The Full Ratchet (TFR): Venture Capital and Startup Investing Demystified (general)

 Dan Ahrens of Left Lane Capital joins Nate to discuss The $30 Trillion Dollar Market Opportunity, Formulas for Successful Consumer Investing, and the Current Macro Environment. In this episode we cover:

  • Firm Building at Left Lane

  • Raising a $1.4B Fund II

  • Investing in Consumer Tech and SMB

  • The Current Macro Environment and much more!

Missed a recent episode? Go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up!

The hosts of The Full Ratchet are Nick Moran and Nate Pierotti of New Stack Ventures, a venture capital firm committed to investing in founders outside of the Bay Area. You can follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter!

Founders, are you frustrated by trying to find the ideal VC's for your stage, sector, and geography? Answer five questions with VC Rank and generate your customized list now.


On this special segment of The Full Ratchet, the following Investors are featured:

  • Brian O'Malley
  • Ravi Viswanathan
  • Willy Schlacks

Each investor discusses sectors, drivers and/or trends that may have significant impact in the future and are potentially positioned for outsized-returns.

The host of The Full Ratchet is Nick Moran, General Partner of New Stack Ventures, a venture capital firm committed to investing in founders outside of the Bay Area.

Learn more about New Stack Ventures by visiting our Website. Also, follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter!

Founders, are you frustrated by trying to find the ideal VC's for your stage, sector, and geography? Answer five questions with VC Rank and generate your customized list now.

Direct download: 384_Investor_Stories_284__Whats_Next_OMalley_Viswanathan_Schlacks.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:00am EST

Mar Hershenson of Pear VC joins Nick to discuss Are Founders Born or Made?, What it Takes to Raise a Series A in 2023, and Weighing the Balance of Unit Economics vs Growth. In this episode we cover:

  • Path to Pear and The Forbes Midas List
  • Data on The DNA of Entrepreneurs
  • Generative AI Hype
  • Raising a Series A in 2023 & More!

Missed a recent episode? Go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up!

The hosts of The Full Ratchet are Nick Moran and Nate Pierotti of New Stack Ventures, a venture capital firm committed to investing in founders outside of the Bay Area. You can follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter!

Founders, are you frustrated by trying to find the ideal VC's for your stage, sector, and geography? Answer five questions with VC Rank and generate your customized list now.


On this special segment of The Full Ratchet, the following Investors are featured:

  • Samara Mejia Hernandez
  • Julie Wroblewski
  • Brad Burnham

Each investor highlights a situation where they decided not to invest, why they passed, and how it played out.

The host of The Full Ratchet is Nick Moran, General Partner of New Stack Ventures, a venture capital firm committed to investing in founders outside of the Bay Area.

Learn more about New Stack Ventures by visiting our Website. Also, follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter!

Founders, are you frustrated by trying to find the ideal VC's for your stage, sector, and geography? Answer five questions with VC Rank and generate your customized list now.


Drew Oetting of 8VC joins Nick to discuss Why 8VC's Incubation Model Works, the Most Unique Culture in Venture Capital, and Investing at the Intersection of PE and VC. In this episode we cover:

  • Why Iteration is a Key Founder Quality
  • The Incumbent Venture Capital Mindset
  • How to Marry Entrepreneurship and Investing
  • And Much More!

Missed a recent episode? Go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up!

The hosts of The Full Ratchet are Nick Moran and Nate Pierotti of New Stack Ventures, a venture capital firm committed to investing in founders outside of the Bay Area. You can follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter!

Founders, are you frustrated by trying to find the ideal VC's for your stage, sector, and geography? Answer five questions with VC Rank and generate your customized list now.


Oz Alon & Nadav Eylath of Honeybook & at.inc/ joins Nick to discuss From a Bar Owner to $100M+ ARR, How an Outsider Navigated Silicon Valley, Raising through Peaks and Troughs of Hype Cycles, and How to Select $B startups at the Incorporation Stage. In this episode we cover:

  • Honeybook's First Pitch
  • Investing in Founders at Incorporation
  • How to Sell to SMBs
  • Raising in Up and Down Markets
  • What the Future Holds For Tech Investing

Missed a recent episode? Go to the TFR Blog to catch up! 


Ramy Adeeb of 1984 joins Nick to discuss 2023 Predictions P2: A16Z vs. Tiger, ChatGPT vs. Google, Hot vs. Cool Sectors, and Which Big Tech Companies are Doomed. In this episode we cover:

  • Web 3.0's Demise

  • Andreesen vs. Tiger's Brands

  • ChatGPT Challenging Google

  • Big Tech's Troubles

  • Hottest & Coolest Sectors & More!

Missed a recent episode? Go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up!

The hosts of The Full Ratchet are Nick Moran and Nate Pierotti of New Stack Ventures, a venture capital firm committed to investing in founders outside of the Bay Area. You can follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter!

Founders, are you frustrated by trying to find the ideal VC's for your stage, sector, and geography? Answer five questions with VC Rank and generate your customized list now.


Ramy Adeeb of 1984 joins Nick to discuss 2023 Predictions P1: Web 3.0's Demise, The AI Hype Cycle, Will Elon get the Last Laugh at Twitter, and Should Anti-Trust Take a Bite out of Apple. In this episode we cover:

  • Crypto's and Web 3.0's Correction
  • The Down Round Reckoning
  • Elon Musk and Twitter's Shakeup
  • Apple's Response to Anti-Trust

Missed a recent episode? Go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up!

The hosts of The Full Ratchet are Nick Moran and Nate Pierotti of New Stack Ventures, a venture capital firm committed to investing in founders outside of the Bay Area. You can follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter!

Founders, are you frustrated by trying to find the ideal VC's for your stage, sector, and geography? Answer five questions with VC Rank and generate your customized list now.


On this special replay episode, Nicole Quinn of Lightspeed Venture Partners joins Nick to discuss The Effect of Technology on Relationships, The 5 Indicators of a True Brand, The Appeal of Love/Hate Businesses, & the Rise of Super Apps. In this episode, we cover:

  • Nicole's background and path to VC
  • How Shoe Dog Shaped her Investment Philosophy
  • What are the consumer behaviors in different regions?
  • Early Signs of Success in Consumer Investing
  • And More! 

Missed a recent episode? Go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up!


In this special replay episode, Ben Sun of Primary Venture Partners joins Nick to discuss Distribution vs. Product, Founders vs. Markets, and Winning Deals in a Hyper-Competitive Seed Market. In this episode, we cover:

  • Ben's Founder Journey
  • Primary's Thesis
  • Market vs Founder 
  • How Primary Evaluates Talent

Missed a recent episode? Go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up!


On this special replay episode, Monique Woodard of Cake Ventures joins Nick to discuss The “Three Layer Cake” Fund, How Personal Experience Drives Your Investment Lens, The Future of Tech for the Aging Population, & How a Solo GP Can Do it All. In this episode, we cover:

  • The thesis at Cake
  • Investing in Demographic Change
  • Pros and Cons of Being a Solo GP
  • How to Scale Yourself
  • And More!

Missed a recent episode? Go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up! 


On this special replay episode, John Vrionis joins Nick to discuss the DNA of Startup Success, including: 

  • What’s unusual about what you do?
  • “How it works” vs. “Why it matters” — what’s the disconnect you’ve observed with early-stage founders?
  • Arrogance vs. Humility — have you invested in founders displaying these traits? What’s been your experience?
  • 3 must-haves that you look for in a new investment?
  • If there’s one common theme in failed investments — what is it?
  • Is there anything unusual about your approach to sourcing? If so, what is it?
  • What are some best practices for founders when picking a VC?
    Over the past year or so the percentage of total VC dollars invested in early-stage deals fell to the lowest levels the industry has seen in five years. Why do you think this is the case?
  • Do you focus on product-market-fit prior to the A round — if so, how do you define it?
    What’s the problem with Sovereign Wealth in Silicon Valley?
  • “The biggest mistake you can make is taking an investment from a mega-fund” Why?
  • How has the early-stage venture landscape shifted from previous years? What do you expect to see in the future?

Missed a recent episode? Go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up! 

Direct download: 370_Replay_-_The_DNA_of_Startup_Success_John_Vrionis.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:00am EST

On this special segment of The Full Ratchet, the following Investors are featured:

  • Steve Sarracino
  • Hernán Fernandez
  • Tim Draper

Each investor discusses sectors, drivers and/or trends that may have significant impact in the future and are potentially positioned for outsized-returns.

The host of The Full Ratchet is Nick Moran, General Partner of New Stack Ventures, a venture capital firm committed to investing in founders outside of the Bay Area.

Learn more about New Stack Ventures by visiting our Website. Also, follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter!

Founders, are you frustrated by trying to find the ideal VC's for your stage, sector, and geography? Answer five questions with VC Rank and generate your customized list now.

Direct download: IS274.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:00am EST

Willy Schlacks of EquipmentShare joins Nick to discuss Building a Construction Unicorn in Missouri, Leaving Communism for Capitalism, and How to Win a Market When Everything is a Commodity. In this episode we cover:

  • From Communism to Capitalism
  • The Philosophy of Altruistic Capitalism
  • Fusing The Digital and Built Worlds
  • Common Company Killers from Founders
  • And More!
Direct download: TFR_Willy_Schlacks.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:00am EST

this special segment of The Full Ratchet, the following Investors are featured:

 

  • Brian O'Malley
  • Brad Burnham
  • Aaron Holiday

 

Each investor describes the most unusual situation or pitch that they've encountered as an investor.

 

The host of The Full Ratchet is Nick Moran, General Partner of New Stack Ventures, a venture capital firm committed to investing in founders outside of the Bay Area.

Learn more about New Stack Ventures by visiting our Website. Also, follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter!

Founders, are you frustrated by trying to find the ideal VC's for your stage, sector, and geography? Answer five questions with VC Rank and generate your customized list now.

Direct download: IS273.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:00am EST

Tim Draper of Draper Associates joins Nick to discuss Lessons from Tim Draper on Investing in Elon, Where Theranos Went Wrong, and Why Decentralization is the Next Great Tech Frontier. In this episode we cover:

- Lessons from Investing in Theranos

- Elon Musk's First Check

- Bitcoin and the Future of the Blockchain

Missed a recent episode? Go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up!

The hosts of The Full Ratchet are Nick Moran and Nate Pierotti of New Stack Ventures, a venture capital firm committed to investing in founders outside of the Bay Area. You can follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter!

Founders, are you frustrated by trying to find the ideal VC's for your stage, sector, and geography? Answer five questions with VC Rank and generate your customized list now.


On this special segment of The Full Ratchet, the following Investors are featured:

Santosh Sankar
Miriam Rivera
Annie Kadavy

Each investor discusses a portfolio company that did not survive and why it was that they failed.

The host of The Full Ratchet is Nick Moran, General Partner of New Stack Ventures, a venture capital firm committed to investing in founders outside of the Bay Area.

Learn more about New Stack Ventures by visiting our Website. Also, follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter!

Founders, are you frustrated by trying to find the ideal VC's for your stage, sector, and geography? Answer five questions with VC Rank and generate your customized list now.

Direct download: 368_Investor_Stories_268__Post_Mortems_Sankar_Rivera_Kadavy.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:00am EST

Matt Higgins of RSE Ventures & Business Hunters joins Nick to discuss Swimming in the Shark Tank, How Gary Vaynerchuk Got His First Check, and Mastering Your Mindset. In this episode we cover:

  • Matt's Background: from Shirtsleeves to Shark Tank
  • Why He Invested in Gary Vaynerchuk and Vayner Media
  • Tips for Entrepreneurs to Master their Mindset

Missed a recent episode? Go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up!

The hosts of The Full Ratchet are Nick Moran and Nate Pierotti of New Stack Ventures, a venture capital firm committed to investing in founders outside of the Bay Area. You can follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter!

Founders, are you frustrated by trying to find the ideal VC's for your stage, sector, and geography? Answer five questions with VC Rank and generate your customized list now.


On this special segment of The Full Ratchet, the following Investors are featured:   

Matt Cohen   
Julie Wroblewski   
Neha Khera   
   
Each investor describes the most unusual situation or pitch that they've encountered as an investor.   

The host of The Full Ratchet is Nick Moran, General Partner of New Stack Ventures, a venture capital firm committed to investing in founders outside of the Bay Area.

Learn more about New Stack Ventures by visiting our Website. Also, follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter!

Founders, are you frustrated by trying to find the ideal VC's for your stage, sector, and geography? Answer five questions with VC Rank and generate your customized list now.

Direct download: 367_Investor_Stories_267__Strange__Unusual_Cohen_Wroblewski_Khera.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:00am EST

Victoria Treyger of Felicis joins Nate to discuss Why Most CRO Hires Don't Work, Lessons from Scaling World Class PLG Companies, and the Case for Founder-Led Sales. In this episode we cover: 

  • Building a Sales Motion that Works
  • When to Bring in an Outside CRO or Sales Leader
  • New Data on Sales Organization at Seed and Series A Startups
  • And much more! 

Missed a recent episode? Go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up!

The hosts of The Full Ratchet are Nick Moran and Nate Pierotti of New Stack Ventures, a venture capital firm committed to investing in founders outside of the Bay Area. You can follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter!

Founders, are you frustrated by trying to find the ideal VC's for your stage, sector, and geography? Answer five questions with VC Rank and generate your customized list now.


Konrad Waliszewski of Tripscout joins Nick to discuss The Secrets Behind Building a 35M+ Following, Why Social is the New SEO, and How Tripscout is Creating the Super App for Travel. In this episode we cover:

  • Launching the 1st In-App Hotel Booking Platform for Instagram
  • Why Organic Attention is the Most Rare and Valuable Asset
  • How Tripscout Hacked Customer Acquisition
  • The Future of How We Search

Missed a recent episode? Go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up! Also, follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

The host of The Full Ratchet is Nick Moran, General Partner of New Stack Ventures, a venture capital firm committed to investing in founders outside of the Bay Area.

Learn more about New Stack Ventures by visiting our Website. Also, follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter!

Founders, are you frustrated by trying to find the ideal VC's for your stage, sector, and geography? Answer five questions with VC Rank and generate your customized list now.


On this special segment of The Full Ratchet, the following Investors are featured:

  • Cameron Borumand
  • Ryan Falvey
  • Steve Sarracino

Each investor discusses a portfolio company that did not survive and why it was that they failed.

Did you miss our guests full length episodes?

For other great episodes, go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up! Also, follow us on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/27155166/) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/TFR_Pod).

The host of The Full Ratchet is Nick Moran (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-moran-a738503/), General Partner of New Stack Ventures, a venture capital firm committed to investing in the exceptions.

To learn more about New Stack Ventures by visiting our Website (https://www.newstack.vc/) and LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/11396054/) and be sure to follow us on Twitter (https://twitter.com/NewStackVC).

Are you a founder looking for your next investor? Visit our free tool VC-Rank (http://vc-rank.com/) and tell us about your business. We’ll send a list of possible investors right to your email’s InBox!

Direct download: 348_Investor_Stories_248__Post_Mortems_Borumand_Falvey_Sarracino.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:00am EST

Nnamdi Iregbulem of Lightspeed Venture Partners joins Nate to discuss Navigating Macro Headwinds, Balancing Growth v. Profitability, and How to Get in Front of the Top 1% of Founders. In this episode we cover:

  • Tips for Founders When Capital Gets Expensive
  • Where Software is Still Eating the World
  • The Uncapped Upside of Writing in VC
  • How to Get in Front of the Top Founders

Missed a recent episode? Go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up! Also, follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

The host of The Full Ratchet is Nick Moran, General Partner of New Stack Ventures, a venture capital firm committed to investing in founders outside of the Bay Area.

To learn more about New Stack Ventures by visiting our Website and LinkedIn and be sure to follow us on Twitter.

Are you a founder looking for your next investor? Visit our free tool VC-Rank and we’ll send a list of potential investors right to your inbox!


On this special segment of The Full Ratchet, the following Investors are featured:

  • Jonathan Lehr
  • Sunil Nagaraj
  • Steve Sarracino

Each investor describes the most unusual situation or pitch that they've encountered as an investor.   

Did you miss our guests full length episodes? 

For other great episodes, go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up! Also, follow us on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/27155166/) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/TFR_Pod).   

Direct download: 347_Investor_Stories_247__Strange__Unusual_Lehr_Nagaraj_Sarracino.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:00am EST

On this special segment of The Full Ratchet, the following investors are featured:

  • Rob Go
  • Santosh Sankar
  • Karen Page

Each investor illustrates a critical lesson learned about startup investing and how it's changed their approach.

Did you miss our guests full length episodes?

For other great episodes, go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up! Also, follow us on LinkedIn(https://www.linkedin.com/company/27155166/) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/TFR_Pod).

The host of The Full Ratchet is Nick Moran (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-moran-a738503/), General Partner of New Stack Ventures, a venture capital firm committed to investing in the exceptions.

To learn more about New Stack Ventures by visiting our Website (https://www.newstack.vc/) and LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/11396054/) and be sure to follow us on Twitter (https://twitter.com/NewStackVC).

Are you a founder looking for your next investor? Visit our free tool VC-Rank (http://vc-rank.com/) and tell us about your business. We’ll send a list of possible investors right to your Inbox!

Direct download: 346_Investor_Stories_246__Lessons_Learned_Go_Sankar_Page.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:00am EST

Mike Evans of Grubhub & Fixer joins Nick to discuss The $2 Billion Pizza Order, The Founding Story of Grubhub, Why NPS Sucks, and How Fixer is Transforming Gig Work. In this episode we cover:

  • How Grubhub Started with a Pizza Order
  • Why Marketplace Founders Should Cheat
  • NPS as a Flawed Metric
  • The Advantages of W2 Employees & more!

Missed a recent episode? Go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up! Also, follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

The host of The Full Ratchet is Nick Moran, General Partner of New Stack Ventures, a venture capital firm committed to investing in founders outside of the Bay Area.

To learn more about New Stack Ventures by visiting our Website and LinkedIn and be sure to follow us on Twitter.

Are you a founder looking for your next investor? Visit our free tool VC-Rank and we’ll send a list of potential investors right to your inbox!


Greg Sands of Costanoa Ventures joins Nick to discuss A Decade at Costanoa, Where Large Multistage Funds Fail Founders, Denominator v. Numerator Effects, and Tips on Startup Selection. In this episode we cover:

  • Lessons from 10 Years at Costanoa
  • The Denominator Effect in VC
  • Tips on Selecting Startups

Missed a recent episode? Go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up! Also, follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

The host of The Full Ratchet is Nick Moran, General Partner of New Stack Ventures, a venture capital firm committed to investing in founders outside of the Bay Area.

To learn more about New Stack Ventures by visiting our Website and LinkedIn and be sure to follow us on Twitter.


On this special segment of The Full Ratchet, the following Investors are featured:

  • Nagraj Kashyap
  • Matt Cohen
  • Jennifer Stojkovic
  • Jed Cairo

Each investor discusses sectors, drivers and/or trends that may have significant impact in the future and are potentially positioned for outsized-returns.

Did you miss our guests full length episodes?

For other great episodes, go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up! Also, follow us on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/27155166/) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/TFR_Pod).

Direct download: 345_Investor_Stories_245__Whats_Next_Kashyap_Cohen_Stojkovic_Cairo.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:00am EST

On this special segment of The Full Ratchet, the following Investors are featured:

  • Ben Wiener
  • TX Zhuo
  • Sara Zulkosky

Each investor highlights a situation where they decided not to invest, why they passed, and how it played out.

For other great episodes, go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up! Also, follow us on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/27155166/) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/TFR_Pod).

The host of The Full Ratchet is Nick Moran (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-moran-a738503/), General Partner of New Stack Ventures, a venture capital firm committed to investing in founders outside the Bay area.

Direct download: 344_Investor_Stories_244__Why_I_Passed_Wiener_Zhuo_Zulkosky.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:00am EST

Hernán Fernández of Angel Ventures joins Nick to discuss Mexico's New Tech Mafia, Winning Copycat Strategies, and the Future of Fintech in LatAm. In this episode we cover:

  • Mexico's Explosion in VC Funding
  • The Rappi Tech Mafia
  • What to Look for in Copycat Strategies
  • Democratizing Fintech in LatAm & more!

Missed a recent episode? Go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up! Also, follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

The host of The Full Ratchet is Nick Moran, General Partner of New Stack Ventures, a venture capital firm committed to investing in founders outside of the Bay Area.

To learn more about New Stack Ventures by visiting our Website and LinkedIn and be sure to follow us on Twitter.

Are you a founder looking for your next investor? Visit our free tool VC-Rank and we’ll send a list of potential investors right to your inbox!


On this special segment of The Full Ratchet, the following Investors are featured: Yanev Suissa, Ruth Foxe Blader, and Parker Barrile. 

Each investor describes the most unusual situation or pitch that they've encountered as an investor.

Did you miss our guests full length episodes?

For all great episodes, go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up! Also, follow us on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/27155166/) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/TFR_Pod).

Direct download: 343_Investor_Stories_243__Strange__Unusual_Suissa_Foxe_Blader_Barrile.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:00am EST

Miriam Rivera of Ulu Ventures joins Nick to discuss 11 Unicorns from Seed, Quantitative Decision-Models for Selecting Investments, Thoughts on Male vs. Female Founders & Investors, and Lessons from Larry and Sergey in the Early Days of Google. In this episode we cover:

  • Lessons from the Early Days of Google
  • Quantitative Decision Making in VC
  • Male vs. Female Founder Questions
  • And more! 

Missed a recent episode? Go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up! Also, follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.


On this special segment of The Full Ratchet, the following Investors are featured: Tony Wilkins, Manan Mehta, and Maryanna Saenko. 

Each investor discusses a portfolio company that did not survive and why it was that they failed.

Did you miss our guests full length episodes?

For all great episodes, go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up! Also, follow us on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/27155166/) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/TFR_Pod).

Direct download: 342_Investor_Stories_242__Post_Mortems_Wilkins_Mehta_Saenko.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:00am EST

Chuck Newhall of NEA joins Nick to discuss The Founding Story of NEA, The True History of Venture Capital, the Keys to an Enduring Firm Legacy, and Why the Best VC's Dare Disturb the Universe. In this episode we cover:

  • The History of VC Pre & Post 1945
  • How NEA Raised Fund I
  • Memorable Fund Successes and Failures
  • Why Chuck Passed on Home Depot
  • Founder's Brain Chemistry
  • Scaling Talent without Scaling Superstars & more! 

Missed a recent episode? Go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up! Also, follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

The host of The Full Ratchet is Nick Moran, General Partner of New Stack Ventures, a venture capital firm committed to investing in outsiders.

To learn more about New Stack Ventures by visiting our Website and LinkedIn and be sure to follow us on Twitter.

Are you a founder looking for your next investor? Visit our free tool VC-Rank and tell us about your business. We’ll send a list of possible investors right to your email’s InBox!


On this special segment of The Full Ratchet, the following Investors are featured: Victor Pascucci, Jonathan Lehr, and Marcelino Pantoja. 

Each investor illustrates a critical lesson learned about startup investing and how it's changed their approach.

Did you miss our guests full length episodes?

For all great episodes, go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up! Also, follow us on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/27155166/) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/TFR_Pod).

Direct download: 341_Investor_Stories_241__Lessons_Learned_Pascucci_Lehr_Pantoja.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:00am EST

Jed Cairo of Juxtapose joins Nick to discuss Building Unicorns from the Ground Up, Recruiting Founders from the C-Suite, and Driving Top 1% Returns with Concentration.

Missed a recent episode? Go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up! Also, follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

The host of The Full Ratchet is Nick Moran, General Partner of New Stack Ventures, a venture capital firm committed to investing in outsiders.

To learn more about New Stack Ventures by visiting our Website and LinkedIn and be sure to follow us on Twitter.

Are you a founder looking for your next investor? Visit our free tool VC-Rank and tell us about your business. We’ll send a list of possible investors right to your email’s Inbox!


On this special segment of The Full Ratchet, the following Investors are featured: Sunil Nagaraj, Ryan Falvey, and Karen Page. 

Each investor discusses sectors, drivers and/or trends that may have significant impact in the future and are potentially positioned for outsized-returns.

Did you miss our guests full length episodes?

For all great episodes, go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up! Also, follow us on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/27155166/) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/TFR_Pod).

Direct download: 340_Investor_Stories_240__Whats_Next_Nagaraj_Falvey_Page.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:00am EST

Kevin Frechette of Fairmarkit joins Nick to discuss the $8.3T Opportunity in Procurement, How to Sell to the Fortune 500, Building a Bottoms Up Culture, and Mastering Cold Emails. In this episode we cover:

  • What Leading Investors Insight Partners and GGV Found Interesting
  • Sales Lessons from Kevin
  • The Future of Procurement

Missed a recent episode? Go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up! Also, follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

The host of The Full Ratchet is Nick Moran, General Partner of New Stack Ventures, a venture capital firm committed to investing in outsiders.

To learn more about New Stack Ventures by visiting our Website and LinkedIn and be sure to follow us on Twitter.

Are you a founder looking for your next investor? Visit our free tool VC-Rank and tell us about your business. We’ll send a list of possible investors right to your email’s Inbox!

Direct download: 333_329._Why_We_Invested_in_Fairmarkit_Kevin_Frechette.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:00am EST

On this special segment of The Full Ratchet, the following Investors are featured: Jonathan Hung, Santosh Sankar, & Matt Cohen. 

Each investor highlights a situation where they decided not to invest, why they passed, and how it played out.

Did you miss our guests full length episodes?

For other great episodes, go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up! Also, follow us on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/27155166/) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/TFR_Pod).

Direct download: 339_Investor_Stories_239__Why_I_Passed_Hung_Sankar_Cohen.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:00am EST

Cameron Borumand of FUSE joins Nick to discuss Why the Pacific Northwest Will Win Big, Tapping the Enterprise Talent Pool, and Investing in Apps over Infrastructure. In this episode we cover: 

  • The Story of FUSE
  • Spinouts in VC
  • Attracting & Building Talent Networks
  • Why Cameron avoids the Zoom Pitch
  • Enterprise Apps v. Infrastructure

Missed a recent episode? Go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up! Also, follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.


On this special segment of The Full Ratchet, the following Investors are featured: Emily Paxhia, Nihal Mehta, and TX Zhuo. 

Each investor describes the most unusual situation or pitch that they've encountered as an investor.

Did you miss our guests full length episodes?

For other great episodes, go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up! Also, follow us on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/27155166/) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/TFR_Pod).

Direct download: 338_Investor_Stories_238__Strange__Unusual_Paxhia_Mehta_Zhuo.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:00am EST

Steve Sarracino of Activant Capital joins Nick to discuss The Late Stage Reset, Competing with Tiger, and Last Mile’s Unit Economics. In this episode we cover: 

  • Launching a Growth Fund & The Late Stage Repricing
  • The Economics of Full Stack Delivery Startups
  • Why Europe Maybe the Next Leading Market
  • The State of Ecommerce & Unbundling Amazon

Missed a recent episode? Go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up! Also, follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.


On this special segment of The Full Ratchet, the following Investors are featured: Dayna Grayson & Rachel Holt, Nagraj Kashyap, and Parker Barille. 

Each investor discusses a portfolio company that did not survive and why it was that they failed.

Did you miss our guests full length episodes?

For other great episodes, go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up! Also, follow us on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/27155166/) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/TFR_Pod).

Direct download: 337_Investor_Stories_237__Post_Mortems_Grayson__Holt_Kashyap_Barille.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:39am EST

Jenny Stojkovic of The Vegan's Women Summit joins Nick to discuss FoodTech’s Female Founders, Crossing the Chasm for Alt Proteins, and Why the Psychedelics Market isn’t like Cannabis. In this episode we cover:

  • The SF Tech Exodus
  • Learning from Ron Conway
  • Alternative Milks & Crossing the Chasm
  • How to Avoid the GreenTech Failures of the 2000’s
  • Why Delivery Matters in Psychedelics

Missed a recent episode? Go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up! Also, follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.


On this special segment of The Full Ratchet, the following Investors are featured: Winter Mead, Yanev Suissa, and Ruth Foxe Blader. 

Each investor illustrates a critical lesson learned about startup investing and how it's changed their approach.

Did you miss our guests full length episodes?

For other great episodes, go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up! Also, follow us on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/27155166/) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/TFR_Pod).

Direct download: 336_Investor_Stories_236__Lessons_Learned_Mead_Suissa_Foxe_Blader.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:00am EST

Sara Zulkosky of Recast Capital joins Nick to discuss Finding Alpha in Emerging Managers, Common Mistakes & Pitfalls, and Sources of Differentiation. In this episode we cover:

  • Sara's Background and Path to VC
  • Tips for Emerging Managers
  • How To Differentiate Your Fund & more!

Missed a recent episode? Go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up! Also, follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.


On this special segment of The Full Ratchet, the following Investors are featured:

  • Ali Tamaseb
  • Jonathan Ebinger
  • Russ Heddleston

Each investor discusses sectors, drivers and/or trends that may have significant impact in the future and are potentially positioned for outsized-returns.

Did you miss our guests full length episodes?

For other great episodes, go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up! Also, follow us on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/27155166/) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/TFR_Pod).

Direct download: 335_Investor_Stories_235__Whats_Next_Tamaseb_Ebinger_Heddleston.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:00am EST

Maryanna Saenko of Future Ventures joins Nick to discuss Support for Ukraine, 3 Measures for Evaluating DeepTech, a 15-year Fund Horizon, and Today’s Most Compelling Climate Technologies. In this episode we cover:

  • How Maryanna and Steve Jurvetson Founded Future Ventures
  • 3 Measures they look for when Evaluating DeepTech
  • How to "Grow the Pool" of Investors
  • Climate Tech Trends & Regenerative Agriculture
  • And more! 

Missed a recent episode? Go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up! Also, follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.


On this special segment of The Full Ratchet, the following Investors are featured:

  • Brian Requarth
  • Emily Paxhia
  • Eric Sippel

Each investor highlights a situation where they decided not to invest, why they passed, and how it played out.

Did you miss our guests full length episodes?

For other great episodes, go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up! Also, follow us on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/27155166/) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/TFR_Pod).

Direct download: 334_Investor_Stories_234__Why_I_Passed_Requarth_Paxhia_Sippel.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:00am EST

Karen Page of B Capital Group joins Nick to discuss Box's Go-To-Market Strategy, Building the Enterprise Sales Motion, and When to Bring on a Sales Leader. 

Missed a recent episode? Go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up! Also, follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.


On this special segment of The Full Ratchet, the following Investors are featured:
  • Seth Levine
  • Ben Wiener
  • Rob Go

Each investor describes the most unusual situation or pitch that they've encountered as an investor.

Did you miss our guests full length episodes?

For other great episodes, go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up! Also, follow us on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/27155166/) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/TFR_Pod).

Direct download: 333_Investor_Stories_233__Strange__Unusual_Levine_Wiener_Go.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:00am EST

Jamison Hill of Base10 joins Nick to discuss Attacking Inequality with VC, How Ecommerce Infrastructure Competes with Amazon, The Future of Hourly Work, and the Body as a Platform. In this episode we cover:
  • How Base10 supports HBCU Endowments
  • Trends in Ecommerce Infrastructure, Fintech, and the Future of Work
  • The Body as a Platform

Missed a recent episode? Go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up! Also, follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.


On this special segment of The Full Ratchet, the following Investors are featured:

  • Ben Sun
  • Ruth Foxe Blader
  • Manan Mehta

Each investor discusses a portfolio company that did not survive and why it was that they failed.

Did you miss our guests full length episodes?

For other great episodes, go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up! Also, follow us on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/27155166/) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/TFR_Pod).

Direct download: 332_Investor_Stories_232__Post_Mortems_Sun_Foxe_Blader_Mehta.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:00am EST

Matt Cohen of Ripple Ventures joins Nick to discuss Solo Capitalist Firm Building, Supporting Founder Mental Health, and Navigating Board Dynamics. In this episode we cover:

  • Solo GP's vs. Firm Building
  • The Toll of Rising Valuations and Remote Work on Founder's Mental Health
  • Trends in the Canadian Ecosystem & More!

Missed a recent episode? Go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up! Also, follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.


On this special segment of The Full Ratchet, the following Investors are featured:

  • Emily Paxhia
  • Tony Wilkins
  • Russ Heddleston

Each investor illustrates a critical lesson learned about startup investing and how it's changed their approach.

Did you miss our guests full length episodes?

For other great episodes, go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up! Also, follow us on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/27155166/) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/TFR_Pod).

Direct download: 331_Investor_Stories_231__Lessons_Learned_Paxhia_Wilkins_Heddleston.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:00am EST

Ryan Falvey of Financial Venture Studio joins Nick to discuss Consumer Fintech, the Future of Banking, and Navigating Web 3.0 Regulation. In this episode we cover:

  • The "Masters Degree for Fintech Startups"
  • National Banks Staying Power
  • DAO's, Crypto, and Web 3 Regulations
  • Why Ryan's Bearish on B2B2C Models

Missed a recent episode? Go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up! Also, follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.


On this special segment of The Full Ratchet, the following Investors are featured:

  • Dayna Grayson & Rachel Holt
  • Rob Go
  • Jonathan Lehr

Each investor discusses sectors, drivers and/or trends that may have significant impact in the future and are potentially positioned for outsized-returns.

Did you miss our guests full length episodes?

For other great episodes, go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up! Also, follow us on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/27155166/) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/TFR_Pod).

Direct download: 330_Investor_Stories_230__Whats_Next_Grayson__Holt_Go_Lehr.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:00am EST

Sunil Nagaraj of Ubiquity Ventures joins Nick to discuss Investing Nerdy & Early, The Story of Auth0's Seed Round, and Why You Shouldn't Leave to Start "The Right" Company. 

Missed a recent episode? Go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up! Also, follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.


On this special segment of The Full Ratchet, the following Investors are featured:

  • Billy Libby
  • Vanessa Larco
  • Nagraj Kashyap

Each investor highlights a situation where they decided not to invest, why they passed, and how it played out.

Did you miss our guests full length episodes?

For other great episodes, go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up! Also, follow us on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/27155166/) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/TFR_Pod).

Direct download: 329_Investor_Stories_229__Why_I_Passed_Libby_Larco_Kashyap.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:00am EST

Marcelino Pantoja of Measurement joins Nick to discuss Founding the 1st VC Index Fund, Rethinking the Future of Capital Deployment, and Advice for Emerging Managers.

Missed a recent episode? Go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up! Also, follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.


On this special segment of The Full Ratchet, the following Investors are featured:

  • Brian Luerssen
  • Victor Pascucci
  • Jonathan Ebinger

Each investor describes the most unusual situation or pitch that they've encountered as an investor.

Did you miss our guests full length episodes?

For other great episodes, go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up! Also, follow us on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/27155166/) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/TFR_Pod).

Direct download: 328_Investor_Stories_228__Strange__Unusual_Luerssen_Pascucci_Ebinger.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:00am EST

Santosh Sankar of Dynamo Ventures joins Nick to discuss The Rise of Supply Chain Startups, Why We're Feeling Whiplash, and What the Future Holds for Labor & Data.  Missed a recent episode? Go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up! Also, follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

On this special segment of The Full Ratchet, the following Investors are featured:

  • Jonathan Hung
  • Brian Requarth
  • Winter Mead

Each investor discusses a portfolio company that did not survive and why it was that they failed.

Did you miss our guests full length episodes?

For other great episodes, go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up! Also, follow us on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/27155166/) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/TFR_Pod).

Direct download: 327_Investor_Stories_227__Post_Mortems_Hung_Requarth_Mead.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:00am EST

TX Zhuo of Fika Ventures joins Nick to discuss Fika’s Playbook for Success, Finding Value Outside of Central Casting, and the Future of Fintech as Banks Get Unbundled. In this episode we cover:

  • TX's Background & Path to VC
  • Fika's Playbook
  • Lessons From Cobra Kai
  • DAO Infrastructure
  • Unbundling the Bank

Missed a recent episode? Go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up! Also, follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.


Ramy Adeeb of 1984 joins Nick to discuss 2022 Predictions P2: Web 3.0 Dorsey vs. Andreesen, Crypto's Killer App, Omicron's Staying Power, Which FAANG Co. Loses to Anti-Trust First. In this episode we cover:

 

  • The Web 3 Twitter War
  • What Nick thinks about Crypto's Killer App
  • Omicron and Labor Market Dynamics
  • Inflation Expectations
  • Regulation for Big Tech and Crypto & More!

Missed a recent episode? Go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up! Also, follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

 


Ramy Adeeb of 1984 joins Nick to discuss 2022 Predictions P1: $100M Seed Valuations, Universe vs. Metaverse, Hottest and Coolest Sectors, Sequoia's VC Shakeup. In this episode we cover:

 

  • Ramy's New $75M Fund
  • Bubbles in Crypto and NFT's
  • Why Ramy is sticking to the Universe
  • Sequoia's New Strategy & More!

Missed a recent episode? Go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up! Also, follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

 


Each investor illustrates a critical lesson learned about startup investing and how it's changed their approach.

Did you miss our guests full length episodes?

For other great episodes, go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up! Also, follow us on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/27155166/) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/TFR_Pod).

Direct download: 326_Investor_Stories_226__Lessons_Learned_Tamaseb_Mehta_Wiener.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:00am EST

Parker Barrile of Norwest Venture Partners joins Nick to discuss Norwest’s New $3B Fund, the Effects of VC Capital Explosion, and Scaling LinkedIn’s Product 20x. In this episode we cover:

  • Norwest's Largest Ever Fund
  • The Capital Allocator's Environment
  • How Parker Scaled LinkedIn's Product to $2B
  • Compelling Customer Acquisition Strategies & Much More!

Missed a recent episode? Go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up! Also, follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.


On this special segment of The Full Ratchet, the following Investors are featured:

  • Emily Paxhia
  • Ben Sun
  • Yanev Suissa

Each investor discusses sectors, drivers and/or trends that may have significant impact in the future and are potentially positioned for outsized-returns.

Did you miss our guests full length episodes? Go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up! Also, follow us on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/27155166/) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/TFR_Pod).

Direct download: 325_Investor_Stories_225__Whats_Next_Paxhia_Sun_Suissa.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:00am EST

On this special replay episode, Joanne Wilson joins Nick to discuss predatory investor practices and the dark side of venture, including:

  • On the founder-side, What are some of the activities you’ve seen from early-stage investors, that are predatory toward founders?
  • What are some of the major differences between investor practices of the mid-90’s and today?
  • What actionable measures would you recommend founders take in order to help prevent getting taken advantage of?
  • Moving to the investor-side.  What are some of the things that later-stage VCs will do to eliminate or water-out an angel’s equity position?
  • What can early-stage angels do to prevent this from happening?
  • How has your approach evolved throughout your investing history to position you and your portfolio companies for success?
  • Generally, what is your take on the gender balance in venture, how has it changed and what specific things are you involved in to help promote the role of women?

Missed a recent episode? Go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up! Also, follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.


On this special replay, Charles Hudson of Precursor Ventures joins Nick to discuss Getting Smart on a New Market.

In this episode we cover: 

  • What Charles’ experience at SoftTech was like and how he made the transition to founding Precursor.
  • What his continuing role as a Venture Partner at SoftTech entails.
  • How Charles decides to study a new, emerging market and some of the markets that he’s analyzed over the years.
  • The three components of his approach to getting smart on a new area.
  • How important timing is and how he considers if the timing is right for a new area.
  • If he assesses markets vertically and looks for the level within the supply chain stack to see where a company is playing and which level within the chain is going to exert the most control over the market.
  • How he breaks down market structure and the critical components therein.
  • The importance of the degree of homogeneity of the customer base within a target market.
  • How he thinks about companies disrupting existing markets and those creating brand new markets.
  • We discuss how there’s always a good reason to say no to startups and, more importantly, the key, recurring reasons that come up that cause him to say yes.
  • How do you look at companies addressing industries where the incumbent product offerings are free.  Businesses like Slack that were replacing free options
  • Fresh Eyes… You’ve written about how you don’t look at decks before the first meeting w/ an entrepreneur. Can you touch on the key reasons why you take meetings without reviewing the deck?
  • If you are evaluating a startup that is pre-traction – what do you look for and why?
  • In the spirit of continuous improvement… What are your thoughts on how one can learn and improve once they have a job in VC?
  • What startup investor has inspired and influenced you most and why?
Direct download: 315_Replay__Getting_Smart_on_a_New_Market_Parts_1__2_Charles_Hudson.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:00am EST

On this special segment of The Full Ratchet, the following Investors are featured:

  • Dharmesh Thakker
  • Amy Nauiokas
  • Jonathan Lehr

Each investor highlights a situation where they decided not to invest, why they passed, and how it played out.

Did you miss our guests full length episodes? Go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up! Also, follow us on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/27155166/) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/TFR_Pod).

Direct download: 324_Investor_Stories_224__Why_I_Passed_Thakker_Nauiokas_Lehr.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:00am EST

On this special replay, Jaclyn Hester of Foundry Group joins Nick on a special Crisis Coverage installment to discuss GP and LP Alignment, Challenges for Emerging Fund Managers, and How the Explosion in Seed Fund Volume Plays Out.

Guest Update: Jaclyn is now Partner at Foundry Group. Congratulations Jaclyn! 

In this episode, we cover:

  • Tell us about your background and path to VC
  • For those who don’t know talk about the approach at Foundry with both the LP and GP model
  • Foundry traditionally had no apprenticeship model and no junior investors… were you the first?
  • Pandemic… Are you making investments currently and what are you hearing from other LPs?
  • What’s your advice for GPs re. building relationships and momentum w/ LPs during these uncertain times?
  • What’s the biggest mistake emerging managers make when fundraising?
  • What do new fund managers underestimate when starting a venture firm?
  • Does it matter how specific a thesis is? Do you need to see a unique, focused and compelling edge or are you just as receptive to a generalist w/ a strong network and track record?
  • What question tends to trip up GPs?
  • What are some of the most important things GPs should ask LPs when raising?
  • What do you think are the most important things GPs and LPs need to be aligned on for a successful relationship?
  • How does the explosion in volume of seed funds affect you approach to selection?
  • How do you think this plays out — most funds fail? Returns more evenly distributed? Power law no longer applies (or is less pronounced)?
  • Fast forward 5 years and let’s assume there’s been a fundamental shift in early stage Venture. What do you think is the most likely, largest change that’s occurred?
  • What advice do you have for young people that aspire to be a VC someday?
  • Not going to ask for favorite GPs but, I will ask, if you could break quarantine to grab a cocktail w/ one GP — who do you choose? ; )
  • 3 Data Points…
    • You’re approached by an emerging VC firm raising fund II. The fund manager did not work for a large, brand-name venture firm before and she has never had an institutional investor. Net TVPI is 1.4, and Net IRR is 35% and it’s a 2018 vintage.
    • The catch is you can only ask 3 questions (for 3 additional data points) to make your decision.
    • What 3 questions do you ask?

In this special replay of Episode 154, Ben Narasin of NEA joins Nick to discuss NEA’s Investment Process & The Key Ingredients for Startup Success. In this episode we cover: 

- Why he made the move to NEA
- His Investment focus
- The investment process the firm and if decisions are made by committee
- Ben's Evaluation Process
- The key factor that every successful founder possesses
- The common red flags that pop up and cause him to say no to strong startups
- Why he believes his job is to say no
- How he assess opportunities with 100 reasons to say yes and one reason to say no
- Ben's evolving approach toward weighing risk factors in startups
- How the tech and investing industry has changed over the past decade
- How AUM is driving a bifurcation in venture

Missed a recent episode? Go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up! Also, follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.


On this special segment of The Full Ratchet, the following Investors are featured:

  • Mike Smerklo
  • Spencer Maughan
  • Vanessa Larco
  • Ben Wiener

Each investor discusses a portfolio company that did not survive and why it was that they failed.

Did you miss our guests full length episodes? Go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up! Also, follow us on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/27155166/) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/TFR_Pod).

Direct download: 323_Investor_Stories_223__Post_Mortems_Smerklo_Maughan_Larco_Wiener.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am EST

Ruth Foxe Blader of Anthemis joins Nick to discuss The Embedded Opportunity in Insurtech, Crypto & Web 3.0 Applications, and the Future of Fintech. In this episode we cover:

  • Ruth's Background and path from English Major to VC
  • What trends she's following in Fintech and Insurtech
  • Opportunities for developing market founders & more! 

Missed a recent episode? Go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up! Also, follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.


Each investor describes the most unusual situation or pitch that they've encountered as an investor.

Did you miss our guests full length episodes? Go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up! Also, follow us on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/27155166/) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/TFR_Pod).

Direct download: 322_Investor_Stories_222__Strange__Unusual_Mead_Sippel_Wilkins.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am EST

Russ Heddleston of Dropbox joins Nick to discuss Founding DocSend, Creating a Winning PLG Motion, and Data From 1000's of Pitch Decks. In this episode we cover: 

  • Can you tell us a bit about your background and your path to founding DocSend?
  • How did you think about the PLG strategy for DocSend?
  • Why did you release the Seed Fundraising Report?
  • What are the typical numbers like for a seed round? How much are they raising? How many investors are people meeting with?
  • What makes for a successful pitch deck?
  • How to find a good co-founder?
  • Learnings from DocSend and a word of advice to founders.

Missed a recent episode? Go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up! Also, follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.


Each investor illustrates a critical lesson learned about startup investing and how it's changed their approach.

Did you miss our guests full length episodes? Go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up! Also, follow us on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/27155166/) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/TFR_Pod).

Direct download: 321_Investor_Stories_221__Lessons_Learned_Requarth_Mehta_Levine.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am EST

Andrew Antonio of Urban Sky and Nate Williams of Union Labs join Nick to discuss Why We Invested in Urban Sky. In this episode we cover:

  • What is Urban Sky? 
  • How did Andrew and Nate originally connect? 
  • The thesis at Union Labs. 
  • What does the future hold for Urban Sky? 

Missed a recent episode? Go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up! Also, follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.


Each investor highlights a situation where they decided not to invest, why they passed, and how it played out.

Did you miss our guests full length episodes?

Go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up! Also, follow us on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/27155166/) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/TFR_Pod).

Direct download: 320_Investor_Stories_220__Why_I_Passed_Shirota_Sequeira_Go.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:30am EST

Nagraj Kashyap of Softbank joins Nick to discuss The Future of Softbank and Vision Fund 2, Creative Monetization of User Growth, and Why VC's Missed on Zoom. In this episode we cover:

  • Nagraj's Background and Path to VC.
  • How do you think through horizontal, vertical, or geographic expansion and when the right time is to do so?
  • What did other VC's miss about Zoom?
  • How do you evaluate an opportunity?
  • What key things are you looking for in a consumer startup? 

Missed a recent episode? Go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up! Also, follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.


Each investor discusses a portfolio company that did not survive and why it was that they failed.

Did you miss our guests full length episodes?

For other great episodes, go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up! Also, follow us on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/27155166/) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/TFR_Pod).

Direct download: 319_Investor_Stories_219__Post_Mortems_Wallace_Tamaseb_Luerssen.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am EST

Nihal Mehta of Eniac Ventures joins Nick to discuss The Human Rolodex, How the 2021 VC Vintage will Perform, and the Importance of Partnership Dynamics. In this episode we cover:

 

  • How do you think about active management of relationships over time? Do you have any advice, tricks, or tips?
  • What is something you would have told yourself when you started Eniac?
  • How have you built the team over time and thought about roles, responsibilities, skill sets required, and driving value/outcomes for the firm?
  • What do you look for in a fund manager?
  • Where do 2020 and 2021 Vintage Funds rank?
  • What inspired you to start the 100K Pledge? 

Missed a recent episode? Go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up! Also, follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

 


Each investor illustrates a critical lesson learned about startup investing and how it's changed their approach.

Did you miss our guests full length episodes?

For other great episodes, go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up! Also, follow us on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/27155166/) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/TFR_Pod).

Direct download: 318_Investor_Stories_218__Lessons_Learned_Libby_Hung_Grayson__Holt.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am EST

Yanev Suissa of SineWave Ventures joins Nick to discuss Public Sector Tech, the Merits of Hyper Concentration, and Why Google is More Frightening than the NSA. In this episode we cover:

  • You've talked about investing "where the Valley, the Fortune 500, and the public sector intersect". How is this different from the typical Valley-based investor? 
  • Are there any advantages to working with public sector buyers? 
  • Is there legislative risk you take on by selling to an administration? 
  • Where do you see the biggest opportunities are coming out of the infrastructure bill? 
  • Rapid fire round of questions.

Missed a recent episode? Go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up! Also, follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.


Each investor highlights a situation where they decided not to invest, why they passed, and how it played out.

Did you miss our guests full length episodes?

David Goldberg Episode 272
Nicole Quinn Episode 279
Spencer Maughan Episode 284
Jonathan Ebinger Episode 302


For other great episodes, go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up! Also, follow us on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/27155166/) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/TFR_Pod).

Direct download: 317_Investor_Stories_217__Why_I_Passed_Goldberg_Quinn_Maughan_Ebinger.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am EST

Manan Mehta of Unshackled Ventures joins Nick to discuss Selection at Day 0, Investing in Immigrants, and Navigating Founder-Problem Fit. In this episode we cover:

  • What is investing at Day 0?
  • What unique challenges do you face in backing immigrant founders?
  • How do you approach sourcing and how you do it differently than other firms?
  • What is Founder-Problem Fit?

Missed a recent episode? Go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up! Also, follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.


On this special segment of The Full Ratchet, the following Investors are featured:

  • Tim Guleri
  • Amy Nauiokas
  • Sach Chitnis
  • Guy Perelmuter

Each investor discusses a portfolio company that did not survive and why it was that they failed.

Did you miss our guests full length episodes?

For other great episodes, go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up! Also, follow us on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/27155166/) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/TFR_Pod).


Tony Wilkins of Standing Oaks Venture Partners joins Nick to discuss Identifying Stand-outs at Pre-Seed, Coaching High-Growth Leaders, and Leveling the Playing Field for Underrepresented Founders. In this episode we cover:

  • Are leaders born or made?
  • How do you select for potentially great leaders at the very beginning of their business journey?
  • How do you think about building a strong and healthy culture within a firm? 
  • What's the most important thing for an angel investor to know when they start investing?
  • What will it take to level the playing field for founders? 

Each investor discusses sectors, drivers and/or trends that may have significant impact in the future and are potentially positioned for outsized-returns.

Did you miss our guests full length episodes?

Go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up! Also, follow us on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/27155166/) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/TFR_Pod).

Direct download: 315_Investor_Stories_215__Whats_Next_Wiener_Larco_Pascucci.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am EST

Jonathan Lehr of Work-Bench joins Nick to discuss IT and Enterprise Tech Investing, The Realities and Myths of PLG, and The Past and Future of NYC Tech. In this episode we cover:

  • Walk us through your background and path to VC.
  • Tell us a little more about the thesis at Work-Bench. 
  • On your website, you mention you invest in "seed and seed II" startups. What is a seed II?
  • What sort of myths are there around PLG companies?
    • How do you advise startups to price their products?
  • Mark Suster recently Tweeted…  "If you look at our industry, it's now awash with capital that requires every firm to get very focused on where its edge comes from. If you're not a bulge-bracket VC, choose your positioning wisely"(stage, sector, geography, founder access) … way too many firms are generic". What are your thoughts on the financing environment?
  • You've been a part of the New York tech ecosystem for about a decade now. How has the tech scene evolved over the past 10 years or so? 
    • There was a dogma for a while that enterprise startups had to be built in Silicon Valley. Why do you think this is a mistaken belief?

Missed a recent episode? Go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up! Also, follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

 

 


On this special segment of The Full Ratchet, the following Investors are featured:

 

  • Nikhil Basu Trivedi
  • Alfred Chuang
  • Monique Woodard
  • Ben Sun

Each investor highlights a situation where they decided not to invest, why they passed, and how it played out.

Did you miss our guests full length episodes?

For other great episodes, go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up! Also, follow us on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/27155166/) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/TFR_Pod).

 

Direct download: 314_Investor_Stories_214__Why_I_Passed_Basu_Trivedi_Woodard_Sun_Chuang.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am EST

Rob Go of NextView Ventures joins Nick to discuss Reflections From 10 Years at NextView, Dogma vs Discipline, the Importance of Effective Post Money, and Market Sizing Pitfalls. In this episode we cover:

  • Is VC fundamentally changing under our feet?
  • What are other biggest industry shifts that have changed the way you operate at Next View?
  • Most LPs are focused on their fund managers' ownership percentage at entry. Explain what effective post-money at exit is and why that has become a north star from next view?
  • Takeaway #3: There is a Goldilocks zone between too much dogma and lack of discipline. Can you give us an example or two of strategies that were difficult to let go of or move on from?
  • Your favorite saying internally is “anything worth doing is worth doing fast”. Yet this is a pretty long cycle business and it takes time for a portfolio to mature and drive returns. What were the key learnings with regards to returns and metrics?
  • How do you know if you're winning if the metrics are a bit of a red herring?  Are there any alternative metrics or signals you look for to quantitatively gauge performance?
  • You cited the biggest observable misses for most VC's and it's related to market size -- what's been your observation here and where are investors missing?
  • You suggest that founders and investors should make each other a bit uncomfortable. Why?
  • Does this ever prevent you from winning deals?
  • What's your opinion on competition after a decade of investing?
  • How do you think about the competitive set of investors and how to maintain and edge in sourcing and winning the best deals?
  • Do you have any advice for founders w/regards to fundraising?

Missed a recent episode? Go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up! Also, follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.


On this special segment of The Full Ratchet, the following Investors are featured:

Dharmesh Thakker
Billy Libby
Emily Paxhia
Ed Sim


Each investor discusses a portfolio company that did not survive and why it was that they failed.

Did you miss our guests full length episodes?

For other great episodes, go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up! Also, follow us on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/27155166/) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/TFR_Pod).

Direct download: IS213-_Post_Mortems_Thakker__Libby__Paxhia__Sim.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am EST

Jonathan Ebinger of Transform Capital joins Nick to discuss Donating Half Your Carry, Why Open Banking is the Future, and Recruiting Outside the Bay Area. In this episode we cover:

  • Walk us through your background and path to VC
  • Tell us about your experience at Blue Run and why you decided to launch Transform.
  • What is the thesis at Transform?
  • Portfolio construction / stage / check size
  • How did you come up with the model to donate 50% of your carry?
  • What causes are you allocating carry to?
  • What was the biggest challenge in the transition from early stage to late stage venture investing? 
  • So you led the Series A in Jackpocket at BlueRun and the later stage Transform. How do you avoid conflicts of interest across both firms?
  • I know you are an active fintech investor -- w/ regards to crypto... what areas are most compelling right now from an investment standpoint?
  • We're in a hot market at the moment -- seeing lots of fund creation, lots of startup formation, and valuations are inflating  to 2-3x what they were a few years ago.  Is the market overheated and are too many startups getting funded?
  • Is the bay area being threatened in its supremacy?
  • The Economist last week talked about the slowing pace of innovation and rise of mega-companies. What's your take on their position that innovation has slowed -- and what does that mean for venture?

Missed a recent episode? Go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up! Also, follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

The host of The Full Ratchet is Nick Moran, General Partner of New Stack Ventures, a venture capital firm committed to investing in outsiders.

To learn more about New Stack Ventures by visiting our Website and LinkedIn and be sure to follow us on Twitter.

Are you a founder looking for your next investor? Visit our free tool VC Rank and tell us about your business. We’ll send a list of possible investors right to your email’s Inbox!


On this special segment of The Full Ratchet, the following Investors are featured:

  • Mike Smerklo
  • Amy Nauiokas
  • Tsune Shirota
  • Vanessa Larco

Each investor illustrates a critical lesson learned about startup investing and how it's changed their approach.

Did you miss our guests full length episodes?

For other great episodes, go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up! Also, follow us on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/27155166/) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/TFR_Pod).

The host of The Full Ratchet is Nick Moran (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-moran-a738503/), General Partner of New Stack Ventures, a venture capital firm committed to investing in the exceptions.

To learn more about New Stack Ventures by visiting our Website (https://www.newstack.vc/) and LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/11396054/) and be sure to follow us on Twitter (https://twitter.com/NewStackVC).

Are you a founder looking for your next investor? Visit our free tool VC-Rank (http://vc-rank.com/) and tell us about your business. We’ll send a list of possible investors right to your email’s Inbox!


Eric Sippel of Sippel Farb Family Office joins Nick to discuss Raising from Family Offices, How to Differentiate as an Emerging Fund, and Common Mistakes Made by Established Firms. In this episode we cover:

  • Walk us through your background and path to running Sippel Farb.
  • Before we jump in can you give us some thoughts on Family Offices investing in Venture and how that has changed over the 25 years that you've been doing this?
  • What are the major investment focus areas for the family office?
  • With regards to manager selection... What gets you excited when you review the profile of an emerging fund?
  • Tell us about the 3 S's that you look for.
  • Rounds are moving faster then ever and prices seem to be escalating to 2-3x of what they were just 3 years ago.  Many GPs cite their speed of decision-making as a strength -- What is your opinion of quick investment decisions and short DD timelines?
  • At New Stack, we focus on ownership.  However, some managers prefer a less concentrated approach with more shots on goal.  What are your key learnings regarding portfolio construction over the past few decades and what do you look for in emerging funds?
  • Many LPs look for differentiated strategies for sourcing and winning deals... and put heavy weight on those factors.  Where do you stand?
  • When a GP is pitching any family office, not just yours, what should they be mindful of that may be different than when they're pitching an institution?
  • Family Offices are often a bit opaque... it's hard to find them and know what their investment interests are.  Do you have advice or suggestions of ways that fund managers can find and connect with families that may be a fit?  Have you seen any strategies from GPs that have connected with you in creative and friendly ways?
  • What mistakes do you see "emerged/established" managers making the most? What about emerging managers?
  • There's a great piece on Substack by Nikhil Trivedi that discusses the rise of the Solo GP. What are your thoughts on the rise of angels to super angels to sole capitalists? Do you perceive this as a threat to traditional VC firms? 
  • Last year, Different Funds published a report on the rise of capital going to vehicles outside of flagship/committed funds--i.e. SPV's, Syndicates, Rolling Funds, and Opportunity funds. How does an LP navigate all these vehicles?
  • You've worked with a lot of GP's.  What sort of bad behavior have you observed that you attempt to screen for now?
  • Are there signals post-investment, after a certain period of time, that indicate to you that a GP or fund is working well.
  • What's your opinion on using follow-on capital to bridge a company to Series A?
  • What advice, that we didn't cover, would you have for GPs out there that are raising a Fund I or Fund II?

Direct download: Eric_Sippel_final.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:50pm EST

Each investor discusses sectors, drivers and/or trends that may have significant impact in the future and are potentially positioned for outsized-returns.
Did you miss our guests full length episodes?

For other great episodes, go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up! Also, follow us on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/27155166/) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/TFR_Pod).
The host of The Full Ratchet is Nick Moran (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-moran-a738503/), General Partner of New Stack Ventures, a venture capital firm committed to investing in the exceptions.

To learn more about New Stack Ventures by visiting our Website (https://www.newstack.vc/) and LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/11396054/) and be sure to follow us on Twitter (https://twitter.com/NewStackVC).

Are you a founder looking for your next investor? Visit our free tool VC-Rank (http://vc-rank.com/) and tell us about your business. We’ll send a list of possible investors right to your email’s InBox!
Direct download: IS_211.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am EST

Victor Pascucci of Energy Capital Ventures joins Nick to discuss The Trillion $ Opportunity in Natural Gas, Building A Strategic LP-Base, and Creating a Strong LPAC. In this episode we cover:

  • Give us an overview of the data and the opportunity within the natural gas sector for tech disruption.  What percentage of our energy consumption is natural gas based?
  • Why focus on natural gas?
  • Why is now the right time for a natural gas focused venture fund?
  • Let's talk for a moment about the digital transformation of the natural gas industry. Where can we expect to see the most change going forward? Exploration, development, or production? 
  • Any concerns about the volume and quality of dealflow in this specialized sector?
  • What kind of founder do you look for to change this legacy industry? How may these founders differ from the Silicon Valley stereotype? 
  • 5 large publicly-traded LPs -- Talk a bit about how you plan to work with the LPs as you make investments, manage the portfolio?
  • How do you avoid the tail wagging the dog?
  • How do you handle a situation where the tech you are investing in is highly disruptive and margin eroding to LPs in the fund?
  • Many talk about the importance of carbon neutrality, yet it's a very opaque and difficult thing to measure.  One company's carbon footprint extends beyond just what happens within but all the partners, suppliers, distributors and, at times, customers that they interact with.  How can we appropriately assess carbon impact in the pursuit of carbon neutrality?
  • Tell us a bit about learnings and best practices in building an advisory board.  I'd suspect that, much like a startup, there is a point where a well-constructed board can really amplify efforts, and a bloated or not well functioning board can kill momentum and progress.  How have you structured a board for long term success?

Missed a recent episode? Go to The Full Ratchet blog and catch up! Also, follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

The host of The Full Ratchet is Nick Moran, General Partner of New Stack Ventures, a venture capital firm committed to investing in the exceptions.

To learn more about New Stack Ventures by visiting our Website and LinkedIn and be sure to follow us on Twitter.

Are you a founder looking for your next investor? Visit our free tool VC-Rank and tell us about your business. We’ll send a list of possible investors right to your email’s InBox!