In this episode, Nicole Priel returns to Product Builder for a second conversation — this time as a Partner at Kinetic Capital, a new VC fund backing bold B2C founders.
Nicole is building a thesis, a fund, and a community around consumer startups — and she’s here to explain why now is the time to bet on B2C.
We talked about:
🧠 Why now is the perfect time to build in consumer
📉 Why B2C disappeared from VC decks — and how that’s changing
💡 What Nicole looks for in a consumer founder
📈 Business models beyond subscriptions — and what’s coming next
📢 Founder-led marketing and why it’s your unfair advantage
🌍 Building the “B2C Believers” community
⏱ Chapters
00:00 – Why B2C is the next big opportunity
01:30 – What founders look like in the AI era
04:00 – Expectations from early-stage founders today
06:00 – The story behind B2C Believers
08:45 – Why consumer funding collapsed in the last decade
13:00 – Rising trends: short-form drama, taboo topics, and wellness
17:30 – Business models: beyond subscriptions
21:00 – Marketing as a signal
25:00 – What makes a great consumer founder
28:00 – How Nicole prioritizes investments
30:00 – Final thoughts & how to reach out
🎧 Enjoyed the episode?
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👇 Links:
💬 Join our WhatsApp group: chat.whatsapp.com/LLI6KG62jW68BA7EDS5QWw
🎓 Product Management course (Impact-first): live.getproductbuilder.com
🚀 Work with me: userflowzz.com
Connect with Nicole: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolegp/