Consumer VC: Venture Capital I B2C Startups I Commerce | Early-Stage Investing I Brands | Technology

Glimpse is the all-in-one, AI-powered deductions management platform for CPG brands—automating deduction capture, classification, disputes, and accounting. Recover more revenue while saving time – ⁠https://www.tryglimpse.comWhat if cannabis could become a true social beverage—an alternative to alcohol that delivers the buzz without the hangover?That’s the bet Jake Bullock, co-founder of Cann, made when he left the world of finance to reinvent drinking culture. Today, Cann is the #1 THC-infused beverage brand in the U.S., sold in liquor stores across 30 states, backed by celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow and Kate Hudson, and changing the way people think about unwinding.In this episode, Jake shares the full story of how Cann went from a garage experiment to a category-defining brand:✅ Why lowering THC to 2mg unlocked cannabis’ social potential ✅ How Cann turned stigma into approachability with smart branding ✅ The brutal challenges of selling drinks through dispensaries ✅ The regulatory pivot that opened up liquor store distribution ✅ Competing head-to-head with alcohol (and winning shelf space) ✅ Product innovation: Grapefruit Rosemary, Lemon Lavender, and Roadies ✅ What celebrity investors really bring to the table ✅ The future of THC vs. non-alcoholic drinks in American culture👉 If you’re curious about the future of social drinking—or want to hear what it really takes to build a disruptive CPG brand—this conversation is a must-listen.Timestamps 00:00 Intro 01:00 Why 100mg Drinks Were a Problem 03:00 Cann’s Insight: Low-Dose, Great Taste 07:00 Unlocking the Social Buzz at 2mg 10:00 Making Cannabis Approachable (Not Premium-Elite) 13:00 Campaigning Against Alcohol Culture 15:00 Breaking Out of Dispensaries 18:00 Regulatory Challenges & State-by-State Growth 22:00 The Big Pivot: From Dispensaries to Liquor Stores 28:00 Winning Shelf Space vs. Craft Beer & RTD Cocktails 33:00 The Rise of Roadies & Naked Highboys 38:00 Flavor Innovation: Grapefruit Rosemary, Lemon Lavender 42:00 Gross Margins & Beverage Economics 45:00 Fundraising & Celebrity Investors 49:00 What Value-Add From VCs Really Means 51:00 Defining Success: Exit, IPO, or Independence? 53:00 Cann’s Mission to Change Drinking Culture 55:00 Lightning Round: Humor, Misconceptions & Mistakes 01:02:00 Book Recommendations📬 Subscribe for more founder stories & scaling insights: 👉 The Consumer VC Newsletter - https://www.theconsumervc.com/ Follow Mike Gelb: Twitter / IG / TikTok → @mikegelb / @consumervc

Glimpse is the all-in-one, AI-powered deductions management platform for CPG brands—automating deduction capture, classification, disputes, and accounting. Recover more revenue while saving time – https://www.tryglimpse.comWhat does it take to raise and run a venture fund focused on the overlooked—and why women’s health, parenting, and sports are the future?In this episode, Mike sits down with Rachel Springate, Co-Founder & General Partner of Muse Capital, to unpack her journey from luxury partnerships and entertainment to building a venture capital firm with a mission. Rachel shares how she and her partner Assia uncovered their thesis through personal experience, why women’s health remains one of the most underserved opportunities in venture, and how Muse balances investing in overlooked sectors with the hype cycles of AI and beyond.Here’s what you’ll learn: ✅ How Rachel’s career in partnerships and entertainment shaped her investing style ✅ Why Muse Capital doubled down on women’s health long before it was popular ✅ What LPs really said when Rachel and Asya pitched Fund I—and how they overcame it ✅ How Muse approaches partnerships with celebrities and Fortune 500s authentically ✅ Why proprietary data in women’s health and family tech is a hidden AI moat ✅ The thinking behind Muse Sport and investing in women’s sports + SailGP ✅ How to avoid hype-driven investing and focus on recession-proof markets ✅ Rachel’s one-sentence mission for Muse: “Investing in companies that should exist”👉 If you’re a founder, investor, or operator navigating consumer, healthcare, or sports in 2025, this episode is packed with insights you won’t want to miss.Timestamps 00:00 Intro 01:00 Rachel’s path from luxury partnerships to venture 06:00 The authentic way to approach celebrity + startup partnerships 11:00 Founding Muse Capital & the personal experience that shaped its thesis 16:00 Raising Fund I with a contrarian focus on women’s health 22:00 How Muse filters noise from venture hype cycles 27:00 Early conviction in MIDI Health and spotting overlooked opportunities 35:00 How Muse helps portfolio companies through partnerships 38:00 The origin of Muse Sport and investing in women’s teams & leagues 44:00 The SailGP Italia story & sports investing strategy 47:00 Books Rachel recommends (professional & personal) 50:00 Muse’s mission distilled📬 Subscribe for more founder stories & venture insights: 👉 The Consumer VC Newsletter - https://www.theconsumervc.com/Follow Mike Gelb: Twitter / IG / TikTok → @mikegelb / @consumervc

Glimpse is the all-in-one, AI-powered deductions management platform for CPG brands—automating deduction capture, classification, disputes, and accounting. Recover more revenue while saving time –https://www.tryglimpse.comWhat does it take to build a truly durable consumer brand in today’s volatile venture environment?In this episode, Mike sits down with Ezra Galston, Founding Partner of Starting Line, to unpack the shifting dynamics in consumer, marketplaces, and venture capital. Ezra shares why the Midwest VC ecosystem looks different from the coasts, what’s changing in consumer investing post-2021, and how founders can position themselves to raise smarter—not just bigger.Here’s what you’ll learn:✅ Why consumer investing still matters (even if VC sentiment has cooled)✅ The difference between “good” growth and “unsustainable” growth✅ How geography shapes venture outcomes (and why Chicago is unique)✅ Why Ezra believes today’s founders must optimize for efficiency over hype✅ The traps consumer founders fall into when chasing scale too early✅ What LPs really want from consumer-focused funds right now✅ How Starting Line is approaching the next generation of consumer brands✅ Why resilience and margin discipline are the new non-negotiables👉 If you’re a founder, investor, or operator navigating consumer markets in 2025, this episode is packed with insights you won’t want to miss.Timestamps00:00 Intro01:10 Why Consumer Still Matters in Venture05:00 Growth vs. Unsustainable Growth09:20 The Midwest VC Lens vs. The Coasts14:00 Lessons from Building Starting Line18:30 Why Scale Too Early Destroys Consumer Startups23:00 LP Expectations in a Reset Market27:00 Ezra’s View on the Future of Consumer Brands32:00 Optimizing for Efficiency in Fundraising38:00 Why Margins Are the New Moat42:00 Advice for Founders Raising in 202547:00 Ezra’s Recommended Books & Resources📬 Subscribe for more founder stories & venture insights:👉 The Consumer VC Newsletter - https://www.theconsumervc.com/Follow Mike Gelb: Twitter / IG / TikTok → @mikegelb / @consumervc

Glimpse is the all-in-one, AI-powered deductions management platform for CPG brands—automating deduction capture, classification, disputes, and accounting. Recover more revenue while saving time – ⁠https://www.tryglimpse.comWhen fundraising stalls, valuations reset, and the cap table gets messy—what really happens next?In this episode, Mike sits down with Steven Finn, Partner at Siddhi Capital, to break down the tough realities of down rounds, recaps, and cap table engineering. Steven has been in the room when brands shift from celebration to survival—and shares what founders and investors need to know when things don’t go as planned: ✅ Why overcapitalization often leads to a “death spiral” ✅ When to use equity vs. debt—and why both can be predatory ✅ How mega funds create distorted valuations (and walk away fast) ✅ The psychology of “dead equity” and how to reset expectations ✅ Why insiders matter most in distressed situations ✅ How to keep founders aligned (and motivated) during a recap ✅ Why margins = runway, and why that matters more than ever ✅ What smart founders can do early to avoid being wiped out👉 If you’re a founder, investor, or operator navigating today’s tougher fundraising environment, this episode is essential listening.Timestamps 00:00 Intro 01:00 Why Fundraising Feels Harder Than Ever 04:50 Fuel on the Fire vs. Finding the Fire 07:00 Debt vs. Equity (and Predatory Capital) 12:00 When Equity Deals Get Ugly 16:30 The Mega Fund Trap & Overcapitalization 23:00 How Huge Rounds Re-Risk Companies 27:00 Recaps, Option Pools & Dead Equity 30:00 Why Venture is Now “Financing Risk First” 34:30 Rethinking Portfolio Strategy 39:50 Are Down Rounds Still a Scarlet Letter? 43:00 Why Margins = Runway 46:00 Selling Distressed Assets (and Why It’s So Hard) 50:00 How Founders Can Protect Themselves Early 53:00 Spotting Coachable vs. Uncoachable Founders 56:00 Growing in Retail Without Growing Too Fast 58:00 Steven’s Book Recommendations📬 Subscribe for more founder stories & venture insights: 👉 The Consumer VC Newsletter - https://www.theconsumervc.com/Follow Mike Gelb: Twitter / IG / TikTok → @mikegelb / @consumervc

Glimpse is the all‑in‑one, AI‑powered deductions management platform for CPG brands—automating deduction capture, classification, disputes, and accounting. Recover more revenue while saving time – ⁠https://www.tryglimpse.comQ1 2025 was the slowest fundraising quarter for consumer VC in recent memory. So what's really happening in venture capital—and how is it impacting founders in consumer, SaaS, and AI?In this episode, Mike sits down with Peter Walker, Head of Insights at Carta, to break down what's beneath the data: ✅ Why seed valuations are holding—but fewer deals are closing ✅ What’s behind the Series A “chasm” in consumer ✅ How mega funds are reshaping early-stage investing ✅ The rise of solo GPs and the slow decline of mid-sized funds ✅ Why LPs are getting frustrated with VC ✅ What founders risk when a mega fund passes on their Series A ✅ Why AI is warping the current “reset” in venture ✅ And what the future of venture might really look like👉 If you're a founder, investor, or emerging manager trying to navigate the post-2021 world, this is a must-listen.Timestamps 00:00 Intro 01:00 Why Consumer VC Has Higher Highs & Lower Lows 04:00 What Went Wrong with DTC and VC Expectations 06:00 Fund Size Creep & Why Some Firms Abandoned Consumer 10:00 The “Thesis Drift” Problem in Venture 13:00 Why Most VCs Don’t Stay in Their Zone of Genius 15:00 Mega Funds vs. Seed Funds: Optics, Pressure, and Power 21:00 Why Series A Has Become a Brick Wall 26:00 Will AI Companies Actually Be Durable? 31:00 The Rise of 3-Year Fundraising Cycles 35:00 The Future of Emerging Managers 38:00 The Squeeze on Mid-Sized Funds 40:00 The “Just a Little VC” Founder Strategy 44:00 Why Seed Valuations Haven’t Crashed 47:00 How Tariffs Are Impacting Consumer Deal Flow 51:00 Where Is the Liquidity? (& Why M&A is Surging) 54:00 Are We Actually in a Reset? 56:00 The AI Hype Cycle and OpenAI Risk 59:00 Peter’s Favorite Books (Personal & Professional)📬 Subscribe for more founder stories & venture insights: 👉 The Consumer VC Newsletter - https://www.theconsumervc.com/ Follow Mike Gelb: Twitter / IG / TikTok → @mikegelb / @consumervc

Glimpse is the all‑in‑one, AI‑powered deductions management platform for CPG brands—automating deduction capture, classification, disputes, and accounting. Recover more revenue while saving time – ⁠https://www.tryglimpse.com/EisnerAmper provides financial advisory services tailored to the specific needs of consumer product companies. Looking for a strategic CFO partner? Learn more – https://www.eisneramper.com/Clayton Christopher and Brian Goldberg are two legends in the CPG space—between them, they’ve built and scaled brands like Sweet Leaf Tea, Waterloo Sparkling Water, Austin Eastciders, and SkinnyPop. Now, they’ve teamed up to launch Astro Consumer Partners, a $400M+ growth-stage investment firm focused on scaling consumer brands.In this episode, recorded live at Austin’s Consumer Week, Clayton and Brian share what they’ve learned as both operators and investors—and what it really takes to build a brand that lasts:✅ The biggest differences between early-stage and growth-stage investing✅ How to know when you’re ready to raise capital—and why profitable brands still choose to do it✅ The distribution trap: when to go deep vs. wide with retail✅ DTC vs. retail: which to prioritize and why✅ What “eliminating strategic risk” looks like in practice✅ Real talk on CPG categories: why some brands crush DTC but flop in stores✅ What actual value-add looks like from an investor✅ Why profitability and leverage matter more than ever👉 Whether you're scaling past $5M in revenue or wondering how investors really evaluate CPG brands—this conversation is packed with wisdom from two of the best in the game.Timestamps-00:00 Intro 01:10 Meet Astro Consumer Partners: $400M Growth-Stage CPG Fund 05:30 What They Look For in Brands: People, Margins, & Category Leadership 08:00 When Should a CPG Brand Be Profitable? 10:35 Why Profitable Founders Still Raise Capital 13:30 Avoiding the Strategic Risk Trap 16:45 When to Go Deep vs. Wide in Retail 20:00 DTC Brands Going to Retail: What Works, What Doesn’t 24:00 Launching in Natural vs. Mass Retail 28:00 Building Retail Leverage Through Velocity and Data31:00 Positive Leverage: Retail, Manufacturing & Celebrities34:00 What “Value-Add” from Investors Actually Means38:00 Advice for Early-Stage Founders 41:00 The Emotional Journey of Entrepreneurship 45:00 Live Audience Q&A📬 Subscribe for more founder stories & scaling insights: 👉 The Consumer VC Newsletter -https://www.theconsumervc.com/ Follow Mike Gelb:Twitter / IG / TikTok → @mikegelb / @consumervc

Glimpse is the all‑in‑one, AI‑powered deductions management platform for CPG brands, automating deduction capture, classification, disputes, and accounting—recover more revenue while saving time – https://www.tryglimpse.comPete Maldonado and Rashid Ali started Chomps with nothing but a simple idea, some grassroots hustle, and their first month bringing in… just $500 in revenue.Fast forward, Chomps is now an $80M+ powerhouse sold in Trader Joe’s, Walmart, and Whole Foods—all built before taking a single VC check.In this episode, Pete and Rashid share how they turned a $500 side hustle into a national brand:✅ Why starting small gave them the discipline to stay profitable✅ The scrappy marketing tactics that turned $500 into their first $5,000✅ How a Trader Joe’s deal transformed their growth overnight✅ Why they ignored the “raise early” startup playbook and bootstrapped instead✅ How their opposite personalities created the perfect founder duo✅ The systems and strategy that took them from a side hustle to shelves nationwide👉 If you’re building a business from scratch—or wondering if you really need VC money—this episode is proof that you can start lean, grow smart, and win big.Timestamps00:00 Intro 01:10 How a $500 Side Hustle Became Chomps 03:25 Pivoting From Frozen Meat to Beef Sticks 06:20 Early Influencer Hacks That Fueled Growth 10:45 The Trader Joe’s Breakthrough 14:10 Staying Profitable Through Scale 18:30 The Founder Dynamic That Made It Work 22:00 Why They Waited Until $80M to Raise 26:30 Building a Brand Customers Love 30:00 The Next Chapter for Chomps34:20 Building Systems and Teams for Scale 37:00 Staying Profitable While Competing with Legacy Brands 40:10 Why They Raised Only After $80M in Revenue 44:00 Becoming a B‑Corp and Setting Higher Standards 48:10 Their Take on the Protein Trend and What’s Next for Chomps 51:30 Book Picks: Rocket Fuel & Die With Zero 📬 Subscribe for more founder stories & scaling insights: 👉 The Consumer VC NewsletterFollow Mike Gelb: Twitter / IG / TikTok → @mikegelb / @consumervc

Larry Cheng is the Managing Partner at Volition Capital, a $1.7B growth equity firm behind breakout brands like Chewy, Chamberlain Coffee, BURST, and Grove Collaborative. Volition’s unique approach? No early VC checks. No burn-at-all-costs playbooks. Just capital-efficient businesses with traction—and a partner who’s okay being the first check in.In this episode, Larry breaks down:How Chewy went from a “low-margin pet food startup” to the largest e-commerce acquisition in historyWhy Volition bets on unsexy markets and skips the Valley hypeHow Chamberlain Coffee learned the hard way that virality cuts both waysWhy most VCs misunderstand capital efficiency—and how it actually creates alphaWhat makes a founder irresistible without raising a single VC dollarIf you’re building or backing brands in today’s cautious market—this is a masterclass in discipline, scaling smart, and going big without losing your company.Timestamps 00:00 Intro 01:10 Why Larry Left Traditional VC to Start Volition 03:25 The Two Types of Founders Who Bootstrap to $5M+ 06:20 How Volition Approaches Valuations 07:55 Why They Backed Chewy When No One Else Would 10:45 Investing in Physical Products vs. SaaS 12:30 The Truth About Virality and Bad Product Experience 14:10 How They Evaluate Customer Acquisition Channels 16:30 Defining Capital Efficiency (Pre and Post Investment) 19:00 Why Most of Their Portfolio Never Raises a Series B 22:00 What Changed Post-ZIRP: Founder Power vs. Investor Power 24:45 The Secret Sauce to Surviving the Hype Cycles 26:30 The “Unsexy Markets” That Became Home Runs 29:45 Why AI Might Be SaaS 10 Years Ago—But Riskier 33:00 Lessons From Grove Collaborative’s Public Struggles 36:50 Chewy’s Secret Weapon: Negative Working Capital 38:40 Existing vs. New Market Creation (And Why Larry Prefers Existing) 41:10 Knowing When to Exit—and What That Conversation Looks Like 44:10 Fund Horizon, Exit Timing, and Founder Alignment 45:40 Larry’s Book Picks: The Bible and 5 Types of Wealth 46:30 The Biggest Consumer Red Flag Today: “Made in China” 48:40 Favorite Innovation: Teslas Driving His In-Laws Around 49:50 The Biggest Venture Lesson: Power Law Is Real 51:20 Why Volition Intentionally Concentrates Their Bets 52:10 Pattern Matching: Useful Signal or Dangerous Bias? 53:25 The Biggest Myth About VCs (Hint: They’re Not All Sharks)—📬 Subscribe to The Consumer VC newsletter for weekly insights: 👉 https://www.theconsumervc.com/🎧 Listen on: Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/4Hjm74Z... Apple Podcasts → https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast...Follow Mike Gelb: Twitter / IG / TikTok → @mikegelb / @consumervc

This episode is brought to you by Highbeam.Highbeam is the all-in-one banking and cash management platform built for consumer brands – https://www.highbeam.co/capital?partn...Katie Wilson is the CEO and co-founder of BelliWelli, a gut health brand that went from home kitchen experiments to the shelves of Walmart and Target—with zero paid ads and no CPG background.Before BelliWelli, Katie was a celebrity matchmaker who helped founders, actors, and CEOs find love. But a personal gut health crisis after food poisoning sent her down a new path—one that exposed a massive gap in the wellness market.If you’re building a consumer brand, struggling with growth, or tired of DTC hype—this episode is a masterclass in scrappiness, community, and execution.She explains: ▫️How she built a viral brand by buying Facebook groups ▫️Why IBS became her billion-dollar insight ▫️The bizarre story of how she raised $200K from a Clorox exec on LinkedIn ▫️Why she pitched Walmart before launching a DTC site ▫️How BelliWelli beat legacy brands without a marketing budget ▫️What most startups get wrong about retail and virality00:00 Intro 02:41 How She Became a Celebrity Matchmaker 06:17 What Founders Are Like as Dating Clients 10:03 Getting Hired by Match.com 13:11 The Gut Health Breakdown That Sparked Everything 16:59 Her Husband’s Role in Creating the First Bar 18:08 The Secret Power of Facebook Groups 19:01 How She Bought 20+ Groups to Launch the Brand 21:24 Scaling From Kitchen Bars to 500K+ Customers 24:34 How She Met Her First Investor Through Matchmaking 25:47 What Made an Exec Wire Her $200K 27:12 From “IB Simple” to Rebranding as BelliWelli 31:01 Why Retailers Told Her the Original Brand Would Fail 33:19 Getting Into Sprouts, Then Target 36:40 Why the Protein Bar Aisle Isn’t Ready for Fiber 40:51 The Genius Move to Launch Fiber Powders at Walmart 44:12 How a Gluten-Free Café Introduced Her to Walmart’s Buyer 46:04 Why Walmart Called to Say “What Did You Do?” 47:04 Her Secret Edge as CEO 48:58 Going Viral at Walmart—With No Ad Spend 50:41 Filming Hundreds of Organic Videos in Store 51:08 Driving 1 Billion Walmart Impressions in 7 Months 53:39 What Most Founders Misunderstand About Community 55:33 Why She’s Still in Walmart Every Night—📬 Subscribe to The Consumer VC newsletter for startup trends:https://www.theconsumervc.com/🎧 Listen on:Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/4Hjm74Z...Apple Podcasts → https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast...Follow Mike:Twitter / Instagram / TikTok → @mikegelb / @consumervc

This episode is brought to you by Highbeam.Highbeam is the all-in-one banking and cash management platform built for consumer brands – https://www.highbeam.co/capital?partn...Richard Laver isn't your typical founder.At age 12, he survived a plane crash that killed 137 people—including his father. Years later, he built Kate Farms to save his daughter's life, scaling it to hospitals nationwide and raising $75M. Then he walked away from it all.Now, he’s back with Lucky Energy—a clean, purpose-driven energy drink brand that just raised $14M.In this powerful episode, Richard shares:The personal tragedy that shaped his missionHow he scaled a life-saving formula into a national brandWhy he believes the energy drink industry is brokenThe strategy behind launching Lucky Energy in a saturated marketHow to build trust, win retail, and raise capital in 2024If you're in CPG, startup land, or just love founder stories with real heart and hustle—this is the one. Topics:Surviving tragedy and finding purposeBuilding Kate Farms from kitchen to $75M Series CWhat makes energy drinks so hard to win inWhy most brands fail at retail (and how to fix it)Richard’s $14M raise and plans for Lucky Energy🎧 Subscribe & Listen: 🌐 Website & Newsletter → https://www.theconsumervc.com/ 🎧 Youtube→ https://www.youtube.com/@consumervc  🍎 Apple Podcasts → https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast...📱 Follow Mike Gelb Instagram → @mikegelb TikTok → @consumervc Twitter → @mikegelb#richardlaver #energydrinkstartup #founderstory #consumerbrands #katFarms #luckyenergy #cleanenergy #startuplife #venturecapital #founderjourney #consumervc

This episode is brought to you by Highbeam.Highbeam is the all-in-one banking and cash management platform built for consumer brands – https://www.highbeam.co/capital?partn… Join host Mike Gelb as he chats with Shamin Walsh, Managing Director at BAM Ventures — the early-stage VC firm behind Thrive Market, Honey, and Cotopaxi.Shamin breaks down how BAM spots winning startups early, why fund size shapes strategy, and what it really takes to build sticky consumer brands — without chasing unicorn hype.From AI buzz to price discipline and founder fit, this episode is packed with practical insights for anyone building or backing a consumer company.🕒 Timestamps00:00 What Makes AI Actually Valuable01:22 Intro – Who is Shamin Walsh & BAM Ventures?03:44 Why She Joined BAM & What Makes the Firm Different07:00 Is Consumer Still Sexy? (Hint: Yes, If You Do It Right)10:07 Power Law Returns in CPG & Brand Exits13:21 Why Fund Size Dictates Strategy16:10 Balancing Brand, Commerce Infra & Consumer Tech17:30 What BAM Looks for in Founders20:15 Case Study: How Thrive Market Nailed Consumer Behavior23:15 The Danger of False Signals in Consumer Startups26:00 How BAM Thinks About Reserves & Follow-Ons28:20 Staying Price Disciplined (Even in the 2021 Hype Cycle)30:00 Why Founders Pick BAM Over Bigger Funds32:00 Capital Efficiency ≠ Always Bootstrapping35:09 Fundraising Strategy & How to Navigate Future Rounds37:00 What Early Traction Signals Actually Matter39:10 How BAM Measures Stickiness vs. Trendiness44:00 Could a New Social Platform Still Win?46:00 BAM’s View on AI: Not a Strategy, Just a Tool48:00 ⚡ Rapid Fire Round: Trends, Products, Books52:00 Why “The Little Prince” Still Inspires Shamin📬 Subscribe to The Consumer VC newsletter for startup trends:https://www.theconsumervc.com/ 🎧 Listen on:Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/4Hjm74Z… Apple Podcasts → https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast… Youtube →https://www.youtube.com/@consumervcFollow Mike:Twitter / Instagram / TikTok → @mikegelb / @consumervc

This episode is brought to you by Highbeam.Highbeam is the all-in-one banking and cash management platform built for consumer brands – https://www.highbeam.co/capital?partnerId=consumervcIn this episode of The Consumer VC, Mike Gelb sits down with Chris Kirby, founder of Ithaca Hummus, to uncover how he turned a local farmer’s market stand into a $50M+ premium food brand — without traditional VC funding.Chris shares:Why he left fine dining to build a CPG brandHow Ithaca Hummus was born at a student farmer’s marketSelling without brokers & scaling through scrappy growthWhy they said NO to VCs and focused on unit economics & velocityHow packaging and taste-first branding drove national expansionStrategic partnerships that led to explosive revenue jumps🔥 If you're a CPG founder, emerging brand, or curious about bootstrapping a premium product, don’t miss this.🕒 Timestamps00:00 - Opening Quote: The Magic of Farmer’s Markets03:24 - From Fine Dining to Culinary Burnout06:36 - Discovering a Gap in Ithaca’s Food Scene10:46 - Launching Ithaca Hummus from a Camp Kitchen13:54 - The Addictive Energy of Farmer’s Markets19:15 - No Brokers: Selling to Co-ops Door-to-Door24:33 - Sampling, Promotions & Retailer Education28:10 - $1M to $3.5M: Strategic Investment from Co-Man33:50 - Saying No to VCs: Building Without External Pressure37:17 - What Strategic Actually Means in CPG41:50 - Branding, Packaging & the Power of “Owning Taste”45:33 - Creating Viral Flavors (e.g. French Onion Hummus)47:59 - Graza x Ithaca: Strategic Co-Branded Launch50:00 - Long-Term Vision: Legacy, Not Liquidity53:50 - Lightning Round: Books, Beliefs & Brands#venturecapital #consumervc #vcfunding —📬 Subscribe to The Consumer VC newsletter for startup trends:https://www.theconsumervc.com/🎧 Listen on:Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/4Hjm74Z...Apple Podcasts → https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast...📲Follow Mike:Twitter / Instagram / TikTok → @mikegelb / @consumervc

#venturecapital #consumervc  Join host Mike Gelb on The Consumer VC as he talks with Sid Banthiya — investor, advisor, and former CSO at Milk Bar. In this episode, Sid dives deep into consumer startup dynamics, term sheet red flags, and how founders can scale smarter (not louder).Learn why many startups fall into the trap of "venture validation," when bootstrapping is better, and how to navigate hot markets without losing your edge. Sid also reveals why understanding liquidation preferences is critical for founders and shares trends in CPG, e-commerce, and supplements.This episode is brought to you by Highbeam.Highbeam is the all-in-one banking and cash management platform built for consumer brands. Apply Here for Flexible CapitalWhether you're raising capital, launching a product, or scaling a DTC brand, this is a masterclass on thoughtful company-building and founder alignment.👇 Timestamps 00:00 Intro & Podcast Overview 00:47 Why Sid Wrote “Avoiding the Road to Mediocrity” 03:12 The Venture Trap: Chasing Capital vs. Solving Problems 06:00 Is VC the Right Path for Every Founder? 08:31 Fundraising Focus vs. Revenue Focus 10:00 The Rise of Too Much Capital in VC 13:10 Can Founders Course-Correct Their Mission? 16:00 Case Study: Hungryroot’s Strategic Pivot 18:25 How to Decide if You Should Start a Company 20:00 Bootstrap vs. Venture: When and Why 22:50 Go Slow or Scale Fast? What Founders Should Know 26:00 Investing in Hot Markets: Supplements, Protein & More 29:00 Valuation vs. Exit Reality: Why Price Discipline Matters 32:00 Waterfalls, Liquidation Preferences & Founder Equity 37:00 The Case for a “Better Business Bureau” for Investors 41:00 What Makes a VC Truly Valuable44:00 Rapid Fire: Consumer Trends, Favorite Products, VC Myths 52:00 Sid’s Book RecommendationsSubscribe for more VC insights and startup strategies: 📰 Newsletter → https://www.theconsumervc.com/ 🎧 Apple → Apple Podcasts 🎧 Spotify → Spotify 📲 IG / TikTok / Twitter → @mikegelb

Mathew Focht is the Founding Managing Partner of EMERGING, a $100M growth capital fund investing in the future of restaurant-tech and entertainment.In this episode of The Consumer VC, Mathew breaks down how EMERGING helps scale innovative hospitality concepts like F1® Arcade, BatBox, Puttshack, and more. We explore why the intersection of restaurants, entertainment, and technology is such a powerful space for venture capital, how they evaluate scalable concepts, and what makes EMERGING different from traditional investors.You’ll learn:Why eatertainment is booming post-COVIDWhat metrics EMERGING looks at before writing $2–8M checksHow restaurant-tech is evolving for both consumers and operatorsWhat makes a concept scalable, profitable, and defensibleWhy EMERGING focuses on experience + IP, not just marginsIf you're curious about how tech is transforming food and entertainment, and what it takes to build the next big concept, this episode is a must-listen.Join our weekly newsletter : ⁠theconsumervc.com⁠#venturecapital #restauranttech #consumerinnovation #mathewfocht #emergingfund #hospitalitytech #consumervc

#consumervc #venturecapital #aicontentcreation Join host Mike Gelb on The Consumer VC as he talks with Ishan Sinha, Partner at Point72 Ventures.In this episode, Ishan shares insights into the evolving role of AI in consumer startups, the challenges of AI-driven media, and the future of monetization for creators. He discusses the impact of AI on intellectual property, whether VCs are still underestimating consumer AI, and how AI-powered businesses can scale effectively. Ishan also breaks down venture capital trends, investment strategies, and lessons from past market cycles. For an insightful conversation at the intersection of AI, venture capital, and consumer innovation, check out the full episode!📩 Get Exclusive Insights & Deals 👉 [Insert Newsletter Link] 00:00 Introduction & Podcast Overview 00:45 Why Did Point72 Start a VC Fund? 03:10 From Public Market Investing to Venture Capital 06:05 Are VCs Underestimating Consumer AI? 09:50 AI in Media & Content Creation 12:30 AI vs. The Music Industry 16:20 Lessons from Napster to Spotify 19:15 How AI Can Benefit Artists & Creators 22:40 The Future of AI in Publishing & Journalism 25:30 How AI is Reshaping Consumer Tech 28:45 Investing in AI Startups: What VCs Look For 32:05 The Role of AI in Business Models & Monetization 35:00 Will the Next Big AI Innovation Look Like a Toy? 38:15 Lightning Round: Biggest Consumer Trends, Myths About VC & More 41:30 Final Takeaways & Where to Follow Ishan Sinha................Subscribe to Our Newsletter:https://www.theconsumervc.com/Subscribe on Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/4Hjm74Z...Subscribe on Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast...Follow on Twitter: / mikegelb Follow on Instagram: / mikegelb Follow on TikTok: / consumervc