Episode brought to you by Trend & Finaloop.

On this episode of DTC POD, Sydney Sykes of Lightspeed Venture Partners joins Blaine & Ramon to talk about the current state of direct-to-consumer brands and e-commerce. Sydney shares her experience in venture capital and growing direct-to-consumer brands, and offers advice for founders seeking investment. We also dive into various topics including circular fashion to generative AI and SEO, and how they are transforming the modern e-commerce landscape. We also discuss how to create unique demand and distribution advantages, the importance of networking, and which businesses are best suited for vc funding.

Timestamps

[00:01:37] From psychology major to venture capitalist.

[00:04:52] Investing in direct-to-consumer brands evolution.

[00:13:10] Diversity in venture capital is important.

[00:16:00] Women can bring good returns to VC.

[00:18:10] Ways to reach investors and get funded.

[00:20:53] Common mistakes made by founders.

[00:23:59] Investment in unique brands with advantages.

[00:28:32] Exciting times for brands due to enablement tools and AI.

[00:34:48] Importance of content and personalization.

[00:38:23] Circular fashion's growing market and benefits.

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Episode brought to you by Finaloop, the real-time accounting service trusted by hundreds of DTC Brands. Try Finaloop free - no credit card required. Visit finaloop.com/dtcpod and get 14 days free and a 2-month P&L within 24 hours.

Past guests & brands on DTC Pod include Gilt, PopSugar, Glossier, MadeIN, Prose, Bala, P.volve, Ritual, Bite, Oura, Levels, General Mills, Mid Day Squares, Prose, Arrae, Olipop, Ghia, Rosaluna, Form, Uncle Studios & many more.

Additional episodes you might like:

• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth

• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content

• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views

• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands

• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook

• ​​​​#243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

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Sydney Sykes - Partner at Lightspeed Venture Partners
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Seated