Understanding VC

By Rahul

Understanding VC is a podcast that provides founders with the knowledge and resources they need to understand venture capital. My goal is to create the best and most comprehensive resource on venture ... more

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FAQs about Understanding VC:

How many episodes does Understanding VC have?

The podcast currently has 103 episodes available.

Understanding VC episodes:

May 23, 2023UVC: Erik Huberman from Hawke Ventures on how Hawke Media's ecosystem and network drive their VC fund's success, emphasizes self-reflection & learning from missed opportunities, and exciting commerce enablement trends
In this episode you will learn:
Why does Erik emphasize the importance of financial literacy and understanding money management?
What motivated Erik to establish a VC fund alongside his marketing agency, Hawke Media?
How did Erik and his team develop a strategic approach for their VC fund, Hawke Ventures?
How did the extensive ecosystem and network of their marketing agency benefit their VC fund's operations?
What advantages does owning an ecosystem bring and how does it benefit portfolio companies and the overall business?
What challenges arise when raising a fund, and how does the emotional aspect impact the fundraising process, particularly with high net worth individuals?
What defines dual threat CEOs, and how do they potentially generate better returns compared to traditional VC fund managers?
Why is self-reflection and learning from missed investment opportunities crucial for growth?
Why does Erik's fund have a lower frequency of investments in consumer brands? What current trend in commerce enablement excites Erik the most?
About:

Erik Huberman, the CEO and Founder of Hawke Media, is a highly accomplished entrepreneur and marketing expert. In 2014, he launched Hawke Media, which has become the fastest growing marketing consultancy agency in the United States, now valued at over $150 million. Prior to this, Erik had already built and sold two successful e-commerce companies by the age of 26.
Erik's business portfolio has continued to expand strategically, including several company acquisitions. In 2018, he launched Hawke Ventures, which achieved a closed single fund of $5.6 million. In 2020, Erik started his own podcast called HawkeTalk, and in 2021, he introduced HawkeZ, an agency specifically designed to help brands connect with Generation Z. Most recently, he authored a book titled "The Hawke Method."
Erik's expertise and achievements have earned him recognition within the industry. He has been honored with accolades such as Forbes Magazine's 30Under30, CSQ's 40Under40, and Inc. Magazine's Top 25 Marketing Influencers, among others.
🔗 Follow us:
🏠Website : https://understandingvc.com/
🤝🏻LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/company/understanding-vc/
🎧 Spotify : https://open.spotify.com/show/1q7DxW3FEyP7EhH8m0VvAD
🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/understanding-vc/id1551524895

💌 Connect with Rahul:
🤝🏻 LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/rahulthayyalamkandy/
📩 Email : [email protected]
🐣 Twitter : https://twitter.com/rahul0720

📍 About:
Understanding VC is a podcast that provides founders with the knowledge and resources they need to understand venture capital. Our goal is to create the best and most comprehensive resource on venture capital on the internet, so that founders can make informed decisions about their businesses and secure the funding they need to succeed.
...more
42min
May 17, 2023UVC: Brian Frank from FTW Ventures on tech's impact on the food system, assessing the market potential & customer interest in a startup's product, the dual benefits of addressing climate change, and upcoming consumer food trends
In this episode you will learn:
What did Brian learn from his internship at Intel that has helped him as an entrepreneur?
What issues does Brian see in the current food system? Why does Brian believe that science and technology can uplevel the food system?
Why does FTW Ventures have a highly focused and concentrated investment approach? What value does FTW Ventures aim to create for founders?
Why are there not many VCs investing in the food and agriculture market?
What are the indicators of a team that can successfully navigate the stages of product development according to Brian?
How do Brian assess the market potential and customer interest in a startup's product?
How does the focus on transportation affect the quality and nutrition of food? How does the current food system contribute to health crises?
How does addressing climate change in the food system have both purpose-driven and profit-driven benefits?
What approach should entrepreneurs take when entering the food and Agritech space?
What are the potential future developments and investments in cell culturing and synthetic biology?
What consumer behaviour in food according to Brian will become mainstream in the next five to ten years?
What are the challenges faced by farmers today, and how can technology help address them? How can AI and technology help address labor shortages and augment human labor in agriculture?
About:
Brian is the Founder and General Partner of FTW Ventures. He is experienced in both Technology & Food, and understands the complexity of running startups at the intersection of these two, challenging spaces.

Prior to founding FTW, Brian led 3 venture-backed businesses to successful exits and directed innovative products in communication, mobile, social & AI/ML for both startups & Fortune 500 Companies over his 20+ year career.
🔗 Follow us:
🏠Website : https://understandingvc.com/
🤝🏻LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/company/understanding-vc/
🎧 Spotify : https://open.spotify.com/show/1q7DxW3FEyP7EhH8m0VvAD
🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/understanding-vc/id1551524895

💌 Connect with Rahul:
🤝🏻 LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/rahulthayyalamkandy/
📩 Email : [email protected]
🐣 Twitter : https://twitter.com/rahul0720

📍 About:
Understanding VC is a podcast that provides founders with the knowledge and resources they need to understand venture capital. Our goal is to create the best and most comprehensive resource on venture capital on the internet, so that founders can make informed decisions about their businesses and secure the funding they need to succeed.
...more
1h 9min
May 09, 2023UVC: Terry Chou from Alpha Intelligence Capital on the state of deep tech in Singapore, disruptive technology approach that AIC looks for in companies, the most important trait of a founder and impacts of generative AI
In this episode you will learn:
Where did Terry grow up? What sparked Terry's interest in investment and finance?
Why did Terry and her team decide to move to Singapore from Hong Kong?
What does Terry think of the state of deep tech in Singapore? What is AIC's investment strategy?
What is the reason for US having the best talent and approach in AI, and why is Asia lagging behind?
What is the disruptive technology approach that the Terry looks for in companies, and how does she assess it?
Why is staying relevant in AI super important for all tech giants? What does Terry think about the opportunity for a startup to build the Next Trillion Dollar company in AI?
What is the due diligence process of AIC like? What according to Terry is the most important trait of a founder?
How can AI help with faster diagnosis and what are the challenges for a diagnostics AI business?
What will be the consequences of generative AI tools in various sectors? What should individuals do to adapt to this change?
About:
Terry Chou is an accomplished investor with over 10 years of experience in venture capital and private equity. Her passion lies in investing and supporting entrepreneurs on their personal journeys. Terry's mission is to work with founders to bring disruptive AI technologies to the market, and she plays an essential role as a board member/observer of portfolio companies. As an investor at AIC, Terry has led advanced AI investments across regions with a focus on cybersecurity, FinTech, and SaaS. She joined AIC as an investor and founding member of Fund I in 2017 and has successfully led AIC's investments in several high-profile companies, including ReaQta, SenseTime, AI Music, QxBranch, Envelop Risk, Osaro, GetVisibility, and Vamstar. Before joining AIC, Terry spearheaded technology investments at VMS Investment Group, where she deployed over $180 million in investments in technology and health-tech investments, including notable investments such as iQiyi and Universal Medical Group Company. Terry holds a BSc in Economics from the London School of Economics and Political Science and is also a personal investor in K Health and Sandbox VR. She is an advocate for FemTech entrepreneurs and investors in the APAC region.
🔗 Follow us:
🏠Website : https://understandingvc.com/
🤝🏻LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/company/understanding-vc/
🎧 Spotify : https://open.spotify.com/show/1q7DxW3FEyP7EhH8m0VvAD
🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/understanding-vc/id1551524895

💌 Connect with Rahul:
🤝🏻 LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/rahulthayyalamkandy/
📩 Email : [email protected]
🐣 Twitter : https://twitter.com/rahul0720

📍 About:
Understanding VC is a podcast that provides founders with the knowledge and resources they need to understand venture capital. Our goal is to create the best and most comprehensive resource on venture capital on the internet, so that founders can make informed decisions about their businesses and secure the funding they need to succeed.
...more
47min
April 11, 2023Deep Dive: The Power of Relationships - Connect the Dots, sales, recruitment, and beyond with Drew Sechrist
In this episode you will learn:
What is Connect the Dots and how does it help users find strong connections to desired contacts?
How does Connect the Dots differ from other tools like Conspire, Affinity, or Bridge.app in terms of relationship intelligence?
How does Connect the Dots enable users to keep their contacts and relationship history as they change jobs, without losing valuable information?
Why did Drew choose to focus on solving the problem of relationship management?
How did Drew's experience at Salesforce contribute to his decision to become an entrepreneur?
What advice does Drew have for entrepreneurs wanting to build a network?
How can multi-threading and using relationships across the organization help in speeding up the sales cycle and improving conversions? What benefits can an entire sales team and company experience when everyone is leveraging relationships for sales?
How does having a network help with recruitment? In what ways are recruitment, fundraising, and sales similar?
Why are introductions important for entrepreneurs seeking funding from VCs?
About:
Drew Sechrist is a serial entrepreneur, veteran sales leader, and the CEO and co-founder of Connect The Dots.
A cold email to Marc Benioff in 1999 landed Drew an account executive job at Salesforce, where he was employee number 36. Drew became the company’s highest-producing seller, then the highest-producing sales manager as Salesforce scaled from zero to more than a billion dollars in revenue.
When Drew moved on in 2010, he was the VP of Salesforce’s High Tech vertical, calling on customers such as Apple and EMC. Drew launched his first tech company, Koozoo, in 2010. He went on to serve as an investor, advisor, and Chief Revenue Officer for various startups before founding Connect The Dots in 2019.
As a young seller, leaders like Marc Benioff, Jim Steele, Carl Schachter, and Susan St. Ledger transformed Drew’s career by opening their networks and making warm introductions on Drew’s behalf. With Connect The Dots, Drew is making that experience possible for anyone.
🔗 Follow us:
🏠Website : https://understandingvc.com/
🤝🏻LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/company/understanding-vc/
🎧 Spotify : https://open.spotify.com/show/1q7DxW3FEyP7EhH8m0VvAD
🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/understanding-vc/id1551524895

💌 Connect with Rahul:
🤝🏻 LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/rahulthayyalamkandy/
📩 Email : [email protected]
🐣 Twitter : https://twitter.com/rahul0720

📍 About:
Understanding VC is a podcast that provides founders with the knowledge and resources they need to understand venture capital. Our goal is to create the best and most comprehensive resource on venture capital on the internet, so that founders can make informed decisions about their businesses and secure the funding they need to succeed.
...more
39min
April 05, 2023UVC: Alex Felix from CoinFund on effective token distribution strategies, embracing non-consensus viewpoints, and his strong conviction in Crypto's future
In this episode you will learn:
What led Alex Felix from being a national ski champion to a career in finance and venture capital?
How is private equity different from venture capital according to Alex?
How did Coin Fund start? How do crypto VC firms design their support system?
How do crypto companies tackle the challenge of composability?
What does effective token distribution mean for crypto companies?
How do you develop a non-consensus viewpoint in venture? Does a non-consensus viewpoint need to become a consensus viewpoint for success?
Why is Alex so convinced about crypto?
How might crypto-based solutions enable better alignment of incentives between platform participants and the platform itself?
About:
Alex Felix is Chief Investment Officer and Managing Partner at CoinFund. CoinFund founded in 2015 and headquartered in New York City and Miami is a cryptonative investment firm and registered investment advisor. Prior to CoinFund, Alex was in Private Equity and worked at America Capital, Bank of America, RBS and Guggenheim Partners.
🔗 Follow us:
🏠Website : https://understandingvc.com/
🤝🏻LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/company/understanding-vc/
🎧 Spotify : https://open.spotify.com/show/1q7DxW3FEyP7EhH8m0VvAD
🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/understanding-vc/id1551524895

💌 Connect with Rahul:
🤝🏻 LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/rahulthayyalamkandy/
📩 Email : [email protected]
🐣 Twitter : https://twitter.com/rahul0720

📍 About:
Understanding VC is a podcast that provides founders with the knowledge and resources they need to understand venture capital. Our goal is to create the best and most comprehensive resource on venture capital on the internet, so that founders can make informed decisions about their businesses and secure the funding they need to succeed.
...more
48min
March 28, 2023UVC: Shwetank Verma from Leo Capital on how founders can obtain honest information about VCs, ways in which InsureTech can reduce costs & increase convenience and positive changes that are expected in the Indian startup ecosystem
In this episode you will learn:
How did Shwetank end up in venture?
Why does Shwetank advise not to treat fundraising as a competition?
What is the most challenging situation a VC can help a startup with, and why is it important?
Is it easy to get the truth about VCs from founders, and where is the best place to get it?
Why is it important to read what VCs write on LinkedIn or other places according to Shwetank?
Why has insurance been a bit behind other financial services? How can InsureTech reduce costs and increase convenience?
Why is building trust important for new insurers? What can new insurers do to build trust with their customers?
How can standardized data provided by the health stack help insurers create better products and outcomes?
What is the current state of venture in India and what positive changes are expected in the ecosystem?
About:
Shwetank Verma is the Co-Founder, and General Partner at Leo Capital. Shwetank leads Leo Capital's investments in South East Asia and supports the India investments. Based in Singapore, he is a frequent visitor to India and is personally passionate about health-tech and insurtech opportunities. Prior to his role at Leo Capital, Shwetank was the head of open innovation at MetLife Asia, where he established and managed Collab, a platform for matching the best technology startups with the right problem statements in the enterprise. He also served as an adviser on open innovation to several Fortune 500 companies.
🔗 Follow us:
🏠Website : https://understandingvc.com/
🤝🏻LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/company/understanding-vc/
🎧 Spotify : https://open.spotify.com/show/1q7DxW3FEyP7EhH8m0VvAD
🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/understanding-vc/id1551524895

💌 Connect with Rahul:
🤝🏻 LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/rahulthayyalamkandy/
📩 Email : [email protected]
🐣 Twitter : https://twitter.com/rahul0720

📍 About:
Understanding VC is a podcast that provides founders with the knowledge and resources they need to understand venture capital. Our goal is to create the best and most comprehensive resource on venture capital on the internet, so that founders can make informed decisions about their businesses and secure the funding they need to succeed.
...more
37min
March 20, 2023UVC: Valerie Van Vu from Ansible Ventures on overcoming doubters during her fund-raising journey, the three Cs she is bringing to the Vietnam startup ecosystem, and their strategy for bridging global networks & knowledge to Vietnam
In this episode you will learn:
Does Ansible Ventures only invest in seasoned entrepreneurs, or would it also invest in first-time founders?
What is Ansible Ventures' positioning and how does it aim to bridge global networks and knowledge to Vietnam?
Did Valerie face doubters while raising her fund, and how did she deal with them?
What are Valerie's areas of interest in terms of investments and why?
What is the current state of consumer internet in Vietnam and why is it attractive for investment?
How does FinTech relate to e-commerce in Vietnam and what are some challenges in investing in FinTech?
What are the three Cs that Valerie is bringing to the Vietnam startup ecosystem, and how is she using content creation through her TikTok channel and podcast to change the perception of startups and venture capital in Vietnam, and reach a wider audience?
What is Valerie doing to build a community and bridge the gap between Vietnam and the Vietnamese diaspora?
What motivates the interest of overseas Vietnamese and people of Vietnamese origin in building startups and contributing to their home country?
About
Valerie founded Ansible Ventures, a seed fund dedicated to Vietnam in 2022. Previously, she served as Vietnam Country Head for Venturra Capital, where she led over a dozen investments from 2020 to early 2022. From 2016 to 2019, she worked at Deloitte U.S. as a senior consultant where she advised hedge funds, private equity funds and other investment management clients. Valerie graduated magna cum laude in 2016 from Temple University’s Fox School of Business with a major in accounting and is a Certified Public Accountant licensed in Pennsylvania. She also founded Career Opportunities in Vietnam (COVN), providing advice to aspiring professionals and co-hosted Forward Vietnam Podcast.
🔗 Follow us:
🏠Website : https://understandingvc.com/
🤝🏻LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/company/understanding-vc/
🎧 Spotify : https://open.spotify.com/show/1q7DxW3FEyP7EhH8m0VvAD
🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/understanding-vc/id1551524895

💌 Connect with Rahul:
🤝🏻 LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/rahulthayyalamkandy/
📩 Email : [email protected]
🐣 Twitter : https://twitter.com/rahul0720

📍 About:
Understanding VC is a podcast that provides founders with the knowledge and resources they need to understand venture capital. Our goal is to create the best and most comprehensive resource on venture capital on the internet, so that founders can make informed decisions about their businesses and secure the funding they need to succeed.
...more
37min
March 15, 2023UVC: Anjali Sosale from WaterBridge Ventures on founder learnability and scalability, the importance of conducting background checks on VCs & why more women should found consumer startups
In this episode you will learn:
What is Fast Forward, and what problem does it aim to solve for founders, according to WaterBridge?
How important is it for founders to conduct a background check on VCs, and what percentage of founders actually do it?
What does Anjali mean by Founder learnability and scalability, and why are founders hesitant to let an experienced CEO scale the company?
What are the networks and channels that WaterBridge relies on for sourcing high-quality startups?
When evaluating a startup, why does Anjali prioritize assessing the team over analyzing markets?
Does consumer behaviour evolve over time, or does human psychology follow a hierarchy of needs, according to Anjali?
Why does Anjali think that women should build more consumer products?
What are the reasons behind the focus on vanity metrics and growth at all costs before VCs started focusing on profitability and real metrics, and how can this be avoided in the future to build sustainable businesses?
About

Anjali Sosale is a Partner at WaterBridge Ventures, an India-focused seed to series A fund that invests in early-stage technology companies. With a focus on consumer tech, e-commerce, marketplaces, and all enablers to Indian Consumer Demand, Anjali is dedicated to finding and supporting innovative startups that are changing the way Indians transact online. She is particularly interested in products that can enable the next half billion rural Indian Internet users to engage in e-commerce.
🔗 Follow us:
🏠Website : https://understandingvc.com/
🤝🏻LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/company/understanding-vc/
🎧 Spotify : https://open.spotify.com/show/1q7DxW3FEyP7EhH8m0VvAD
🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/understanding-vc/id1551524895

💌 Connect with Rahul:
🤝🏻 LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/rahulthayyalamkandy/
📩 Email : [email protected]
🐣 Twitter : https://twitter.com/rahul0720

📍 About:
Understanding VC is a podcast that provides founders with the knowledge and resources they need to understand venture capital. Our goal is to create the best and most comprehensive resource on venture capital on the internet, so that founders can make informed decisions about their businesses and secure the funding they need to succeed.
...more
46min
March 12, 2023UVC: Sheel Mohnot from Better Tomorrow Ventures on whether 1st & 2nd time founders are equally willing to accept their valuations, when they would stop supporting a portfolio startup, and the challenges neobanks face with customer trust
In this episode you will learn:
How does access to credit impact low income countries like India?
Why does Sheel insist on a minimum ownership of 10%?
What are the reasons for Sheel's reluctance to invest in startups that need to raise a lot of funds?
Are both first-time founders and second-time founders equally willing to accept the valuations offered by Better Tomorrow Ventures?
Under what circumstances would Sheel stop supporting one of his portfolio startups?
What kinds of fintech startups are poised for success in this decade?
Do all neo banks face challenges with customer trust and what factors are preventing them from competing with traditional banks?
What are Sheel's plans for scaling Better Tomorrow Ventures in the coming years?
About
Sheel Mohnot is a Co-Founder & Partner at Better Tomorrow Ventures, a seed-focused venture capital firm that invests in transformative fintech companies founded by exceptional individuals across the world. With its second set of funds amounting to approximately $225M, Better Tomorrow Ventures is dedicated to investing in innovative ideas that can revolutionize the fintech industry. Sheel's exclusive focus on fintech investment dates back to 2015, following a couple of successful FinTech exits. Sheel has also co-founded the podcast "The Pitch," which was acquired by Gimlet Media / Spotify and attracts around 100k weekly listeners. Additionally, Sheel has co-founded Thistle, a food company that serves tens of thousands of customers every week.
🔗 Follow us:
🏠Website : https://understandingvc.com/
🤝🏻LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/company/understanding-vc/
🎧 Spotify : https://open.spotify.com/show/1q7DxW3FEyP7EhH8m0VvAD
🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/understanding-vc/id1551524895

💌 Connect with Rahul:
🤝🏻 LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/rahulthayyalamkandy/
📩 Email : [email protected]
🐣 Twitter : https://twitter.com/rahul0720

📍 About:
Understanding VC is a podcast that provides founders with the knowledge and resources they need to understand venture capital. Our goal is to create the best and most comprehensive resource on venture capital on the internet, so that founders can make informed decisions about their businesses and secure the funding they need to succeed.
...more
16min
March 01, 2023UVC: Dave Richards from Capria Ventures on their unique VC fund and fund of funds approach, challenges faced by global south founders, and unsustainability of 'spray and pray' investment strategy
In this episode you will learn:
Why does Capria Ventures act as both a VC fund and a fund of funds, and what benefits does this approach offer?
What is the "state of the art venture capital innovation" that Capria Ventures brings?
How does Capria Ventures nurture its partnerships with fund managers across different regions?
What are some of the challenges that founders from the global south face and how different are they to the global north?
According to Dave, what is the most common mistake made by founders or founding teams?
Why is the "spray and pray" investment strategy unsustainable, according to Dave?
Why does Capria Ventures focus on the global south, and is it possible for this region to achieve the same level of wealth as the global north over time?
About
Dave Richards is Co-Founder & Managing Partner of Capria Ventures.
Dave is an experienced entrepreneur, operating executive, and venture capital investor. He co-founded Capria Ventures in 2012 and has since made 60+ investments in early- and early-growth tech startups across the Global South -- India, SE Asia, Latin America, and Africa.
Previously, Dave led Unitus Group, a leading early venture catalyst and capital investor in microfinance in the Global South. He has also held business operating leadership roles with RealNetworks, Sybase, and Symantec managing large global teams and building multiple zero to $100M technology-led businesses in digital media, databases, and business productivity tools. Dave received his Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of British Columbia.
🔗 Follow us:
🏠Website : https://understandingvc.com/
🤝🏻LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/company/understanding-vc/
🎧 Spotify : https://open.spotify.com/show/1q7DxW3FEyP7EhH8m0VvAD
🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/understanding-vc/id1551524895

💌 Connect with Rahul:
🤝🏻 LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/rahulthayyalamkandy/
📩 Email : [email protected]
🐣 Twitter : https://twitter.com/rahul0720

📍 About:
Understanding VC is a podcast that provides founders with the knowledge and resources they need to understand venture capital. Our goal is to create the best and most comprehensive resource on venture capital on the internet, so that founders can make informed decisions about their businesses and secure the funding they need to succeed.
...more
45min

FAQs about Understanding VC:

How many episodes does Understanding VC have?

The podcast currently has 103 episodes available.