Overheard: Where Venture Meets Culture Listen Ventures | Venture Capital | Brand

What comes first? Hip-hop or culture. It’s hard to say but there is no doubt that hip-hop artists are incredible story tellers, and we at Listen owe a lot of our truth and inspiration to them. Listen in as JoJo, Brentos, and Jeff dig into their early memories with hip-hop, how artists understand brand, and why being mentioned in a hip-hop song is the ultimate sign that you or your product has officially made it.

*This was recorded in February 2022.

A word from our portfolio: Whether you’re new to the weed party or you’ve been around for a while, Miss Grass is here to light your way. Miss Grass minis enhances the Time of your life. Fast Times, Quiet Times, All Times—and every moment in between. Head to missgrass.com to find your time today.

Host: Joelle Cosmas
Guests: Jeff Cantalupo and Brentos Fernandez

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Phones... They’re with us through the best of times and the worst. Although times may have been simpler 20 years ago, our devices have certainly helped us simplify our busy lives. From walking your dog to paying your bills to ordering food, one or two clicks gets you pretty far on a phone or computer. And with that, we’ve also seen how one or two clicks can cause some damage. Listen in as JoJo, Rick, and Ryan dig into the ways our devices have helped us come together and divided us, some of our own tech hygiene, and our hopes for the future of technology.

A word from our portfolio: Catch Co. is on a mission to rescue people from the indoors and creates amazing fishing brands, products, and shopping experiences for the modern angler. Check out catchco.com for your favorite new products and fishing inspiration.

Host: Joelle Cosmas
Guests: Rick Desai and Ryan Sievert

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Whether we’re scrolling on social media or shopping or eating or reading the news, we are constantly consuming. It makes up who we are and it’s changing — from digital content to physical items, there has never been more to consume. Listen in as the team dives into conscious consumption, the nine lives of our items, the ongoing rent vs. buy debate, and more. 
A word from our portfolio: Public Goods is your one-stop shop for organic and fair trade groceries, safe and sustainable personal care, and plant powered household cleaners. Visit publicgoods.com to check out our latest products.
Host: Joelle Cosmas
Guests: Rick Desai and Brentos Fernandez

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If we had a nickel for every time we’ve heard the phrase “timing is everything” we’d have a lot of nickels. Not only is this true for jobs, relationships, life changes… It's also a key ingredient for startups. The best part? You can’t control it. From successes like Uber and Airbnb, to not-so-successes like Webvan and Friendster, JoJo, Brentos, and Jeff dive into how consumer shifts and startup launch timing go hand in hand.
A word from our portfolio: Calm is the #1 app for sleep, meditation, and relaxation with proven techniques designed to ease your mind or lull you to sleep in under 10 minutes. Calm is on a mission to make the world healthier and happier. Head over to calm.com to check out their latest collabs. 
Host: Joelle Cosmas
Guests: Jeff Cantalupo and Brentos Fernandez

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It’s that time of year when all of the things you want for the holidays are ✨ magically ✨ showing up in your feed every other post. And even though we’re all kinda used to our phones listening to us, it’s a little different when you start seeing these products in your snail mail. Listen in as JoJo, Ryan, and Jeff talk about how brands are leaning into direct mail and how Facebook and Apple’s privacy updates are changing up the DTC media mix. You already know, we gush over the famous Sears Christmas catalog from years ago. 
A word from our portfolio: Slumberkins is a leading children’s brand promoting early emotional learning. Each of their creature collections focus on unique skills such as conflict resolution, self-esteem, and more. The tools are rooted in therapeutic techniques to help parents and caregivers raise resilient, caring, and confident children. Learn more at slumberkins.com.

Host: Joelle Cosmas
Guests: Jeff Cantalupo and Ryan Sievert

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Meta this, meta that. Is it just us, or has it been hard to avoid the term metaverse over the last few months? And although this isn’t a new idea, it’s happening and the screen-based internet as we know it is changing. Strap on your Oculus and listen in as JoJo, Rick, and Brentos talk about the future of how we’ll go to concerts, hang out with friends, spend QT with family, and experience our favorite brands. 
Disclaimer: This episode was recorded on October 13, 2021. Pre-Facebook Inc. becoming Meta Platforms Inc.
A word from our portfolio: Codeverse is a place where today’s kids invent tomorrow. Through guided coding, Codeverse is an online platform and community where kids ages 6-13 bring ideas to life by creating their own apps and games.

Host: Joelle Cosmas
Guests: Rick Desai and Brentos Fernandez

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