This week on Build Mode, we’re diving back into the archives for a special best-of episode all about venture capital. Host Isabelle Johannesen and producer Maggie Nye revisit conversations from past seasons to give founders a glimpse behind the VC curtain and a better understanding of what investors are really looking for.
From choosing the right investors to building a differentiated go-to-market strategy, these venture capitalists and founder-turned-investors share hard-earned lessons on fundraising, portfolio dynamics, investor-founder relationships, and what separates the companies that successfully raise their next round from those that don’t.
In this episode, you’ll hear from:
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Yuri Sagalov, managing director at General Catalyst (https://pod.link/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vWUZMNjEyNzkzNjQ5NA/episode/YzkyY2ZhZTYtMGNmMS0xMWYxLTk3NzQtZWZjNzRiNDcwOGE2)
•
Ross Fubini, managing partner at XYZ Venture Capital and Leslie Feinzaig, founder and general partner at Graham & Walker (https://pod.link/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vWUZMNjEyNzkzNjQ5NA/episode/MzE0MDA0NzAtZDZiYS0xMWYwLWFjNDctYjc3YWVhYmQ4YWE2)
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Paul Irving, partner at GTMfund (https://pod.link/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vWUZMNjEyNzkzNjQ5NA/episode/MDgwZWY3MzYtZWMzYy0xMWYwLWI1ZjYtY2IwMmU4MjRjZjkx)
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Leah Solivan, founder of TaskRabbit and founder of Precedent VC (https://pod.link/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vWUZMNjEyNzkzNjQ5NA/episode/NGVlOGUyZTItMmQ1Ni0xMWYxLTllZmUtN2Y0OWM5MDQ2ZWNj)
Chapters:
00:00 Intro
01:19 Yuri Sagalov (General Catalyst): The three types of investors and who founders should avoid
03:29 Ross Fubini (XYZ VC) & Leslie Feinzaig (Graham & Walker): What great investors actually bring to the table
08:36 Paul Irving (GTMfund): The go-to-market signals investors look for
12:30 Leah Solivan (TaskRabbit / Precedent VC): Understanding the competition inside your investors’ portfolios
14:30 Outro
Subscribe to Build Mode on Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/build-mode/id1561051074) , Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/0Dqmcq2aDrZkS9v1fITOKV) , or wherever you like to listen (https://pod.link/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vWUZMNjEyNzkzNjQ5NA) . And watch the full videos on YouTube (https://youtu.be/1jCGsEOizz8) . New episodes of Build Mode (https://techcrunch.com/podcasts/build-mode/) drop every Thursday. Hosted by Isabelle Johannessen. Produced and edited by Maggie Nye. Audience development led by Morgan Little. Special thanks to the Foundry and Cheddar video teams.
