Trailblazers by Erica Wenger

In this episode, we sit down with Kate McAndrew, Co-Founder and General Partner of Baukunst, a $100 million pre-seed venture fund investing in the next generation of founders. After spending more than a decade investing in over 100 early-stage companies, Kate shares how she evaluates entrepreneurs long before the rest of the market catches on. We discuss what makes a startup worth investing in, how great investors think from first principles, the traits that separate exceptional founders, how to build company cultures and institutions that last, and the unconventional path that led her into venture capital. If you're interested in startups, investing, entrepreneurship, or understanding how the best venture capitalists think, this episode is for you.

This episode is supported by Sydecar, HEX, Wispr Flow, Granola, Beehiiv, Kalshi

Sydecar: https://sydecar.io/partners/trailblazers

beehiiv: https://www.beehiiv.com/splash?utm_campaign=trailblazers-2026-Partnership&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=trailblazers&utm_term=podcast-4&stripe_campaign_code=TRAILBLAZERS30 (or use code “trailblazers30” for 30% OFF)

*beehiiv has a major announcement coming July 16 - can't say more, but you won't want to miss it. RSVP here: https://www.beehiiv.com/summer-release-2026

Granola: https://granola.ai/trailblazers

*Granola is the official notetaker of Trailblazers. Check out the episode show notes here: https://notes.granola.ai/t/860f1c91-f717-41cd-a6c1-567458bfb806-008umkv4

Kalshi: https://Kalshi.com/r/trailblazers

Wispr Flow: https://ref.wisprflow.ai/trailblazers

HEX: https://hex.ai/trailblazers

🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.trailblazerspod.com

🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://spotify.trailblazerspod.com

📲 Follow on TikTok: https://tiktok.trailblazerspod.com

▶️ Subscribe on YouTube: https://youtube.trailblazerspod.com

📸 Follow on Instagram: https://instagram.trailblazerspod.com

🐘 Learn more about Park Rangers Capital: https://parkrangerscap.com

Trailblazers is your favorite tech + VC podcast, hosted by Erica Wenger (GP at Park Rangers Capital). Each week we sit down with founders, operators, and investors who’ve found conventional success in unconventional ways. New episodes every Tuesday.

Timestamps:

0:00 Intro

1:37 Kate’s Biggest Struggle

3:55 How Going To An All-Girls School Impacted Kate's Life

8:38 What Going To An All-Girls School Is Actually Like

11:21 How Kate Thinks About Investing

12:41 What Makes A Great Founder

14:23 How Companies Survive 100+ Years

17:14 Kate’s Unconventional Path To VC

23:15 The Philosophy Of Building A Great Company

27:54 How Kate Got Her First Job In VC

30:04 Kate’s Best Advice For Entrepreneurs

33:29 What Makes A Brand’s Identity

36:49 Why Kate Makes Content

43:30 The Purpose Behind Baukunst

48:04 How Baukunst Operates Internally

52:34 What Kate’s Most Excited To Invest In

54:57 Every VC Hates A Creator Business

In this episode, we sit down with Nas Daily, entrepreneur, creator, and founder of one of the world's largest creator brands. After building an audience of more than 70 million followers through nearly a decade of daily videos, Nas made the biggest gamble of his career by pivoting his content to AI. We discuss why he believes AI will create the next Walt Disney, how he built and manages a company with more than 100 employees, the philosophy behind Nas Daily, the family gamble that got him into Harvard, his perspective on the Israel-Palestine conflict, and how he thinks about storytelling, leadership, and the future of content. If you're interested in entrepreneurship, the creator economy, AI, or building a business that stands the test of time, this episode is for you.

This episode is supported by Sydecar, HEX, Wispr Flow, Granola, Beehiiv, Kalshi

Sydecar: https://sydecar.io/partners/trailblazers

beehiiv: https://www.beehiiv.com/splash?utm_campaign=trailblazers-2026-Partnership&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=trailblazers&utm_term=podcast-3&stripe_campaign_code=TRAILBLAZERS30 (or use code “trailblazers30” for 30% OFF)

*beehiiv has a major announcement coming July 16 - can't say more, but you won't want to miss it. RSVP here: https://www.beehiiv.com/summer-release-2026

Granola: http://granola.ai/trailblazers

*Granola is the official notetaker of Trailblazers. Check out the episode show notes here: https://notes.granola.ai/t/153edc4e-bc9a-410d-8f94-f9aea61e8cfd-00b881l8

Kalshi: http://Kalshi.com/r/trailblazers

Wispr Flow: https://ref.wisprflow.ai/trailblazers

HEX: http://hex.ai/trailblazers

🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.trailblazerspod.com

🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://spotify.trailblazerspod.com

📲 Follow on TikTok: https://tiktok.trailblazerspod.com

▶️ Subscribe on YouTube: https://youtube.trailblazerspod.com

📸 Follow on Instagram: https://instagram.trailblazerspod.com

🐘 Learn more about Park Rangers Capital: https://parkrangerscap.com

Trailblazers is your favorite tech + VC podcast, hosted by Erica Wenger (GP at Park Rangers Capital). Each week we sit down with founders, operators, and investors who’ve found conventional success in unconventional ways. New episodes every Tuesday.

Timestamps:

0:00 Intro 

1:45 Nas Is Very Opinionated

4:40 How To Actually Create Company Culture

5:56 Nas Hasn’t Changed His T-Shirt In 9 Years

8:40 Asking People Their Net Worth Should Be Normal 

9:21 How Nas Chooses What Products To Build 

13:52 Why Justin Bieber’s Business Failed

16:09 Predicting What Type Of Founders Will Be Successful 

17:13 How Nas Daily Hires Employees 

18:05 Why AI Agencies Suck

21:16 The Biggest Risk Nas Daily Ever Took 

24:10 How Nas Daily Closed Series A Investment 

29:31 The Passing Of Zaki Djemal 

32:40 The Importance Of Believing In Yourself 

36:20 Why Nas Boycott YouTube For 2 Years 

38:37 Discussing The Israel-Palestine Conflict 

49:04 Growing Up In Israel 

51:08 How Nas Ended Up Going To Harvard 

52:43 North Korea Vs Israel 

54:47 Rapid Fire Questions

In this episode, we sit down with Justin Welsh, entrepreneur, writer, and founder of a $15 million one-person business. After helping build two billion-dollar companies and raising more than $300 million in venture capital, Justin chose a different path; one focused on freedom, leverage, and ownership. We discuss the power of writing, the future of entrepreneurship in the age of AI, why many founders are building the wrong businesses, and how to create wealth without sacrificing your time, health, and relationships. If you want to build a business that supports your life instead of consuming it, this episode is for you.

This episode is supported by Sydecar, HEX, Wispr Flow, Granola, Beehiiv, Kalshi

Sydecar: https://sydecar.io/partners/trailblazers

beehiiv: https://www.beehiiv.com/splash?utm_campaign=trailblazers-2026-Partnership&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=trailblazers&utm_term=podcast-2&stripe_campaign_code=TRAILBLAZERS30 (or use code “trailblazers30” for 30% OFF)

*beehiiv has a major announcement coming July 16 - can't say more, but you won't want to miss it. RSVP here: https://www.beehiiv.com/summer-release-2026

Granola: http://granola.ai/trailblazers

*Granola is the official notetaker of Trailblazers. Check out the episode show notes here: https://notes.granola.ai/t/5998b389-aaa5-4d9c-bc58-a7ff3230378c-009c2hma

Kalshi: http://Kalshi.com/r/trailblazers

Wispr Flow: https://ref.wisprflow.ai/trailblazers

HEX: http://hex.ai/trailblazers

🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.trailblazerspod.com

🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://spotify.trailblazerspod.com

📲 Follow on TikTok: https://tiktok.trailblazerspod.com

▶️ Subscribe on YouTube: https://youtube.trailblazerspod.com

📸 Follow on Instagram: https://instagram.trailblazerspod.com

🐘 Learn more about Park Rangers Capital: https://parkrangerscap.com

Trailblazers is your favorite tech + VC podcast, hosted by Erica Wenger (GP at Park Rangers Capital). Each week we sit down with founders, operators, and investors who’ve found conventional success in unconventional ways. New episodes every Tuesday.

Timestamps:

0:00 Intro

0:58 The Hardest Part In Justin’s Journey

2:17 Knowing When Something Has To Change

3:57 How Justin’s Wife Helped Build Their $15M Business

5:44 Revenue Sources

8:05 Learning How To Build Work-Life Balance

10:46 How AI Tools Impact Writing

16:40 The Most Valuable Social Platform

24:00 Justin’s Favourite Piece Of Writing

26:35 The Biggest Problem Founders Face Today

30:07 How To Give Value To Your Clients

31:59 Everyone Is So Bombastic

35:08 How Justin Chooses What Businesses To Invest In

39:10 Clients Love Being Part Of A Community

41:29 Building A $15M Business Alone

43:44 Healing From Burnout

48:41 Rapid Fire Questions

In this episode, we sit down with Mark Cuban to uncover the principles behind his success in business. From whether entrepreneurs should drop out of school to the toughest challenges he faced while building his companies, Mark shares the lessons that shaped his career. He explains why curiosity is a competitive advantage, how ego can hold people back, and what separates successful entrepreneurs from everyone else. If you're looking to build a business, advance your career, or think differently about success, this episode is for you.

This episode is supported by Sydecar, HEX, Wispr Flow, Granola, Beehiiv, Kalshi

Sydecar: https://sydecar.io/partners/trailblazers

beehiiv: https://www.beehiiv.com/splash?utm_campaign=trailblazers-2026-Partnership&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=trailblazers&utm_term=podcast-2&stripe_campaign_code=TRAILBLAZERS30 (or use code “trailblazers30” for 30% OFF)

*beehiiv has a major announcement coming July 16 - can't say more, but you won't want to miss it. RSVP here: https://www.beehiiv.com/summer-release-2026

Granola: http://granola.ai/trailblazers

*Granola is the official notetaker of Trailblazers. Check out the episode show notes here: https://notes.granola.ai/t/5998b389-aaa5-4d9c-bc58-a7ff3230378c-009c2hma

Kalshi: http://Kalshi.com/r/trailblazers

Wispr Flow: https://ref.wisprflow.ai/trailblazers

HEX: http://hex.ai/trailblazers

🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.trailblazerspod.com

🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://spotify.trailblazerspod.com

📲 Follow on TikTok: https://tiktok.trailblazerspod.com

▶️ Subscribe on YouTube: https://youtube.trailblazerspod.com

📸 Follow on Instagram: https://instagram.trailblazerspod.com

🐘 Learn more about Park Rangers Capital: https://parkrangerscap.com

Trailblazers is your favorite tech + VC podcast, hosted by Erica Wenger (GP at Park Rangers Capital). Each week we sit down with founders, operators, and investors who’ve found conventional success in unconventional ways. New episodes every Tuesday.

Timestamps:

0:00 Intro

1:25 Mark Cuban’s Biggest Professional Challenge 

4:14 Should Entrepreneurs Go To School?

7:26 How AI Is Impacting Education

14:26 Why Women Athletes Make Great CEO’s

15:40 Clavicular Getting Frame Mogged By ASU Frat Leader

16:44 When To Start A Company

20:59 AI Slop

26:08 The Dark Side Of AI

29:19 How Mark Cuban Is Fighting Big Pharma

33:03 Rich People Always Fail In Healthcare

37:23 Business Changes The World More Than Politics

44:57 Mark Cuban’s Advice For 20 Year Olds

53:46 Tech Wars 

1:01:15 Rapid Fire Question

This week, we chat with Leah Solivan!

Leah is the founder of TaskRabbit, the pioneering on-demand marketplace that helped redefine the future of work and laid the foundation for what we now know as the gig economy. As CEO for eight years, she scaled TaskRabbit into an international business operating in more than 40 cities before overseeing its successful acquisition by IKEA in 2017.

Today, Leah continues to build and back world-changing companies as Managing Director of Precedent.vc, General Partner at Fuel Capital, and founder of The Precedent Collective. Across her investing career, she’s supported more than 150 companies spanning consumer technology, marketplaces, hardware, education, and retail, including companies like Nanit, Pacaso, Our Place, Good Dog, and Upwards.

Before founding TaskRabbit, Leah began her career as a software engineer at IBM, where she worked on products like Lotus Notes and Domino, building the technical foundation that would later shape her journey as a founder and investor.

Leah is also a passionate advocate for diversity in technology and entrepreneurship, proudly representing her Latina heritage and speaking globally on topics like the future of work, innovation, and leadership.

✨ This episode is presented by Brex.

Brex: brex.com/trailblazerspod

This episode is supported by RocketReach, Gusto, OpenPhone & Athena.

RocketReach: rocketreach.co/trailblazers

Gusto: gusto.com/trailblazers

Quo: Quo.com/trailblazers

Athena: athenago.me/Erica-Wenger

Follow Us!

Leah Solivan: @labunleashed

Breaking Precedent Podcast: https://www.breakingprecedent.com/

https://truthorlie.ai/

@thetrailblazerspod: Instagram, YouTube, TikTok

Erica Wenger: @erica_wenger

This week, we chat with Mariam Naficy!

A serial entrepreneur and visionary leader known for pioneering new ways to connect creativity, technology, and human expression. Mariam is the Founder and Chairman of Minted, and now the Founder and CEO of Arcade, a platform that uses AI to help people communicate visually — transcending geographic and language barriers to connect creators, artisans, and consumers worldwide.

For Mariam, Arcade is a full-circle moment. Having grown up overseas exploring marketplaces and bazaars, she developed a lifelong love of handcrafted objects and the stories behind them. At Arcade, she’s bringing that passion to life — using technology to foster deeper human connection. By training models for makers like Christofle, Bitossi Ceramiche, Cabana, and Anastasio Home, as well as manufacturers around the world, Arcade empowers anyone to create meaningful, personal objects that reflect individual taste and creativity.

Before founding Arcade, Mariam built some of the Internet’s most influential creative brands over the past several decades. She founded and built Minted, the design marketplace that revolutionized the creator economy and became a several hundred million dollar business, and co-founded Eve.com, the very first online cosmetics retailer in the world, in 1998.

At the heart of her work is a belief that technology, when used thoughtfully, can bring meaning, beauty, and connection into people’s lives—as well as create meaningful income for others, such as the Minted artist community.

✨ This episode is presented by Brex.

Brex: brex.com/trailblazerspod

This episode is supported by RocketReach, Gusto, OpenPhone & Athena.

RocketReach: rocketreach.co/trailblazers

Gusto: gusto.com/trailblazers

Quo: Quo.com/trailblazers

Athena: athenago.me/Erica-Wenger

Follow Us!

Mariam Naficy: @mnaficy

Arcade: arcade_ai

@thetrailblazerspod: Instagram, YouTube, TikTok

Erica Wenger: @erica_wenger

This week, we chat with Marlon Nichols!

Marlon is the co-founder and managing general partner of MaC Venture Capital, a leading seed-stage firm backing visionary founders who are redefining industries and shaping the future. Under his leadership, MaC has grown into one of North America’s largest seed-stage venture firms, with over $600 million in assets under management.

He’s backed an incredible portfolio of companies including MongoDB, Gimlet Media, Thrive Market, Blavity, and Pipe—consistently identifying cultural and technological shifts before they hit the mainstream. His ability to spot transformative opportunities has earned him recognition on Business Insider’s Seed 100 and PitchBook’s top VCs to watch.

Before founding MaC Venture Capital, Marlon launched Cross Culture Ventures and served as an investment director at Intel Capital, developing a sharp lens on the intersection of culture, technology, and consumer behavior.

A former professional athlete, Marlon brings a leadership style rooted in discipline and long-term vision, and is deeply committed to expanding access in venture capital through his work with Kauffman Fellows.

✨ This episode is presented by Brex.

Brex: brex.com/trailblazerspod

This episode is supported by RocketReach, Gusto, OpenPhone & Athena.

RocketReach: rocketreach.co/trailblazers

Gusto: gusto.com/trailblazers

Quo: Quo.com/trailblazers

Athena: athenago.me/Erica-Wenger

Follow Us!

Marlon Nichols @MarlonCNichols

MaC Ventures: MaCVentureCap

@thetrailblazerspod: Instagram, YouTube, TikTok

Erica Wenger: @erica_wenger

Timestamps:

0:00 Intro

0:58 The Hardest Part In Justin’s Journey

2:17 Knowing When Something Has To Change

3:57 How Justin’s Wife Helped Build Their $15M Business

5:44 Revenue Sources

8:05 Learning How To Build Work-Life Balance

10:46 How AI Tools Impact Writing

16:40 The Most Valuable Social Platform

24:00 Justin’s Favourite Piece Of Writing

26:35 The Biggest Problem Founders Face Today

30:07 How To Give Value To Your Clients

31:59 Everyone Is So Bombastic

35:08 How Justin Chooses What Businesses To Invest In

39:10 Clients Love Being Part Of A Community

41:29 Building A $15M Business Alone

43:44 Healing From Burnout

48:41 Rapid Fire Questions

This week, we chat with Paige Hendrix Buckner!

Paige is the CEO of All Raise, a nonprofit working to accelerate the success of women and non-binary venture capitalists and reshape the culture of the venture ecosystem. She previously served as All Raise’s Chief of Staff and Interim CEO before stepping into the role full time.

Before joining All Raise, Paige was the COO of Founder Gym, the largest online program training underrepresented founders on how to raise venture capital.

Her career spans public service, entrepreneurship, and community building. She started at Teach For America, later became Policy Director for Multnomah County in Oregon, and went on to found her own venture, ClientJoy. She also developed the TIE Young Entrepreneurs program and was a founding board member of XXcelerate, initiatives focused on helping the next generation of entrepreneurs and women founders succeed.

Paige has been featured in publications like Bloomberg, Forbes, Fortune, Entrepreneur, and TechCrunch, where she shares insights on venture capital, diversity in tech, and why building a more inclusive ecosystem is critical to innovation and long-term success.

✨ This episode is presented by Brex.

Brex: brex.com/trailblazerspod

This episode is supported by RocketReach, Gusto, OpenPhone & Athena.

RocketReach: rocketreach.co/trailblazers

Gusto: gusto.com/trailblazers

Quo: Quo.com/trailblazers

Athena: athenago.me/Erica-Wenger

Follow Us!

Paige: @PaigeHBuckner

All Raise: @AllRaise

@thetrailblazerspod: Instagram, YouTube, TikTok

Erica Wenger: @erica_wenger

This week, we chat with Rob Schutz!

Rob is a serial entrepreneur, operator, and growth expert who’s spent his career building and scaling technology businesses that challenge outdated systems. He’s the founder of Snagged, where he helps entrepreneurs, startups, and established companies acquire premium domain names—and he’s also the co-founder of Ro, the digital health platform that’s transformed how millions of people access care and was last valued at $7 billion.

Before Ro, Rob was employee number seven and later VP of Growth at Bark, where he helped take the company from zero to a $100 million run rate and ultimately to the public markets as NYSE:BARK. Earlier in his career, he worked in healthcare consulting, helping hospitals transition to digital EMRs, and even founded and sold a daily deals company called What’s the Deal—a move that set the stage for his long-term focus on marketing, growth, and scaling consumer tech.

At Ro, Rob played a key role in building a vertically integrated digital clinic—combining telemedicine, pharmacy, and logistics—to make healthcare more accessible, stigma-free, and user-first. His work has helped redefine what modern healthcare can look like, especially in areas like men’s health, mental health, and chronic care.

Rob is a Penn State graduate and currently lives in New Jersey with his wife, two young kids, and his dog.

✨ This episode is presented by Brex.

Brex: brex.com/trailblazerspod

This episode is supported by RocketReach, Gusto, OpenPhone & Athena.

RocketReach: rocketreach.co/trailblazers

Gusto: gusto.com/trailblazers

Quo: Quo.com/trailblazers

Athena: athenago.me/Erica-Wenger

Follow Us!

Rob Schutz: @rob

Snagged: @snagged

@thetrailblazerspod: Instagram, YouTube, TikTok

Erica Wenger: @erica_wenger

🐘 Learn more about Park Rangers Capital!

This week, we chat with Mayssa Chehata!

Mayssa is the founder of BEHAVE Candy, the first low-sugar, clean-label candy designed not to spike blood sugar. Inspired by her love of sweets and her father’s diabetes, she set out to create a better alternative—partnering with chefs and food scientists to develop candy that delivers on taste while helping reduce sugar in the food system.

In addition to building BEHAVE, Mayssa is also the host of the ROCK BOTTOM podcast, and is a writer and speaker.

Before starting her company, she built her career across a range of well-known organizations, including the NFL, Uber, Daily Harvest, and SoulCycle.

And outside of all that, she also moonlights as a DJ.

✨ This episode is presented by Brex.

Brex: brex.com/trailblazerspod

This episode is supported by RocketReach, Gusto, OpenPhone & Athena.

RocketReach: rocketreach.co/trailblazers

Gusto: gusto.com/trailblazers

Quo: Quo.com/trailblazers

Athena: athenago.me/Erica-Wenger

Follow Us!

Mayssa Chehata: @mayssa_c

@behavecandy

@thetrailblazerspod: Instagram, YouTube, TikTok

Erica Wenger: @erica_wenger

🐘 Learn more about Park Rangers Capital!