The Startup Podcast

Investing & Fundraising - The Truth About VC w/ Nick Crocker (Replay)

Listen Later

How much value do VCs truly bring beyond their capital? And what makes the difference between a supportive partnership and a dysfunctional founder-investor relationship?


In this episode, Chris Saad and Yaniv Bernstein welcome Nick Crocker, General Partner at Blackbird Ventures, to explore these critical questions. Blackbird has been at the forefront of Australian venture capital, backing iconic startups like Canva, SafetyCulture, and Culture Amp. Drawing from Nick’s deep experience, this conversation unpacks what founders need to know about choosing investors, avoiding pitfalls, and building lasting partnerships.


Nick also dives into what separates successful startups from the rest clear storytelling, well-balanced cap tables, and hiring the right early team members. If you're a founder, this episode is a must-listen for navigating the complex venture capital landscape.


In this episode, you will:

  • Understand the common misconceptions about venture capital and why VCs may overstate their value.
  • Learn why it’s critical to reference-check your investors and how to tactically approach it.
  • Discover the key to early-stage success: clearly defining and passionately telling your story.
  • Gain insights into the importance of hiring a strong operations/finance leader in your first 10 hires.
  • Explore how founders can safeguard their health and attention to stay effective in the long term.
  • Uncover the challenges Australian startups face in scaling and how the ecosystem can mature.
  • Evaluate the impact of governance and board structures on a startup’s success.


    • The Pact

    Honour The Startup Podcast Pact! If you have listened to TSP and gotten value from it, please:

    • Follow, rate, and review us in your listening app
    • Subscribe to the TSP Mailing List at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://thestartuppodcast.beehiiv.com/subscribe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
    • Secure your official TSP merchandise at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://shop.tsp.show/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
    • Follow us on YouTube at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@startup-podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
    • Give us a public shout-out on LinkedIn or anywhere you have a social media following.


      • Key links

      • The Startup Podcast is sponsored by Vanta. Vanta helps businesses get and stay compliant by automating up to 90% of the work for the most in demand compliance frameworks. With over 200 integrations, you can easily monitor and secure the tools your business relies on. For a limited-time offer of US$1,000 off, go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.vanta.com/tsp⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.
      • Get your question in for our next Q&A episode: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://forms.gle/NZzgNWVLiFmwvFA2A⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
      • The Startup Podcast website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tsp.show⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠


        • Learn more about Chris and Yaniv

        Work 1:1 with Chris: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://chrissaad.com/advisory/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

        Follow Chris on Linkedin: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrissaad/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

        Follow Yaniv on Linkedin: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/ybernstein/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠


        Credits

        Editor: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Justin McArthur⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

        Content Strategist: Carolina Franco https://www.linkedin.com/in/francocarolina/

        Intro Voice: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jeremiah Owyang⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

        ...more
        View all episodesView all episodes
        Download on the App Store
        The Startup PodcastBy Yaniv Bernstein, Chris Saad
        • 5
        • 5
        • 5
        • 5
        • 5

        5

        36 ratings

        More shows like The Startup Podcast

        View all
        This Week in Startups by Jason Calacanis

        This Week in Startups

        1,273 Listeners

        Startups For the Rest of Us by Rob Walling

        Startups For the Rest of Us

        696 Listeners

        a16z Podcast by Andreessen Horowitz

        a16z Podcast

        1,040 Listeners

        The SaaS Podcast - SaaS, Startups, Growth Hacking & Entrepreneurship by Omer Khan

        The SaaS Podcast - SaaS, Startups, Growth Hacking & Entrepreneurship

        182 Listeners

        The Twenty Minute VC (20VC): Venture Capital | Startup Funding | The Pitch by Harry Stebbings

        The Twenty Minute VC (20VC): Venture Capital | Startup Funding | The Pitch

        519 Listeners

        Pivot by New York Magazine

        Pivot

        9,257 Listeners

        The Official SaaStr Podcast: SaaS | Founders | Investors by SaaStr

        The Official SaaStr Podcast: SaaS | Founders | Investors

        175 Listeners

        Founders by David Senra

        Founders

        1,906 Listeners

        Masters of Scale by WaitWhat

        Masters of Scale

        3,998 Listeners

        Y Combinator Startup Podcast by Y Combinator

        Y Combinator Startup Podcast

        217 Listeners

        The Prof G Pod with Scott Galloway by Vox Media Podcast Network

        The Prof G Pod with Scott Galloway

        5,414 Listeners

        The Startup Ideas Podcast by Greg Isenberg

        The Startup Ideas Podcast

        201 Listeners

        The Ben & Marc Show by Marc Andreessen, Ben Horowitz

        The Ben & Marc Show

        135 Listeners

        AI + a16z by a16z

        AI + a16z

        31 Listeners

        Lightcone Podcast by Y Combinator

        Lightcone Podcast

        22 Listeners