In this episode of the Tacos & Tech Podcast, host Neal Bloom chats with Andrew Albert, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Channel Equity Partners. Andrew brings decades of investing experience - from public markets to private software equity - to the table. He shares how his journey from the East Coast to San Diego led to launching a new kind of early growth equity firm focused on bootstrapped or lightly funded B2B SaaS companies.

Andrew unpacks his investment strategy, discusses founder-alignment, thesis-driven sourcing, and how Channel Equity delivers capital with intention. Plus, he reflects on the power of long-term partnerships, why market cycles don't shake his thesis, and of course, his favorite San Diego burrito spot.

Key Topics Covered

* Channel Equity’s unique approach to early growth equity

* How Andrew’s public markets background shapes his private investing lens

* The “Ideal Founder Profile” and why alignment matters more than hype

* Examples of successful thesis-driven investments (e.g., CreatorIQ, restaurant CMS tools)

* The impact of AI on go-to-market efficiency and capital needs

* Fund I formation and raising capital in a challenging market

* Why IPOs aren’t the goal, and how $100M exits can be life-changing

* Breakfast burritos, New York pizza, and San Diego sunshine

Links & Resources

Channel Equity Partners

Connect with Andrew

LinkedIn

Connect with Neal Bloom

LinkedIn: Neal Bloom

Twitter: @NealBloom

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit risingtidepartners.substack.com/subscribe