A Wild Ride on Venture Capital and Mushrooms with Adam DeMartino

Episode 71.  In this episode of the Lifetime at Work podcast, host Greg Martin interviews Adam DeMartino, co-founder of the once very hot venture capital backed mushroom startup called Smallhold.

DeMartino shares his entrepreneurial journey to get him to starting Smallhold, from discovering his love for early stage business, to the highs of raising significant venture capital and facing the challenges that led to the company's bankruptcy and restructuring. 

They discuss the intricacies of mushroom farming, the impact of venture capital, and the values that drive DeMartino's work. This candid conversation offers insights and lessons for current and aspiring entrepreneurs as they question what it means to be successful and to fail.

• 00:00 Introduction to the Podcast
• 00:17 Meet Adam DiMartino
• 00:19 The Rise and Fall of Smallhold
• 01:34 Adam's Journey Before Smallhold
• 06:07 The Birth of Smallhold
• 06:16 Adam's Motorcycle Adventure
• 10:44 Entrepreneurial Spirit and Family Influence
• 12:56 Building the Mushroom Business
• 15:13 Scaling Up and Seeking Investment
• 26:25 Expanding to the Texas Market
• 26:49 Pandemic Accelerates Growth
• 27:08 Mushroom Kits: A Pandemic Success
• 29:06 Building Farms in Texas and New York
• 29:31 Facing Bankruptcy and Reorganization
• 32:42 Lessons from the Journey
• 38:09 The Importance of Fungi
• 43:24 Advice for Young Entrepreneurs
• 47:42 The Power of Mushrooms
• 49:04 Conclusion and Final Thoughts