Nothing Ventured

10x in 2 weeks 🤯 We could not be prouder of having hit the milestone of 5k subscribers on Youtube 🙌🏾 It took us 20 months to get to 540 subs. 🐌 It's taken us 2 weeks to get from there to 5k. 🚀 Thank you to all our incredible guests that have come on, given their time, their thoughts and shared their experiences - we've loved every minute 🙏🏾 Massive shout out to James Alexander and the crew at LaunchPod Studios - LFG.......🎙️

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗹𝗮𝘄𝘆𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻’𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 👩🏼⚖️ In this episode of Nothing Ventured, Aarish sat down with friend of EmergeOne and the podcast, Helen Goldberg, Co-Founder and COO of LegalEdge which provides flexible in-house legal counsel services to fast growth companies. Prior to founding LegalEdge, Helen spent over a decade focussed on M&A with Eversheds Sutherland and Baker McKenzie and as Sole Counsel and European Legal Director at Espotting / Miva and then headed up the international legal team for all activity outside the US at CBS / Viacom Outdoor. In this episode, they talked about: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗸𝘀 𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗲:  ↳ Helen introduced the concept of the "Goldilocks legal principle," noting the importance of finding the right balance in legal resources. Many startups either over-rely on tech templates or rush to engage big law firms, often leading to inefficiencies and unnecessary costs. Instead, Helen advocates for a tailored approach—using in-house counsel for ongoing legal needs while leveraging technology and law firms appropriately for specific tasks. This strategy not only saves money but also ensures that legal work is handled effectively. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗘𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲:  ↳ One of the most critical points Helen made was the necessity of obtaining good legal and financial advice from day one. Founders often overlook the significance of a well-structured cap table and intellectual property management, which can lead to major complications down the line. Helen stressed that these foundational elements are not just administrative tasks; they are essential for securing investment and ensuring a smooth exit strategy. As she put it, "Don't mess up the things you can fix early on." 𝗘𝗺𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗠𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗹:  ↳ Helen discussed the rise of the fractional model in both legal and financial services, highlighting how it provides flexibility and expertise without the overhead of full-time hires. This model has gained traction, especially among startups that need strategic roles like general counsel or CFOs but may not yet be ready for a full-time commitment. By embracing this approach, businesses can access high-quality legal and financial support while maintaining agility in their operations. Subscribe and rate wherever you get your podcasts ✨ YouTube: https://lnkd.in/dwbqVreM Spotify: https://lnkd.in/dxbAA_pe Apple: https://lnkd.in/dVbkqZf6

𝗖𝗮𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘀𝗲𝘁? In the latest episode of Nothing Ventured, Aarish spoke to Manish Karani, founder of Yareta, a science-backed AI tool that analyzes personal traits, values, and past experiences to forecast future success for corporations and investors. Prior to founding Yareta, Manish spent 5 years at Coutts, working across Switzerland and Singapore. He then launched a Multi-Family Office Investment vehicle, managing investments for 28 ultra-high-net-worth families, deploying £15 million across Real Estate and Venture Capital. With over 30 investments, he achieved a 23% IRR in VC and 14% IRR in Real Estate. In 2023, Manish launched a £30 million fund focused on the plant-based sector with Sentient Ventures VC, an early-stage VC fund, but ultimately decided to return the funds to the LPs. They talked about: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗼𝗻 𝗘𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 Manish shared his insights on the concept of HAIL — Hardship, Alienation, Illness, and Loss—and how these experiences can shape resilient entrepreneurs. He noted that it's not the event itself that matters, but rather the individual's process of overcoming it. This perspective challenges traditional views on what makes a successful founder and highlights the importance of resilience and mindset in navigating the entrepreneurial journey. 𝗡𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗥𝗲𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻 𝗖𝗮𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 They discussed the significant shifts in the market, particularly following Liz Truss's announcement, which had a profound impact on the consumer tech space. Manish candidly explained his decision to return capital to LPs after realising that the current environment was not conducive to achieving the fund's goals. This decision reflects a broader trend among emerging managers who must weigh the viability of their funds against market realities. It's a reminder that sometimes, stepping back is the most strategic move. 𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿-𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀 One of the most compelling parts of their discussion was the importance of authenticity in the relationships between investors and founders. Manish highlighted that true connections are built on honesty and vulnerability, which can often be lacking in the fast-paced world of venture capital. By fostering genuine relationships, both parties can better understand each other's motivations and align their goals for mutual success. Check out the episode wherever you get your podcasts and don't forget to subscribe, rate and share ✨ YouTube: https://lnkd.in/dGexMt7i Spotify: https://lnkd.in/dXaUeX7c Apple: https://lnkd.in/dCbApmZc

I sat down on the Nothing Ventured show to do what VCs do best: talk a lot (although under the hour 🥹) and express unsolicited opinions (like that it's ok not to have opinions sometimes - checkmate). It came out pretty well. We chatted: 🧪 Why Pre-Seed is all about setting up the right experiments 😭 On dealing with failure and removing societal stigma 🧱 Why Europe has a problem with psychological walls (and why UK has one too now) 🗣️ Why being opinionated is a depth-first process and it's not scalable. Thanks Aarish Shah for having me!

Last week I shared a bit of my conversation at Nothing Ventured with Aarish Shah. Now I am sharing the complete episode, where we talked about so many things (angel investing challenges, being a rebel in the system, angel funds, good timing to start, female founders and investors, learning by doing, cross-pollination among funds, and so much more!) I loved the experience, especially our final conversation, Aarish. Thank you! Spotify: https://lnkd.in/dd_JBiQz Youtube: https://lnkd.in/d_jieBPd #startups #angelinvesting #portfolio #riskmitigation #investing #angels #angelfunds #coreangels #exits #learning #loneliness #happiness #community

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗩𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗲𝗰𝗼𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺? On this week's Nothing Ventured, Aarish spoke to Andrea Gurnari, Partner at 2100 Ventures 🇪🇺 a pre-seed and seed stage fund dedicated to supporting European entrepreneurs driving the new golden age of industrial innovation, investing in B2B businesses across a range of verticals. Prior to 2100 Ventures, Andrea was an investor with Atomico and Connect Ventures before which he worked in and co-founded startups in Italy and the UK. They talked about ↳ 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗘𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀: Andrea noted that many founders are so passionate about their ideas that they often overlook the crucial aspect of monetization. He highlights the need for early-stage entrepreneurs to think strategically about how to bring their products to market and generate revenue. This is a vital lesson for anyone looking to build a sustainable business. ↳ 𝗘𝗺𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗙𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗢𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆: One of the most profound insights from their conversation was the psychological burden founders face when dealing with failure. Andrea advocates for a culture that does not demonize failure but instead views it as an essential part of the entrepreneurial journey. He believes that investors and the ecosystem as a whole have a responsibility to support founders in their learning processes, even when experiments don’t yield the desired results. ↳ 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗘𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗘𝗰𝗼𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺: Andrea discusses the unique advantages of the UK’s collaborative and international nature, which fosters innovation and growth. He argues that Europe must embrace this spirit of collaboration to unlock its full potential. By breaking down barriers and encouraging cross-pollination among founders from different backgrounds, we can create a more vibrant and dynamic startup ecosystem. Subscribe, rate and share from wherever you get your podcasts ✨ YouTube: https://lnkd.in/dkgJ2Ev7 Spotify: https://lnkd.in/dWuawueb Apple: https://lnkd.in/dqPsh-Pd

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗙𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗮 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 📈 In this week's episode of Nothing Ventured, Aarish sat down with Alokik Advani, Managing Partner at Fidelity International Strategic Ventures, building and investing in fintech businesses and technologies that are strategic to Fidelity International. Alokik’s career has spanned over two decades in finance setting up a strategic investment unit for Merrill Lynch in Europe after which he spent a decade building out Goldman Sach’s Strategic Investments team and practice in Hong Kong before joining VC firm Eight Roads as the MD for Fintech Strategic Investments. In this episode they covered: → 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗽𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗩𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹: Alokik discussed the common misconceptions surrounding CVCs, often labeled as "dumb money" or slow-moving entities. However, he emphasised that strategic investors can bring significant value beyond just capital. By aligning incentives and actively participating in the growth of startups, CVCs can foster meaningful partnerships that drive innovation and revenue potential. This shift in mindset is crucial for founders to understand as they navigate their funding options. → 𝗘𝗺𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗥𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝘀: In today's market, many startups face the reality of down rounds. Alokik encouraged founders not to dread this scenario but to view it as an opportunity for recalibration. By focusing on building sustainable businesses with solid fundamentals—like achieving $100 million in ARR rather than chasing billion-dollar valuations—founders can create long-term value. This perspective shift can help startups weather economic uncertainties and emerge stronger. → 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗗𝘂𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝗩𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹: Alokik highlighted the need for flexibility in investment duration, especially in a rapidly changing market. Traditional 10-year fund structures may not suit all startups, particularly those in sectors experiencing significant shifts. Fidelity's approach allows for a longer-term view, enabling them to support companies that require more time to realize their potential. This adaptability is essential for fostering innovation and ensuring that startups have the runway they need to succeed. Subscribe, rate and share wherever you get your podcasts ✨ YouTube: https://lnkd.in/d-zRiMS7 Spotify: https://lnkd.in/drk_BhJA Apple: https://lnkd.in/dCFyCQwc #NothingVenturedPodcast #VentureCapital #Investor #VC #fintech #CorporateVenture

We are back with a BANG 💥 For the first episode of the new season of Nothing Ventured we spoke to Joe Seager-Dupuy, Investment Director in the VC Team at True., a consumer and retail focused investment and innovation advisory firm based in London with circa $1bn of assets under management. True's VC Fund invests into Pre-Seed to Series A startups operating in the consumer and retail vertical, both B2C and B2B. Prior to joining True, Joe was a Director of Corporate Strategy and Development at Virgin Management, the Branson family office, and had spent the early part of his career in strategy at WarnerMedia and OC&C Strategy Consultants. In this episode, Aarish and Joe talked about: 🐐 How there is something to be said to getting beasted pretty hard early in your career. 🤯 How Richard Branson has repeatedly done and created improbable things throughout his career. ❓ How family offices differ from VCs in how they invest in venture. 🌩️ How it’s been a perfect storm for consumer businesses. 🛍️ How 60% of the GDP of most western economies is consumer spending - 60 trillion globally, 15 trillion in Europe. 👖 Will AI agents be buying your clothes in the future? ⚽️ Joe’s contrarian opinion is that Ipswich will win the premiership in the next 10 years. Subscribe, rate and share wherever you get your podcasts ✨ YouTube: https://lnkd.in/dSdRH9_a Spotify: https://lnkd.in/dt7rJFHj Apple: https://lnkd.in/dV7hhm6a #NothingVenturedPodcast #venturecapital #vc #investor #consumer #podcast

And.... We're BACK! New season of Nothing Ventured dropping soon 💪🏾 Catch new episodes with Joe Seager-Dupuy, investor at True Ventures, Alokik Advani from Fidelity International Strategic Ventures and Andrea Gurnari, Partner at 2100 Ventures as we explore the state of the markets, consumer and retail, Europe and more wherever you get your podcasts 🎧 Oh... And don't miss our new bite sized must watch episodes of Now What? A guide to scaling your startup dropping soon. Let's do this 🚀 #tech #startups #VentureCapital #finance #NothingVenturedPodcast #founders

Not to be <that guy> again, but can we take a moment to talk about how f*cked up finance "hiring" is in early stage venture? Obviously I talk to ALOT of VC backed startups and naturally this is going to sound a bit self serving, after all EmergeOne provides fractional CFO support to VC backed startups from seed to series B. 1. Hiring a full time CFO too early - unless you have sufficient capital to manage, this is a waste of resource. 2. Hiring a CFO (fractional or full time) too late - there is an inflection point, after you've raised a tonne of capital or have strong revenues where it's critical. 3. Hiring too junior and calling them a CFO - you don't become a CFO through qualifications, you do through experience. Junior finance heads may plug some gaps, but don't expect strategic insight. 4. Doing it yourself - Yes, Xero exists and, yes it's easy to use. It's also easy to use incorrectly and your books of account are only a small part of your finance stack. 5. Only going operational - indexing towards only hiring in someone to fix the operational stack (invoice flows, revenue accounting, spend management etc) doesn't work for long, it's as important - at the right stage - to have the strategic insight a CFO can provide. 6. Hiring in a big 4 or corporate background 'heavy hitter' - most of these folk will not have worked in a cash strapped, resource constrained environment, they are used to having machines behind them and more often than not will flounder. 7. Hiring someone who has never worked with VC backed companies - there are lots of folk out there who are great working with 'trad' businesses, but who don't know the complexities that arise working with an institutionally funded early stage business. 8. Searching for unicorns - I can categorically say that no CFO is going to do your bookkeeping (at least for any length of time), trying to find someone who will 'do it all' is a false economy and you will end up with either your finance ops or your strategic finance suffering. 9. Not bringing in anyone operational at all - strategic finance can only add value when the basic hygiene of your finances is in place. You can't do strategy if the downstream information is broken. 10. Assuming there is only one way to do finance - there is no rinse and repeat playbook for building a finance team, what worked in company x won't necessarily work in company y. What works in a fintech doesn't necessarily translate to what works in a marketplace. So here comes the hard sell (ok not really hard, but I'd kick myself if I didn't do this) - what we see working well once a company has raised enough capital or is printing enough revenue to warrant it is to bring in a fractional CFO (and of course an EmergeOne one would be best 😘) who can help figure out how to structure your strategic and operational finance stack the right way, first time. Give me a shout if you're trying to figure this all out, I'm always happy to give you my tuppence worth.