No matter where you are in your investing or startup journey, you can always learn more, and not everyone has direct access to the leaders and bright minds in the venture capital and startup world. Podcasts can serve as a fly-on-the-wall opportunity to listen in as hosts sit down with leaders, investors, entrepreneurs, and other experts to share first-hand stories and insight.
Learning by Listening
Whether you’re an investor or part of a startup, you can learn from and enjoy a variety of podcasts that cover investing and entrepreneurial topics. Check out the podcasts below to get started.
This Week in Startups with Jason Calacanis
Jason Calacanis, a serial entrepreneur and angel investor, presents a weekly podcast that engages guests from various startups and other areas of the startup ecosystem, particularly in Silicon Valley. Each podcast typically runs between an hour and an hour and a half as he dives into topical discussions with guest speakers. In its ninth season, the podcast also featured a 10-part mini-series on scaling your startup.
In one recent episode, “E1045: 15Five CEO & Co-Founder David Hassell Shares Insights on Remote Work,” Calacanis engages with Hassell about remote work, particularly as it pertains to the current environment of COVID-19 stay-at-home orders and remote working, and they dive into how to use weekly check-ins and other techniques to help employees and startups thrive during a new normal of remote work.
Check it out at https://thisweekinstartups.com/.
The Full Ratchet
Nick Moran, an investor, operator, and founder of an early-stage venture firm, hosts The Full Ratchet podcast, which he started in 2014 to bring transparency to the startup fundraising and investing process. This podcast puts out new episodes several times a week and features in-depth conversations with guest experts and other players in the VC world.
In a recent episode, “E206. The Ultimate Testing Framework (Alex Osterwalder),” Moran digs into testing business ideas with his guest, Alex Osterwalder of Strategyzer. One of the key topics discussed in this episode are the essential building blocks needed before a startup tries to raise capital. The episodes typically run 30 to 90 minutes, and shorter (5–10 minute) Investor Stories are sprinkled between the longer episodes, focusing on failed startups and what can be learned from those experiences.
Find show notes and more at https://fullratchet.net/.
The Pitch
The Pitch features exactly what the name says – the pitches for startups hoping to raise capital. Hosted by Josh Muccio, each episode focuses on a single pitch by real entrepreneurs for real investors. The episodes run approximately 30 minutes, with new ones dropping every week or two.
In a recent episode, “87. Uber for Pets (SpotOn),” Muccio narrates the pitch from SpotOn’s founder Aparna Srinivasan as she tries to bring in funding for her “Uber for pets” startup. Srinivasan gives her pitch and engages with the investors, giving podcast listeners insight into the questions and perspectives of the potential investors.
Check it out at https://gimletmedia.com/shows/the-pitch.
Acquired
Acquired is co-hosted by David Rosenthal and Ben Gilbert. Rosenthal and Gilbert have both played key roles in startups, and they use their podcast to dive into the stories of technology companies and what brought them to points of success. While originally focusing on acquired companies, the podcast now covers any company with a great story and lessons to learn. They have recently pivoted into a season called Adapting to address the current startup and investing environment during the COVID-19 pandemic and its coming aftermath.
Podcast episodes come out every few weeks and typically run an hour and a half to two-plus hours as they provide thorough coverage of these startups’ stories. The new focus on Adapting tackles stories of leaders and companies and how they’re navigating a changing world. “Adapting Episode 1: Canlis” is their first episode that shifts from covering what companies have done to what they are doing to move forward.
Check out episodes and About info at https://www.acquired.fm/.
Ready to Invest?
Podcasts are a great way to learn from experts, investors, and entrepreneurs you otherwise might never meet. If the stories and insights from these podcasts have you excited to check out investment opportunities for yourself, head on over to https://app.microventures.com/invest and check out MicroVentures’ current offerings.
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MicroVentures is not affiliated with, nor does it verify, endorse, or guarantee any of the information presented in, these podcasts. The information presented here is for general informational purposes only and is not intended to be, nor should it be construed or used as, comprehensive offering documentation for any security, investment, tax or legal advice, a recommendation, or an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, an interest, directly or indirectly, in any company. Investing in both early-stage and later-stage companies carries a high degree of risk. A loss of an investor’s entire investment is possible, and no profit may be realized. Investors should be aware that these types of investments are illiquid and should anticipate holding until an exit occurs.
