In this special two-part episode of "Nothing Ventured," host Aarish Shah sits down with Fred Destin, founder of Stride VC, to explore the evolving landscape of venture capital. They discuss the complex relationship between founders and VCs, highlighting the discontent many founders feel towards traditional venture capital approaches. Fred shares insights from his extensive experience, including his successful investments in companies like Deliveroo and Zoopla, emphasizing the importance of empathy and understanding in the VC-founder dynamic.The conversation delves into key topics such as the significance of minimalist boards, the adaptability required in venture capital, and the balance of skill and luck in making investment decisions. Fred also reflects on the Cambrian explosion in the venture space, the necessity for VCs to embrace a beginner's mindset, and the dangers of lazy thinking. Tune in for a thought-provoking discussion that challenges conventional VC wisdom and offers a fresh perspective on what it means to be a supportive partner for founders.

Timestamps:
00:00:10 - Meet Fred Destin: A Venture Capitalist's Journey00:00:43 - Founders' Discontent with VCs00:01:05 - The Importance of Minimalist Boards00:01:37 - Navigating the Founder-VC Relationship00:02:34 - The Role of Trust in Board Dynamics00:03:27 - The Quality of Conversations in Board Meetings00:04:44 - The Dichotomy of Operators as VCs00:05:44 - The Role of Accountability in Board Membership00:06:49 - Empathy and Support for Founders00:08:28 - The Importance of Strategic Conversations00:09:42 - Building Effective Board Relationships00:10:34 - The Role of a Board Member00:11:06 - Creating a Supportive Board Environment00:12:05 - Understanding the Founder’s Perspective00:12:27 - The Need for a Strong Board00:13:40 - The Importance of Trust and Empathy00:14:15 - The Role of a Board in Difficult Times00:15:04 - The Founder’s Identity and Company Success00:16:09 - The Craft of Venture Capital00:17:37 - The Art of Decision-Making in Venture00:18:53 - The Balance of Skill and Luck in Outcomes00:20:18 - The Importance of Supporting Founders00:21:00 - The Role of a VC Beyond Investment00:22:39 - The Impact of Board Composition on Success00:23:50 - The Need for Effective Communication00:25:18 - The Importance of Preparation for Board Meetings00:26:05 - The Founder-VC Relationship Beyond the Board00:27:34 - Navigating Personal Challenges as a Founder00:29:09 - The Role of Trust in Personal Struggles00:30:34 - The Founder’s Responsibility to the Company00:32:00 - The Journey vs. The Outcome00:33:50 - The Craft of Venture: An Artisanal Approach00:35:03 - Building the Craft of Venture Capital00:37:08 - The Importance of Adaptability in Venture00:39:24 - The Role of Decision-Making in Venture Success00:40:49 - The Impact of Strategic Decisions on Company Growth00:42:00 - The Value of Support in the Venture Ecosystem00:43:55 - Conclusion: Reflecting on the Venture Journey

Find Fred online at:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/freddestin/Twitter: https://x.com/fdestinStride: https://stride.vc/You can follow Aarish and Nothing Ventured on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adsinuk/ | https://www.linkedin.com/company/nothing-ventured-podcast/Twitter: https://x.com/adsinuk | https://x.com/NVPodThis episode is sponsored by EmergeOne, fractional CFOs for venture backed tech startups from Seed to Series B.Get in touch at https://emergeone.co.uk/contact-us/ or join the CFO team at https://emergeone.co.uk/join-the-cfo-team/Sign up for EmergeOne’s weekly newsletter, Off Balance at https://off-balance.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Find Manish online at:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/manishpatelli/
Twitter: https://x.com/NavaVenturesVC
Nava Ventures: https://www.nava.vc/

This episode is sponsored by EmergeOne, fractional CFOs for venture backed tech startups from Seed to Series B.
Get in touch at https://emergeone.co.uk/contact-us/ or join the CFO team at https://emergeone.co.uk/join-the-cfo-team/

Sign up for EmergeOne’s weekly newsletter, Off Balance at https://off-balance.beehiiv.com/subscribe

In this episode of Nothing Ventured, host Aarish Shah sits down with Helen Goldberg, co-founder and COO of LegalEdge, to explore the evolving landscape of legal services for fast-growing companies. Helen shares her extensive experience in mergers and acquisitions, having worked with renowned firms like Evershed Sutherland and Baker McKenzie, as well as her role at CBS Viacom Outdoor. The conversation delves into the burgeoning alternative legal services market, the Goldilocks legal principle, and the rise of the fractional model in law.

Timestamps:
02:23 Fractional legal services evolution.
05:13 Choosing the right legal partner.
09:14 Fractional legal model's growth.
12:11 In-house legal vs. private practice.
14:36 Importance of early legal advice.
18:20 Contracts as insurance policies.
21:14 AI's impact on legal training.
26:17 European startup ecosystem challenges.
30:14 Funding disparities in the UK.
34:01 Exit readiness for founders.
36:36 Dead equity and shareholder agreements.
40:11 Regulatory challenges for startups.
43:04 Life isn't fair.

Find Helen online at:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/helen-goldberg-1339801/
Twitter: https://x.com/GoldbergHelen
LegalEdge: https://legaledge.co.uk

This episode is sponsored by EmergeOne, fractional CFOs for venture backed tech startups from Seed to Series B.
Get in touch at https://emergeone.co.uk/contact-us/ or join the CFO team at https://emergeone.co.uk/join-the-cfo-team/

Sign up for EmergeOne’s weekly newsletter, Off Balance at https://off-balance.beehiiv.com/subscribe

In this episode of Nothing Ventured, host Aarish Shah sits down with Manish Karani, founder of Yareta, a groundbreaking AI tool designed to analyze personal traits and experiences to predict future success for corporations and investors. Manish shares insights from his impressive background, including his experience at Coutts, where he managed investments for ultra-high-net-worth families and achieved significant IRR in both venture capital and real estate. The conversation explores the impact of Liz Truss on the consumer tech sector, the decision-making process behind returning capital to LPs, and the transformative nature of crucible events in shaping perspectives and lives. Manish discusses the declining interest of non-UK LPs in the UK market, the importance of measuring individual responses to hardship, and the strong correlation between challenges faced and entrepreneurial success. Listeners will also learn about quantifying entrepreneurship potential through 27 key traits. Tune in for an enlightening discussion on resilience, investment strategies, and the future of entrepreneurship.

🕒 Time stamps -
00:02:19 - Genesis of Sentient Ventures
00:03:11 - Financial and Business Aspects of Running a Fund
00:04:05 - Impact of Liz Truss's Announcement on Consumer Tech
00:05:05 - Challenges in the Plant-Based Sector
00:06:09 - Decision to Return Capital to LPs
00:07:24 - Personal Crucible Events and Their Impact
00:09:02 - Reflection on Personal Hardship and Career Decisions
00:12:47 - Authenticity and True Meaning in Work
00:16:07 - Hindsight on Liz Truss's Mini Budget
00:18:34 - Political and Economic Challenges in the UK
00:20:13 - Difficulty in Attracting Non-UK LPs
00:23:49 - Fundraising Challenges for Emerging Managers
00:25:53 - Importance of Niche Focus for Fund Managers
00:29:34 - Hardship, Alienation, Illness, and Loss (HAIL) as a Thesis
00:30:33 - Measuring the Process of Overcoming Trauma
00:32:07 - Origin of the HAIL Concept
00:34:28 - Migrant Founders and Resilience
00:36:00 - Insights from Successful Entrepreneurs
00:38:07 - Authenticity in Investor-Entrepreneur Relationships
00:40:31 - Challenges in Assessing Founder Authenticity
00:43:15 - Importance of Authenticity in Investment Decisions
00:44:29 - Introduction to Euretta
00:45:11 - Quantifying Mindset and Personal Traits
00:46:19 - Academic Research on Hardship and Entrepreneurship

In this episode of Nothing Ventured, host Aarish Shah welcomes Andrea Gurnari, a partner at 2100 Ventures, to discuss the intricacies of early-stage entrepreneurship and the venture capital landscape. Andrea shares insights on how founders should approach monetisation, emphasising the importance of deep intellectual honesty and the willingness to acknowledge when an experiment hasn’t worked. The conversation highlights the collaborative nature of the UK startup ecosystem and its advantages for entrepreneurs. Andrea also addresses the need for founders to understand the relativity between ecosystems and offers a contrarian perspective on evaluating reasoning versus output in decision-making. Tune in for valuable advice for early founders looking to navigate the challenges of innovation and productivity in Europe’s old economy.⏱️ Timestamps:00:02:02 - Why the UK for Startups?00:02:18 - The Importance of Monetization00:03:32 - Strategic Market Analysis00:04:54 - Cultural Differences in Socializing00:05:15 - Navigating the UK Ecosystem00:07:02 - The Excitement of the UK Startup Scene00:08:03 - Reflections on the Post-Financial Crisis Era00:09:39 - Deciding When to Pivot or Exit00:10:04 - The Psychology of Founders00:12:16 - The Role of Experimentation00:13:49 - Intellectual Honesty in Decision Making00:14:30 - The Stigma of Failure00:15:18 - Cultural Attitudes Towards Failure in the US vs. Europe00:18:12 - The Need for Acceptance of Failure in Europe00:20:06 - Cultural Components of European Ecosystems00:22:19 - Wealth Creation and Social Envy in Europe00:24:52 - The Role of Migration in Startup Growth00:26:13 - Labor Laws and Startup Flexibility00:29:01 - Breaking Down Barriers in the Ecosystem00:30:34 - The Importance of Cross-Pollination00:32:00 - The Future of the European Ecosystem00:34:40 - The Role of 2100 Ventures00:36:05 - Innovating the Old Economy00:44:01 - Sustainable Industrial Revolution and Climate Tech

In this episode of Nothing Venture, host Aarish Shah sits down with Alokik Advani, Managing Partner at Fidelity International Strategic Ventures. With over two decades of experience in finance, Alokik shares insights into the role of corporate ventures in the startup ecosystem, addressing common misconceptions about their involvement, including the notion of "dumb money." The conversation highlights the increasing participation of strategic investors in deals, the evolving mindset towards sustainable growth (focusing on $100 million ARR rather than billion-dollar valuations), and the importance of patience in the investment landscape. Alokik also discusses the challenges startups face with down rounds and fund structures, emphasising the need for a long-term perspective. Tune in for valuable takeaways and contrarian advice that could reshape your approach to venture capital.

🕒 Time stamps - 02:19 Corporate venture capital's reputation.05:28 Strategic corporate venture capital.07:28 Corporate spinouts and strategic alignment.10:14 Corporate venture and founder dynamics.15:21 Flexibility in investment structures.18:12 Long-term investment strategies.20:23 Market state and investment returns.23:10 UK FinTech ecosystem evolution.26:44 UK tech market investment challenges.30:20 Philosophy of slowing down.

In this episode of Nothing Ventured, host Aarish Shah sits down with Joe Seager-Dupuy, an investment director at True, a London-based consumer and retail investment and innovation advisory firm. The conversation delves into the valuable lessons learned from early career challenges and the innovative spirit of Richard Branson. Joe shares insights on the differences between family offices and venture capital firms, particularly in how they approach investments in startups. They discuss the booming consumer market, highlighting that consumer spending constitutes 60% of GDP in most Western economies, and explore the future of retail, including the potential role of AI in the shopping experience. The episode also touches on the collaborative dynamics between established retailers and startups, as well as Joe's bold prediction that Ipswich will win the premiership within the next decade. Tune in for a thought-provoking discussion that uncovers the intricacies of the venture capital ecosystem.⏱️ Timestamps:02:30 - The Value of Strategy Consulting in Venture Capital05:30 - The Role of Consultants in Startups08:43 - The Importance of Board Dynamics10:30 - Insights from Virgin Management15:24 - Differences Between Family Offices and Traditional VCs22:09 - Crazy Deals and Experiences at Virgin24:14 - Consumer and Retail Landscape Post-COVID25:47 - The Scale of Consumer Spending28:33 - Potential for Big Outcomes in Consumer Ventures30:22 - Consumer Experience Challenges and Opportunities35:06 - AI's Impact on Consumer Experiences39:07 - Consumer Health and the Future of Healthcare46:34 - Education as a Key Sector for Innovation47:46 - The Role of Technology in Reducing Costs in Healthcare and Education