The Kickstart Podcast

There has never been a more true axiom in the startup world than this: The only constant is change; and when things need to change, it's up to the founder to get it done. This episode includes CEO and founder Rachel Nilsson of RAGS and venture capital investor Curt Roberts from Kickstart Fund to give you both sides of a Perfect Pitch. This episode explores:Rachel's Shark Tank experienceHow to overcome a toxic hire on your executive teamThe importance of hiring slowly & firing quickly in a startupWhy managing your mental health is vital for a successful startup

If you've ever wondered whether that passion project really is entrepreneurial gold worth fighting for or a hobby that should just stay in your garage, this episode is for you. This episode hosts Mark Frank, Founder & CEO of SonderMind and Investor Curt Roberts, Partner at Kickstart and will explore:

How to decide if your idea is worth pursuing as a companyWhy passion is necessary for a startupHow to highlight company vision in a pitchThe importance of listening to your gut when making hires

If you haven't hit a roadblock on your startup journey then you haven't actually started. Roadblocks are a predictably unpredictable part of starting a new venture and this episode dives into the minds of Jeremy Hanks, founder of DSCO and investor Dalton Wright, to explore how our approach to those early challenges to our businesses can bring us even closer to a perfect pitch. This episode explores:

How founders can navigate early roadblocks

Jeremy's uphill battle with Dsco's near close

An investor's viewpoint on when a founder is backed into a corner

How flashes of brilliance can sometimes do more for your company than months of work

Being an entrepreneur is all about playing the long game and the best founders and their investors understand that the ups and downs of solving big problems require more than just big vision. It's a combination of traits and practices that will carry you through the lean times. If you want to know what cockroaches and good entrepreneurs have in common, tune in to hear Founder Mike Peregrina of Homie and investor Curt Roberts to bring you both sides of a perfect pitch. This episode will cover:

• The 13 C's of Entrepreneurship
• Why entrepreneurs should strive to be like cockroaches
• How to keep the investor/entrepreneur relationship healthy through difficult times
• The importance of looking "beyond the business" and nourishing your connections

If there's ever a setting where resilience is imperative, it's a startup. But the combination of uncertainty, lack of control, and the intense pace of a startup can also often have a direct correlation to increased stress, which can in turn negatively impact resilience. It's tempting to think the solution is to just to work harder. But is that really the best way to develop resilience? Today, we'll talk with Founder Rob Nelson and investor Gavin Christensen to bring you both sides of a perfect pitch. This episode will explore:

• Signs that an investor looks for to recognize a scrappy founder
• Questions to ask yourself when making difficult decisions as a leader
• The importance of resilience and vulnerability, and why you need both to run a company
• The steps you can take to live intentionally, within your business and personal life

If you could peek behind the curtain of the funding world, do you think that would make it easier or harder to follow your passion and take that leap of entrepreneurial faith? We'll find out when we talk to MarketDial CEO and founder Morgan Davis, and investor Curt Roberts about what happens when a venture capitalist becomes a founder as we bring you both sides of a perfect pitch.