369 episodes
The Consumer VC: Venture Capital I B2C Startups I Commerce | Early-Stage Investing I Brands Mike Gelb
-
- Business
-
-
4.9 • 133 Ratings
-
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.
-
How They Built a Direct-to-Consumer Baby Food Brand and Scaled to Selling Millions of Products Each Month with Angela Vranich and Ben Lewis From Little Spoon
Our guests today are Angela Vranich and Ben Lewis, the dynamic duo behind Little Spoon, as we explore their journey from high school sweethearts to co-founders of a revolutionary baby food brand. Listen in as they share how their early fascination with consumer brands led them to the natural products industry, and how their personal relationship evolved into a successful business partnership. Angela and Ben provide a candid look at the challenges and rewards of building a business as a couple, the motivations that fueled their entrepreneurial spirit, and the key partnership principles that have guided their journey.
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.
(0:00:01) - Building Little Spoon With a Partner
(0:10:31) - Revolutionizing the Baby Food Industry
(0:19:15) - Expanding Product Line for Growing Kids
(0:32:56) - Direct-to-Consumer Success in Marketing
(0:46:21) - Balancing Growth and Profitability Strategy
Subscribe to Our Newsletter:
https://www.theconsumervc.com/
Subscribe on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/show/4Hjm74ZMqodx5UmAeWAOJF?si=e0bd72bc48b341ab
Subscribe on Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-consumer-vc-venture-capital-i-b2c-startups-i/id1484646914
Follow on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/MikeGelb
Follow on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/mikegelb/
Follow on TikTok:
https://www.tiktok.com/@consumervc -
Future of Food Tech, Can A Retail Model Like Foxtrot Work at Scale, and Channel Strategy for Food Brands with Ashley Hartman and Andrew Bluestein @ Bluestein Ventures
Our guests today are Andrew Bluestein and Ashley Hartman, Managing Partners of Bluestein Ventures. Bluestein Ventures invests in the future of food. What does that mean? They focus on investing in High-growth consumer brands, Proprietary foodtech, Next-gen commerce, Value-add digital technology. They just raised a $45 million third fund – which huge congrats to them for doing so. We discuss the transition from family office to VC firm, investing in inventory businesses and technology businesses, the difference between fund 3 and funds 1 and 2, what happened with Foxtrot, future of plant based meat, and much much more.
Thank you to our Partner –– Propeller Industries Industries https://www.propellerindustries.com/
Propeller Industries is the leading strategic finance and accounting partner for venture-stage companies.
0:00:00 - Intro
0:03:32 - Trends in Food Industry Digitization (35 Seconds)
0:07:14 - Food-Centered Investing Strategy Discussion (65 Seconds)
0:13:38 - Supply Chain Investing and Business Models (78 Seconds)
0:27:45 - Channel Strategy for Expanding Food Brands (75 Seconds)
0:38:10 - Plant-Based Meat (59 Seconds)
0:41:52 - Debate on Plant-Based Meat Benefits (91 Seconds)
0:50:59 - Investing in Great Businesses (77 Seconds)
0:57:47 - Optimizing a Complex Store Concept (67 Seconds)
1:02:09 - Strategic Framework in Business Startups (54 Seconds)
Subscribe to Our Newsletter:
https://www.theconsumervc.com/
Subscribe on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/show/4Hjm74ZMqodx5UmAeWAOJF?si=e0bd72bc48b341ab
Subscribe on Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-consumer-vc-venture-capital-i-b2c-startups-i/id1484646914
Follow on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/MikeGelb
Follow on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/mikegelb/
Follow on TikTok:
https://www.tiktok.com/@consumervc -
Unlocking the Potential of Beauty and Personal Care Brands With Manica Blain
Our guest today is Manica Blain. In this episode, we journey through the fascinating evolution of two beauty brands that have overcome initial hurdles to achieve remarkable success. Discover how an Ayurvedic beauty brand captured investor interest through high repeat purchase rates and how Everest, a hair care concentrate brand, pivoted from sustainability to performance, leading to explosive growth.
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.
We Discuss:
•Investing in Long-Lasting Consumer Brands
•Founding and Growing Beauty Brands
•Investment Strategies in Beauty Industry
•Dealing With Red Flags in Business
•Fund Development and Co-Partner Dynamics
•Inspiration in Books
0:01:35 - Investing in Beauty and Personal Care
0:04:44 - Evolution of Consumer Brand Expectations
0:08:08 - Brands Iterating to Find Success
0:18:41 - Investing in Beauty and Personal Care
0:23:09 - Beauty Industry Exit Dynamics
0:25:22 - From Bootstrapping to Funding
0:37:57 - Importance of Customer Retention
0:41:50 - Future Plans for Topknot Ventures
0:46:15 - Investment Strategy and Relationship Building
0:49:29 - Book Inspiration - Personal and Professional
Subscribe to Our Newsletter:
https://www.theconsumervc.com/
Subscribe on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/show/4Hjm74ZMqodx5UmAeWAOJF?si=e0bd72bc48b341ab
Subscribe on Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-consumer-vc-venture-capital-i-b2c-startups-i/id1484646914
Follow on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/MikeGelb
Follow on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/mikegelb/
Follow on TikTok:
https://www.tiktok.com/@consumervc -
The New Types of Acquirers in Health & Wellness, Different Parts Of The Term Sheet That Could Make a Difference In The Exit, and How Deals Get Done with Teddie Townsend from CG Sawaya Partners
Our guest today is Teddy Townsend of CG Sawaya Partners, as we explore the dynamic world of health and wellness brand acquisitions.Teddy brings her expertise to the table, shedding light on why companies in this vibrant sector pursue mergers and acquisitions, and how different types of buyers, from private equity funds to strategic acquirers, approach these deals
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.
We discuss:
• Company Acquisition Health & Wellness
• Understanding Equity Investment Terms
• Challenges With Low Profit Margins
• Shift in Supplement Business Trends
• Strategic Timing in Brand Acquisition
• Strategic Acquirers and Private Equity Groups
• Brand Evaluation and Marketing Strategies
• Strategic vs Minority Round Buyouts
• Women's Health and Market Needs
• Importance of Differentiation in Consumer Industry
(0:00:00) - Health and Wellness Brand Acquisitions
Nature's mergers and acquisitions in health and wellness, private equity vs. strategic buyers, term sheet nuances.
(0:09:35) - Understanding Liquidation Preferences in Investments
High liquidation preferences in VC deals can misalign interests, impede exits, and signal investor confidence in hot markets.
(0:13:37) - Sustainable Growth in Business Trends
Unsustainable growth models, excessive capital raising, reliance on high cash burn, shift in investor perspective, D2C market, understanding key metrics, importance of acquiring new customers, fundamental health and long-term sustainability in health and wellness sector.
(0:17:45) - Health and Wellness Industry Strategy
Current trends in health and wellness industry: focus on OTC products, strategic acquisitions, and consumer behavior in beauty and personal care.
(0:27:37) - Strategic Considerations for Business Acquisition
Nature's strategic considerations for founders targeting specific buyers, including M&A criteria, legal issues, scaling capabilities, and private equity.
(0:34:30) - Navigating Business Exits and Valuations
Substantiating product claims, engaging third-party reviews, and understanding exit strategies for successful business transactions.
(0:42:12) - Maximizing Deal Opportunities and Process Preparation
Maximize M&A success with nostalgia marketing, thorough preparation, and strategic buyer engagement for full buyouts and minority rounds.
(0:49:56) - Women's Health Challenges and Brand Differentiation
Women's health sector faces challenges in narrow market windows, scaling, and differentiation in a saturated market.
(0:56:55) - Transition From Writer to Banker
Teddy's journey from writing to investment banking, using storytelling skills, learning finance from "Investment Banking," and the impact of reading Stephen King's "The Stand. -
The Fusion of Past & Future Shopping Experiences, Insights from Brand Capital Fund's Consumer VC Benchmarks Report with Diana Melencio at XRC Ventures
Our guest today is Diana Melencio. Diana manages the entire XRC Ventures investment process across three investment vehicles – Accelerator Fund, Brand Capital Fund, and Opportunity Fund.
Thank you to our Partner –– Propeller Industries
Propeller Industries is the leading strategic finance and accounting partner for venture-stage companies.
Subscribe to Our Newsletter:
https://www.theconsumervc.com/ -
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
Our guest today is Dayton Miller, Managing Partner at BFG Partners. 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 –– Propeller Industries
Propeller Industries is the leading strategic finance and accounting partner for venture-stage companies.
Customer Reviews
Fun interview with Daniel Gluck
I highly enjoyed it!
My Favorite Podcast For CPG
As a CPG founder, CEO and passionate student of the space, I love Mike’s podcast. Mike always has top tier guests, asks insightful questions and delivers informative content. I’m thankful for the golden nuggets found in each episode. Highly recommend!
MUST listen for business and non-business people
Mike does a great job bringing on an amazing variety of guests to talk about their companies, backgrounds, challenges, and advice. I’ve discovered new companies I was never aware of and learned a lot about a variety of industries that I never knew (ex. the distribution laws that vary between beer, wine and spirits).
If you’re interested in starting a business, listen to this podcast
Top Podcasts In Business
You Might Also Like