Startup Success: A Podcast for Founders & Investors

Today we dive  into the world of legal strategy for startups with Charu Satia, startup attorney and Partner at Silicon Legal Strategy. With more than a decade of experience under her belt, Charu provides invaluable insights into the array of key legal issues startup founders need to be aware of from inception to exit.

Charu explains why it makes sense to bet on your startup's success by investing in a solid legal foundation early on. From entity formation to IP protection, equity structuring to commercial agreements, Charu highlights the critical areas where legal counsel plays a pivotal role in minimizing risks and maximizing opportunities for startups.

We discuss:

• The importance of working with legal counsel from an early stage to avoid costly cleanup and delays during fundraising or M&A due diligence
• Common pitfalls of opting for shortcuts like free online legal templates (hint: it may cost you more in the long run!)
• Actionable advice for startup founders around building a network of supportive partners 

Tune in to gain valuable insights from Charu Satia and learn how to lay the groundwork for your startup's success with strategic legal counsel.

Silicon Legal Strategy specializes in corporate transactional work, serving as trusted advisors throughout the entire lifecycle of startups. To learn more about their laser focus on helping entrepreneurs succeed, visit: www.siliconlegal.com.

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Stay connected with our host, Kate Adams, here on LinkedIn! 

Our guest today, Aagya Mathur, has an inspiring story to tell. She transformed her personal health challenges into a startup that empowers people to improve their overall quality of life.

In this episode, Aagya, Co-Founder & CEO at Aavia, shares how she brought her idea to fruition with help from MIT and then recently was accepted into the Mayo Clinic and ASU MedTech Accelerator. After an incredible Q1, her startup plans to leverage the lessons they learned around pivoting, listening to customers, and the power of organic marketing to reach even great levels of success.

Our conversation covers:

• The importance of user-centric design and staying agile enough to adapt quickly
• Aavia’s innovative and hugely successful approach to growth marketing through organic, education-driven content on social
• Why perseverance and grit are key to navigating the ups & downs of the founder’s journey
• Her lightbulb moment of realizing that data-driven, science-backed insights could shine a light on an under-researched, under-funded area of health and potentially help half the world’s population

Tune in to hear how Aavia is revolutionizing health and empowering people with ovaries to take control of their well-being, one cycle at a time.

To learn more about Aavia and download the app, visit their website at aavia.io or find them on the App Store. Connect with Aavia on social media for educational content and updates on Instagram and TikTok (@aavia.io).

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Stay connected with our host, Kate Adams, here on LinkedIn! 

The tech ecosystem in Los Angeles may not grab headlines like Silicon Valley, but over the past decade, it has gained some serious momentum and a several major VC players have emerged. Our guest today is Jennifer Richard, Principal at Bonfire Ventures – one LA’s top B2B venture firms.

Jennifer discusses what she’s excited about in the tech sector right now, why she’s optimistic about 2024, and Bonfire Ventures’ investment approach, which prioritizes building long term relationships with founders. ​​

Our conversation also covers:  

• Advice for founders, including how to make a positive first impression on investors 
• Increased deal flow, more competitive rounds, and other positive trends Jennifer is currently seeing in the market
• What Jennifer and her firm look for in startups
• Jennifer’s extraordinary experience as a Kauffman Fellow
• The latest on LA’s tech scene

Tune in for the latest on the evolving startup ecosystem and real-world advice for founders in the midst of their startup journey.

For more information about Bonfire Ventures and to connect with Jennifer, visit their website or reach out on LinkedIn and Twitter.

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Stay connected with our host, Kate Adams, here on LinkedIn! 

Even though the success rates for startups today are sobering, there is reason to be optimistic. As our guest today, Venture Capitalist John Frankel sees it: "Cycles happen. We've gone through a downturn and I think we're now at an inflection point. We’re already starting to see some companies raise money at high valuations."

John founded ff Venture Capital in 2008 and has since funded over 150 seed and early-stage companies that in turn have created thousands of jobs and impacted the lives of millions. 

He joins us to share his motivation for founding a VC firm, his investment philosophy, and his perspective on today’s startup landscape.

Our conversation delves into:

• John's advice for founders
• What his firm looks for in early stage startups
• The significance of resilience and adaptability for early-stage founders
• His current fascination with applied AI, including drones, robotics, and financial services tech

This episode provides valuable insights and practical advice for early-stage founders navigating the challenging yet promising startup world.

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Stay connected with our host, Kate Adams, here on LinkedIn! 

In today's episode, we have two VCs in the studio, Dr. Tara Bishop and Eileen Tanghal, co-founders of Black Opal Ventures, who discuss their strategic focus of supporting startups that are driving innovation at the intersection of technology and healthcare.

We explore the genesis of Black Opal Ventures and how the duo, who met as freshman 30 years ago at MIT, took a leap of faith, ultimately raising $63 million for their fund.

Discussion highlights:

• How their unique backgrounds converged in a shared vision for funding impactful innovation in healthcare
• Their passion for building a future where automation/AI drives down costs, making healthcare more accessible
• Why we are now on the cusp of a massive wave of evolution in the healthcare industry
• Black Opal Ventures’ portfolio, ranging from next-gen wearables to novel solutions for diagnosing lung cancer
• Where Founders in this space should be focused and their thoughts on how to achieve success

The episode gives listeners a captivating glimpse into the journey of two visionary leaders shaping the future of healthcare.

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Stay connected with our host, Kate Adams, here on LinkedIn!

No matter what industry you’re in, your audience is savvier than ever about digital branding and marketing. The tactics that worked 5 years ago no longer apply. And this makes growing your business and driving sales more challenging than ever.

That's why today, we're excited to sit down with a true digital marketing and branding expert to delve into strategies that will help your startup break through the noise.

Our guest, Juntae DeLane, is a sought-after strategist, thought leader, and the Founder + Chief Strategist at Digital Delane, a full-service digital marketing agency. He also founded the Digital Branding Institute and has spoken around the world on the practice of digital branding.

Juntae walks us step-by-step through what it takes to build a successful brand and convert customers in today’s ever-shifting market.

We discuss:

• The new rules of SEO and how to align content with Google's latest algorithm
• Why credibility & trustworthiness are key to your content creation strategy
• How a CRM system can multiple the efforts of small teams
• Why personal branding is especially important for founders
• His assertion that today all brands are built on social

Juntae wraps up with insights he learned along his founder’s journey … "Being a successful founder really starts from within. It takes something on the inside that keeps you going. You have to ask yourself if you have that grit."

Don’t miss this incredible episode packed with the best digital branding and marketing advice out there!

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Stay connected with our host, Kate Adams, here on LinkedIn!

Today, we have a remarkable guest in our studio, Suzanne Fletcher, the founder and general partner of Zelda Ventures. Suzanne’s career as an investor spans 20 years including a stint at StartX, Stanford’s startup accelerator & founder community, where she helped over 900 founders raise early-stage capital.

In 2023, she launched Zelda Ventures and raised $33M for her new fund in spite of “apocalyptic” fundraising conditions— an incredible accomplishment!

Suzanne dives into her VC journey and shares Zelda’s focus on backing serial entrepreneurs, a unique strategy that leverages her well-established founder network and deep industry knowledge.

We discuss:

• Her framework for selecting startups to fund
• What she looks for in a founding team
• Why a "no” from an investor may actually mean "not yet”
• Her advice for early-stage founders
• Lessons she’s learned from founders on tenacity, team dynamics and transparency

Join us in this enlightening conversation with Suzanne Fletcher as we explore her investment philosophy and valuable advice for entrepreneurs.

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Stay connected with our host, Kate Adams, here on LinkedIn!

Startup wind downs are not something founders usually think about until there is no other option. But for founders who find themselves in that position, juggling all the elements of a wind down (aka going out of business) can be tricky both logistically and psychologically. However, if you approach it the right way, there can be positive legal and financial implications.

In his role of VP at Sherwood Partners, Andrew Kitirattragarn, helps founders navigate the best possible route through the wind down journey. He was inspired to do this work after going through a difficult wind down himself at the CPG startup he co-founded, Dang Foods. Andrew has learned that if the wind down is done well, a founding team can gain a sense of closure (and not failure) at the end of the process.

Andrew emphasizes that doing even just a small amount of advance planning when your startup is not in immediate financial distress, can alleviate the risk of having to act hastily or haphazardly if the worst happens.

He shares valuable insights on:

• Why planning for a wind down at 12 months left of cash runway is key
• The empowering and positive aspects to the process that can leave in you a stronger financial position
• How preparing for the worst case scenario can reduce your concerns
• Support & resources to help you come out the other side ready for the next big thing!

This is a much-needed conversation that we hope gets the ball rolling for important talks with your team!
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Stay connected with our host, Kate Adams, here on LinkedIn!

Startup founders are some of the most committed, hardworking, innovative people in the world. But even in the best of times, they exist in a pressure cooker. And the relentless stress can sometimes lead to burnout.

Nevertheless, mental health has historically been a taboo topic in the venture capital and startup community. So when we heard about the work Flourish Ventures is doing to support startup founders, we were intrigued and wanted to dedicate an episode to their work.

Today, we are thrilled to sit down with Lisa Mikkelsen, Head of Global Human Capital at Flourish Ventures, who shares her firm’s mission to create a systemic change in the global fintech sector and their unique holistic approach to working with startups. Lisa details the work Flourish is doing to redefine the culture of venture capital to focus more on empowering founders and prioritizing their well-being and mental health.

Our far-reaching discussion covers:
– Why it’s important for VCs to offer more than just financial support to founders
– How to get past the perceived power imbalance between founder and investor
– Why the skill of empathy is key to startup success
– The warning signs of founder burnout (from a VC's perspective)
– The benefits of cultivating a strong founder/VC relationship
– What founders should look out for when vetting investors

Don't miss this frank conversation about the complexities of founder mental health and the role venture capital firms can play in supporting them.

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Stay connected with our host, Kate Adams, here on LinkedIn!