries is the leading strategic finance and accounting partner for venture-stage companies.

He Worked with JAY-Z, Was an Olympian, and Now Runs a VC with Samyr Lainé, Founder of Freedom Trail Capital

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2024/2/14/6/d95a00bc-b0f3-4f72-a101-f1833fe64fde_ep317_matt_weiss__rind_snacks__audio_episode.mp3

Our guest today is <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-weiss-a2b259165/" rel="nofollow">Matt Weiss</a>, Founder &amp; CEO at <a href="https://www.rindsnacks.com/" rel="nofollow">RIND Snacks</a> Matt is the CEO of RIND Snacks, a sustainable fruit snack brand. He has over a decade of experience in the natural food industry and previously worked in investment research. Matt is also known for his advocacy in community and environmental causes, founding a nonprofit that helped establish a park in lower Manhattan. We discuss:• We discuss the inspiration behind creating a brand and a product that focuses on the peels of a fruit• How did he first get into retail?• Why he was part-time with it for two years? • What was kind of the moment that he switched to doing it full-time? Thank you to our Partner –– <a href="https://www.propellerindustries.com/" rel="nofollow">Propeller Industries</a>Propeller Industries is the leading strategic finance and accounting partner for venture-stage companies.

How He Built A Business Off a Fruit Peel, The Shocking Moment of Getting into Retail, and How One Chat Changed His Trajectory with Matt Weiss Founder & CEO at Rind Snacks

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2024/2/7/5/2d0bf9d5-f639-4a6d-a185-2d882e09fd07_ep_316_ben_lerer_v1_01_audio.mp3

Our guest today is Ben Lerer. Ben Lerer is a Managing Partner at Lerer Hippeau. Lerer Hippeau is a venture capital fund based in New York who were early investors in Warby Parker, Glossier, and Topicals. He also founded Thrillist, an online media website website back in 2004 and was former CEO of Group Nine Media until it was acquired by Vox Media. Thank you to our Partner –– Propeller Industries – https://www.propellerindustries.com/Propeller Industries is the leading strategic finance and accounting partner for venture-stage companies.

Selling Group Nine Media, The Evolution of New York's Startup Scene and The Future of Digital Media with Ben Lerer, Managing Partner at Lerer Hippeau

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2024/1/29/6/6be90c66-3bf5-4a86-879b-10ae6e4d0483_fan_bi__hedgehog__v2.mp3

Our guest today is Fan Bi, Founder &amp; CEO of Hedgehog Fan Bi is the Founder &amp; CEO of Hedgehog. He founded, grew, and exited many eCom + store menswear brands. He has been in DTC eCommerce for over 13 years.  We discuss:• How was Fan was introduced to entrepreneurship and what things he found compelling about man&#39;s fashion?• What multiples were used for early-stage digital brands?• Why he started Hedgehog?• What to make of the current market and how do you see it in the future? Thank you to our Partner –– Propeller Industries – https://www.propellerindustries.com/Propeller Industries is the leading strategic finance and accounting partner for venture-stage companies.

How He Buys Multi-Million Dollar Brands with Fan Bi, Founder/CEO of The Hedgehog Company

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2024/1/18/18/bef72f36-2677-470c-92a1-9ca98aa684c7_sarah_woelfel_audio_episode_v1.mp3

Our guest today is <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-woelfel-871a1917/" rel="nofollow">Sarah Woelfel</a>, Co-Founder &amp; Partner at <a href="https://www.cultcapital.com/" rel="nofollow">Cult Capital</a>. She combines her zeal for investing with her affection for cult consumer brands. Their investments include Supergoop!, Babo Botanicals, and Lawless Beauty. Prior to CULT Capital, Sarah served on the investment team at Audax and as an I-banking analyst at Deutsche Bank.-----------Thank you to our partner <a href="http://propellerindustries.com/" rel="nofollow">Propeller Industries</a>Propeller Industries is the leading strategic finance and accounting partner for venture-stage companies.

What is a Cult Brand? With Sarah Woelfel, Co-Founder & Partner at Cult Capital

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2024/1/8/18/e18faab7-9928-416b-9551-dc556353f6c2_anouck_gotlib_full_episode_audio.mp3

She leads the day-to-day operations and long-term strategy for Belgian Boys and is bringing European treats like Belgian waffles, brioche french toast, crepes, and other delicious delights to the American home. They are now in over 8,400 stores including Walmart, Target, Whole Foods.Thank you to our partner <a href="http://propellerindustries.com" rel="nofollow">Propeller Industries</a>Propeller Industries is the leading strategic finance and accounting partner for venture-stage companies. We discuss:• Anouck’s journey from fashion to joining her husband in starting a food CPG company• How they first got into retail• What it was like years of bootstrapping• How they landed KIND snacks founder Daniel Lubetzky’s venture firm Camino Partners as investors• Why they pivoted from frozen food to refrigerator food and much more.

How She's Adding The Belgian Waffle To The American Diet...and 8,400+ stores with Anouck Gotlib, CEO of Belgian Boys

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2023/12/21/19/1102faf9-7cf1-45de-929a-e94aa82175ba_caleb_wang_audio_episode.mp3

Our guest today is Caleb Wang, CEO and Co-Founder MiLa. Authentic soup dumplings, chinese noodles and chef crafted sauces. Made fresh and shipped! We talked about how he and his wife, Jen first stated a restaurant, how that expanded to an ecommerce business, how they raised capital and why they raised capital, and much much more.

Selling 10 Million Soup Dumplings and Counting: The Story of MìLà with Caleb Wang

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2023/11/29/17/e635d2e2-72da-4306-95bd-5cc8fd9af876_david_and_jesse_-_wildwood_audio_episode_01.mp3

Our guests today are David Wagner and Jesse Marble, Co-Founders of <a href="https://wildwood.vc/" rel="nofollow">Wildwood Ventures</a>. Wildwood Ventures is backed by VF corporation, a holding company whose portfolio includes iconic outdoor and activity-based lifestyle and workwear brands like Vans, North Face, Timberland, Dickies. Wildwood Ventures invests in consumer technology companies that make lives better.Want all the updates?<a href="http://theconsumervc.com" rel="nofollow">Subscribe to The Newsletter</a>

Why This Venture Studio Backed By VF Corp is Investing in Consumer Tech with David Wagner and Jesse Marble, Co-Founders of Wildwood Ventures

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2023/11/2/22/9e33cb9e-913e-4f03-85cd-ba435c764748_denise_lambertson_audio_episode_01_3.mp3

Our guest today is <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/deniselambertson/" rel="nofollow">Denise Lambertson</a>, Managing Partner at <a href="https://constellation.capital/" rel="nofollow">Constellation Capital</a> and Chairwoman &amp; Founder of <a href="https://www.wearelms.com/home" rel="nofollow">LMS</a>, the influencer marketing agency. We actually didn’t get into the Constellation Capital / VC / Investing side for this episode, we ran out of time. We focused on the relationship between talent and brand and how that partnership could work and how it could not work. Enjoying TheConsumer VC?<a href="theconsumervc.com" rel="nofollow">Subscribe To The Newsletter Here</a>

When Can A Celebrity-Led Brand Work with Denise Lambertson from Constellation Capital and LMS

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2023/10/26/13/b6152685-2d7a-4389-8000-3585791434e6_drew_glover_audio_episode_01_2.mp3

Today’s episode we focus on the wonderful world of consumer fintech and our guest today is <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/drewbailerglover/" rel="nofollow">Drew Glover</a>, General Partner of <a href="https://www.fiat.vc/" rel="nofollow">Fiat Ventures</a> and Founding Partner of <a href="https://www.fiatgrowth.com/" rel="nofollow">Fiat Growth</a>. Fiat Growth is a growth consultancy helping to scale some of the largest fintech companies out there - Chime, Lemonade, Copper. They decided to launch a VC fund that focuses on emerging fintech companies. Want to receive updates on all the VC fundraises in consumer?<a href="theconsumervc.com" rel="nofollow">Subscribe Here To The Newsletter</a>

FinTech: What's Real and What's a Scam with Drew Glover, General Partner of Fiat Ventures

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2023/10/12/4/8243c88a-157d-4b8b-be6e-bdf79186214b_brian_fenty_audioepisode_01__1_.mp3

Our guest today is Brian Fenty, Co-Founder &amp; CEO of <a href="https://www.todaytix.com/" rel="nofollow">TodayTix</a>. TodayTix is the digital gateway to live shows, arts, and cultural experiences. We discuss:<ul><li>His introduction to Broadway &amp; ticketing</li><li>How Broadway initially tried to appeal to younger demographics and failed</li><li>How TodayTix partners with theatres</li><li>The threat of TicketMaster</li><li>Why they didn’t pivot during COVID</li><li>Their acquisition strategy &amp; more</li></ul>

Breaking Boundaries in Broadway: The TodayTix Story with Brian Fenty

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2023/9/28/14/46a985c4-9648-4b01-a82f-633b6fa14846_martin_mignot_audio_episode.mp3

Our guest today is Martin Mignot, Partner at Index Ventures. Index Ventures is a global firm that operates as one team across three offices (London, SF, NYC) and invests at all stages. Martin opened Index’s office in New York a couple of years ago. We discuss the massive consumer opportunity in New York that Index has tapped into through, the future of transportation and delivery, and the differences Martin has seen between European and American consumer markets.

Will There Be Cities With No Cars? What is The Future of Urban Transportation? The Difference Between U.S. and European Markets with Martin Mignot from Index Ventures

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2023/9/14/13/c86c7a0c-a3c9-4e05-8b3e-6a473bf1066d_miguel_leal_audio_episode_01.mp3

Listen in as we explore the exciting journey of Miguel Leal, co-founder and CEO of Somos Foods. Miguel shares his experience transitioning from successful stints at Kind Snacks and Chalula to establishing his own brand. Inspired by a disparity in the market, he decided to revolutionize the Mexican food aisle by creating authentic, plant-based, non-GMO products. He also discusses the pivotal decision to quickly shift to retail and the profound impact of AI technology on the brand&#39;s success. Our conversation navigates the unique challenges and opportunities that arose during the launch of Somos Foods. Miguel sheds light on the creation process, the impact of the pandemic, and how his conversations with his wife and friend Daniel Lubecki, founder of KindSnacks, sparked the genesis of the company. Discover how their passion for authentic Mexican cuisine and the need for innovation in the market led to the creation of this game-changing brand.  Lastly, we discuss the importance of retail expansion and product innovation for Somos Foods. Miguel offers insights into the company&#39;s unique approach to market expansion, pricing and margin structure, and how they successfully created a complete customer experience. He also shares his thoughts on the value of social listening and how it led to the creation of popular recipes. So, tune in and learn about the transformational journey of Somos Foods, their innovative strategies, and their quest to bring authentic Mexican cuisine to your kitchen.

Transforming the Mexican Food Aisle: Miguel Leal's Journey with SOMOS Foods

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2023/8/31/12/97966516-31c8-42ff-9963-4ef5cb9dbe59_08-09_mike_jones_audio_episode_01__1_.mp3

Our guest today is Mike Jones, one of the co-founders of Science Inc. Science Inc. is a venture studio and fund that develops, invests in consumer-focused businesses. Some of their portfolio includes Liquid Death, Dollar Shave Club, Grove Collaborative. Mike previously founded UsePlane, Tsavo Media and served as the CEO of MySpace. We discuss how he accesses what founders he wants to work with, what truly makes a good idea, how Liquid Death came together, their growth opportunities and he met Mike C, what he learned from Dollar Shave Club about making viral content, and much more.

Why He Invested In Liquid Death, Dollar Shave Club, and a Breakdown of the Venture Studio Model with Mike Jones, Co-Founder of Science Inc.

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2023/8/3/16/01708293-2ad9-43f5-a898-1af33ccafaf8_gail_becker_audio_episode_01.mp3

Our guest today is Gail Becker, founder of CAULIPOWER, the most disruptive company in the better-for-you frozen food space named as one of the top 10 World’s Most Innovative Food Companies in 2022 by Fast Company. The hyper-growth company reached more than $100m in revenue in three years under her leadership as CEO. We discuss how and why she left corporate America to start Caulipower, her approach to growth through retail, how she thought about fundraising and managing her cap table, what capital efficiently means to her and product expansion. Without further ado, here’s Gail.

How She Built a $100 million CPG Brand in Three Years Selling Cauliflower Pizzas with Gail Becker, Founder of CAULIPOWER

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2023/7/27/4/600ef7e4-77db-4b70-b16f-cacd24967f45_kevin_parakkattu_audio_episode.mp3

On this episode of the Consumer VC podcast, we are joined by Kevin Parakkattu, partner at Plug Play Ventures, for an intriguing exploration of the rapidly evolving landscape of the media industry, particularly the rise of GenAI. Kevin and I talk about the potential of AI to replace writers&#39; jobs in the future and the potential legal implications surrounding the use of AI-generated content.  We then turn our attention to the commerce industry, discussing the challenges that direct-to-consumer brands face, such as inventory overstock and cost-cutting. Kevin provides insights into the need for working capital, growth opportunities in the venture capital space, and how Plug Play Ventures has been able to create value for their investments. We also delve into the changing multiples of direct-to-consumer brands and the criteria for investing in pre-revenue consumer brands. <a href="theconsumervc.com" rel="nofollow">Subscribe Here</a> for all new episodes and a weekly consumer fundraising update.

Decoding the Future of Media and Commerce with Kevin Parakkattu at Plug and Play

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2023/6/28/3/bd0273e3-95cd-4efc-a56a-96a60dd3c19a_06-22_helene_servillion_audio_episode.mp3

Our guest today is <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/hservillon/" rel="nofollow">Helene Servillon</a>, Founder of <a href="https://www.journeyone.vc/" rel="nofollow">JourneyOne Ventures</a>. JourneyOne Ventures is a 100% woman and minority-owned early-stage fund that invests in the billion-dollar opportunities of misunderstood markets that are highly regulated and fragmented.We discuss:<ul><li>The opportunity to invest in cannabis companies</li><li>Different regulations within cannabis</li><li>How she built her LP network</li><li>Other “vice” industries she finds attractive</li><li>Why she’s more focused on infrastructure than brands</li></ul> **Sponsor***This issue is brought to you by Vauban from Carta. Vauban from Carta is the easiest way to launch &amp; run your venture investing. They offer SPVs, and fund vehicles for GPs at all stages of the journey - from your first syndicate to operating a multi-million dollar venture fund. Their end-to-end platform automates your back-office and manual workflows so you can focus on what matters: finding the next unicorn &amp; building investor relationships. Click Here to Get Started - <a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&q=https%3A%2F%2Fstructurer.vauban.io%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbHZyakVLWjUweFZtaTc2S3lBRHpoLXhwRi13d3xBQ3Jtc0ttQy1zcGdvbDBqR1d4NUVINGtFWnhNYVNaVjNNWWpoOHpFcTkzTXdEUEpPekdzLWNqZzZBWkFXZkpENDlSd1ZCUS1lT09JcFZyZHFzaDBIcnVLQnMtb3BlNy1KdFBheEpxWmIwcExEUS0zZWdyQW90cw&v=m7WAR4eGvOM" rel="nofollow">https://structurer.vauban.io/</a>

How To Invest in Misunderstood & Highly Regulated Markets with Helene Servillon from JourneyOne Ventures

Venture Capital I B2C Startups I Commerce | Early-Stage Investing

The Consumer VC takes a look into early-stage consumer investing and venture capital. If you are interested in learning about consumer trends, have a b2c business and interested in learning about the fundraising process at the early stage, you have come to the right place.

Mike interviews some of the top venture capitalists in the world that focus on B2C and consumer type companies or have a deep track record investing in these categories such as marketplaces, SaaS, social, CPG and non-tech subscription.

Mike also interviews founders that are building some of the most disruptive consumer facing companies in the world. The conversation usually includes the insight the founder discovered, fundraising strategy, and the pitch.

This podcast also includes bonus episodes. Each bonus episode dives into a particular subject that might not have to due with the fundraise or venture capital, but still would be helpful to founders. For example, a bonus episode on brand strategy or how to construct a board of directors. All bonus episodes will be clearly labeled.

For all episodes, please visit www.theconsumervc.com. For updates, you can follow @mikegelb on Twitter.