Rising Above the Noise in Consumer VC with Kirsten Green of Forerunner | E1961
This Week in Startups
Challenges and Strategies in the Consumer Business Market
The chapter explores the hurdles faced by consumer companies in securing funding and distinguishing themselves in a competitive market. It also emphasizes the significance of uniqueness, problem-solving, and superior user experience to thrive in the consumer industry.
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Todays show:
Kirsten Green joins guest host Mark Suster to discuss Forerunner’s framework on making investments (8:33), how AI will change how consumer companies and applications are built (16:28), cultural shifts that are investable (33:38), and more!
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Timestamps:
(0:00) Kirsten Green joins guest host Mark Suster.
(2:49) Kirsten’s advice to stand out in consumer venture with only seven percent of VC dollars being allocated to consumer.
(8:33) Forerunner’s framework on making investments.
(11:16) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at http://www.vanta.com/twist
(12:09) The value of searching for where businesses are missing the mark, and the “wow” factor of the Oura Ring.
(16:28) How AI will change how consumer companies and applications are built
(19:46) Oracle - Take a free test drive of OCI at https://www.oracle.com/twist.
(20:50) The current state of the consumer search experience and the power of personalization that AI can bring.
(24:16) The disruptive lesson from mobile and the next level of being context aware.
(28:24) Mercury - Join 200K startups who use Mercury to operate at their best at http://www.mercury.com
(31:57) Forerunner Ventures lives within the intersection of invention and culture.
(33:38) Cultural shifts that are investable.
(36:36) The consumer shift from large to small screen.
(40:42) The importance of the mix between direct and indirect revenue.
(42:32) Discussing the relevance of “freemium”.
(55:48) What the exit environment is like going forward.
(1:02:55) What will it take to bring back the small and mid-cap market?
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Check out Forerunner Ventures: https://www.forerunnerventures.com/
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Follow Kirsten:
X: https://x.com/kirstenagreen
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirstengreen/
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Follow Mark:
X: https://twitter.com/msuster
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marksuster/
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Thank you to our partners:
(11:16) Vanta - Get $1000 off your SOC 2 at http://www.vanta.com/twist
(19:46) Oracle - Take a free test drive of OCI at https://www.oracle.com/twist.
(28:24) Mercury - Join 200K startups who use Mercury to operate at their best at http://www.mercury.com
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Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland
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