Inside Startup Funding

Helena Fogarty
  • 5.0 (1)
  • ENTREPRENEURSHIP
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Inside Startup Funding is a multi-format podcast, content platform, & community— sponsored by Bamboo X and hosted by Fundraising Expert Helena Fogarty —designed to demystify how startup capital really moves, from the first check to the pressures of scale. Follow us on YouTube, LinkedIn and Substack to get notified of new episode drops, monthly events, and special livestreams. Inside Startup Funding is sponsored by Bamboo X, a New York and Bay Area recruiting partner to startups building technical and design teams. Their team of recruiters have supported over 200 startups in building elite teams from mid-level hires through to executive leaders. For more info visit bamboo-x.com

  1. 11H AGO

    Cold Emails, Partner Meetings, and the Pitch Mistakes Founders Make | Charlie O’Donnell, VC Coach and Author of Founder Unfriendly

    Charlie O’Donnell, 20-year VC turned VC coach and author of Founder Unfriendly: What Investors Won’t Tell You About Getting Funded, joins Helena Fogarty on Inside the Fund to break down how venture capital decisions actually get made. In this conversation, Charlie explains why most cold outreach fails, what makes an investor actually answer, and how founders should think about running a first pitch meeting like a sales conversation. We also get into what really happens when your company gets brought up in a partner meeting, why your idea has to survive the “game of telephone” inside a firm, and the deck mistake that causes founders to bury the most exciting part of their story. One of Charlie’s clearest takeaways: “The narrative aspect of a pitch is something that most people miss. You are trying to convince somebody of something, not just present information objectively.” Charlie O'Donnell https://www.linkedin.com/in/ceonyc/ https://www.thisisgoingtobebig.com/ Helena Fogarty https://www.linkedin.com/in/helenafogarty/ Follow Inside Startup Funding for more conversations with founders, investors, and operators on what it really takes to raise capital.

    1h 27m

  2. APR 29

    Building a CPG Brand Beyond Retail | Zoe Jakubowich, VHS Ventures

    In this episode of Inside the Fund, we sit down with Zoe Jakubowich, a fractional Chief of Staff and a member of the investment team at VHS Ventures, to unpack a common misconception in consumer startups: venture capital isn’t the right path for most CPG brands. Zoe explains why founders should only raise if they’re ready to scale, what it actually takes to build traction, and how to think about growth before bringing on institutional capital. We also discuss why retail isn’t a shortcut to success, how to evaluate different funding options, and what investors are really looking for in today’s market. Topics we cover:• Why venture isn’t right for most CPG brands• When founders should consider raising• What real traction looks like vs vanity metrics• Why retail isn’t a silver bullet• Alternative funding options for CPG• How to approach investor conversations• The reality of building as a founder• What VCs misunderstand about CPG• Advice for founders getting started Sponsors:Aster AI — Aster AI is re-imagining the operating system for recruiting, building infrastructure that connects the world's top Product, Engineering, and Design talent with opportunities in the age of intelligent agents.Filmed at 28th and Park — https://www.28thpark.com/

    1h 10m

  3. APR 16

    How Founders Actually Create Leverage in a Fundraise | Andrew Ackerman

    Andrew Ackerman, 2x startup founder, venture capitalist, and author of The Entrepreneur’s Odyssey, joins us on Inside the Fund to talk about valuation, investor psychology, and what founders get wrong about fundraising process. In this episode, Andrew explains why most founders have less leverage on valuation than they think, why competing term sheets matter so much, and why investor FOMO is often the only thing that speeds up a deal. We also get into spray-and-pray outreach, deck mistakes, governance rights, liquidation preferences, and the fundraising process errors founders make over and over again. Andrew also shares lessons from building through the dot-com era, moving into angel investing, helping build industry verticals at Dreamit, and working closely with founders across proptech and construction tech. It’s a practical conversation about credibility, process, and how to raise more effectively in a tougher market. Topics we cover: Why founders usually have less valuation leverage than they thinkThe only real way to improve a term sheetWhy investor FOMO speeds up dealsWhy spray-and-pray outreach hurts credibilityThe sales discipline founders need in fundraisingWhat Andrew looks for when evaluating foundersCommon pitch deck and process mistakesWhat founders should do after receiving a term sheetWhy networking should start long before a raise Andrew Ackerman: http://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewbackermanhttps://x.com/andrewackermanhttps://www.instagram.com/andrewbackerman/ Links to Andrew's book: https://www.andrewbackerman.comhttps://www.amazon.com/Entrepreneurs-Odyssey-Approach-Startup-Success/dp/1032883545/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0

    1h 27m

  4. APR 7

    You’re Supposed to Hear “No” - Here’s Why It Matters | Maria Intscher-Owrang, CEO of Simplifyber

    Fundraising isn’t about getting to a yes. It’s about how you handle all the no’s along the way. Maria Intscher-Owrang, CEO of Simplifyber, joins us on Inside the Round to break down how founders should really think about fundraising, rejection, and long-term investor relationships. Simplifyber is building a new category of materials with bio-based, moldable fibers that can replace traditional textiles and some plastics, backed by Suzano Ventures, At One Ventures, and Techstars. In this conversation, Maria explains why rejection is a constant in fundraising, how the way founders respond to “no” shapes long-term outcomes, and why building relationships without expectations is one of the most underrated advantages in raising capital. She shares how staying close to investors who pass can open unexpected doors, and why emotional discipline is one of the most important traits founders can develop. Topics we cover:• What Simplifyber is building and how their materials replace textiles and plastics• Why rejection is a constant in fundraising and how to handle it• The importance of building investor relationships over time• Why “no” doesn’t mean the relationship is over• How to stay top of mind with investors who pass• Emotional discipline and long-term thinking in fundraising• Turning early conversations into future opportunities• Lessons from building in a new materials category Sponsors:Aster AI — Aster AI is re-imagining the operating system for recruiting, building infrastructure that connects the world's top Product, Engineering, and Design talent with opportunities in the age of intelligent agents. https://www.asterhq.com/ Filmed at 28th and Park — https://www.28thpark.com/ Follow Inside Startup Funding for more conversations with founders and investors shaping how capital actually works.

    1h 2m

  5. MAR 31

    Board Control, Legal Power, and Founder Outcomes | Yashreeka Huq, Partner at Perkins Coie

    How much of a startup’s outcome is shaped before anything goes wrong? In this episode, Yashreeka Huq, Partner at Perkins Coie, shares a behind-the-scenes look at the legal side of venture. From board control and investor rights to how lawyers influence founder decisions, this conversation breaks down the mechanics that quietly shape company trajectories. One key takeaway: “Believe the no, not the reason.” Investor feedback isn’t always the full story, and how founders interpret it can change everything. Follow Inside Startup Funding for more conversations with builders and investors shaping the next decade.

    1h 35m

  6. MAR 24

    Distribution, Trust, and Timing: What Actually Matters Now | Maddi Holman, GP at Daring Ventures

    Maddi Holman, General Partner at Daring Ventures, joins Inside Startup Funding to break down what actually matters for founders building today. In this conversation, Maddi shares how the landscape has shifted from building being the hard part to winning being the hard part. We get into why distribution, trust, and timing now matter more than ever, how founders consistently misjudge customer behavior, and why many products fail despite solving real problems. She also walks through what she looks for when evaluating companies and the patterns she sees in the founders that outperform. We also dive into real-world examples of founders building the wrong thing, the importance of staying close to customers, and what actually creates defensibility in a world where anything can be built quickly. Maddi brings a clear, operator-informed perspective on what separates companies that gain traction from those that don’t. Topics we cover: Why building is no longer the hard part Distribution, trust, and timing as modern moats What founders get wrong about customer behavior Why great products still fail to gain adoption What actually creates defensibility today How top founders stay close to their customers Evaluating companies as an early-stage investor SPONSORS Aster AI — Aster AI is re-imagining the operating system for recruiting, connecting top Product, Engineering, and Design talent with opportunities in the age of intelligent agents. https://www.asterhq.com/ 28th&Park — 28th&Park is a New York-based content and production studio working with founders, VCs, and creators to produce high-quality podcasts, events, and storytelling experiences. https://28thpark.com/

    1h 4m

  7. MAR 18

    Jess Schram on Founder Fraud, Defensibility, and What VCs Really Look For

    What actually makes a startup defensible now that it’s easier than ever to build? In this episode of Inside the Fund, Helena Fogarty sits down with Jess Schram, Partner and Director of Investments and Incubations at Remedy Product Studio, to talk about how founders should think about fundraising, valuation, diligence, and what separates the best companies from the rest. Jess explains why selling and distribution matter more than technical superiority, how Remedy’s hybrid investment model works, and why some formidable businesses still struggle to raise in today’s market. She also shares a striking story about discovering a founder was cooking the books while lead investors believed the company was thriving, plus her broader take on founder psychology, investor blind spots, and the signs she looks for when evaluating risk. One of the clearest takeaways: if you can’t sell what you’re building, good luck. Follow Inside Startup Funding for more conversations with builders and investors shaping the future.

    1h 19m

  8. MAR 11

    Founder Quality, Investor Fit, and Early-Stage Fundraising with Andrea Hippeau of Lerer Hippeau

    Andrea Hippeau, Partner at Lerer Hippeau, joins Inside the Fund to discuss how early-stage investors actually evaluate founders. Andrea breaks down what she looks for before traction exists, why conviction often forms long before a formal pitch, and how long-term relationships between founders and investors shape many of the best investments. She also explains why trying to “fix” founders rarely works, and how experienced investors recognize important founder signals earlier than most people expect. We also discuss how consumer investing works inside a venture firm, how investors separate real traction from short-term hype, and what has changed about early-stage fundraising over the past few years. Topics include founder evaluation, venture conviction, early consumer investing, and how investors identify the next generation of founders.

    1h 17m
See All (29)

About

Inside Startup Funding is a multi-format podcast, content platform, & community— sponsored by Bamboo X and hosted by Fundraising Expert Helena Fogarty —designed to demystify how startup capital really moves, from the first check to the pressures of scale. Follow us on YouTube, LinkedIn and Substack to get notified of new episode drops, monthly events, and special livestreams. Inside Startup Funding is sponsored by Bamboo X, a New York and Bay Area recruiting partner to startups building technical and design teams. Their team of recruiters have supported over 200 startups in building elite teams from mid-level hires through to executive leaders. For more info visit bamboo-x.com

Information

  • Creator
    Helena Fogarty
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    29
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Helena Fogarty
  • Show Website
    Inside Startup Funding

You Might Also Like