Kirsten Green, founder of Forerunner Ventures and 8-time Midas List investor, sees the next wave of breakout brands emerging at the intersection of shifting consumer behavior, novel business models, and technological inflection points.

In this conversation with Ruchi Sanghvi, she unpacks the investment frameworks behind early bets on companies like Warby Parker and Glossier—breaking down structural shifts that fueled their scale. They explore:

• AI’s role in reshaping consumer distribution and brand-building

• the enduring mechanics of advertising and its evolution across platforms

• the biggest misconceptions about early-stage consumer investing

• what defines the next generation of category-defining brands

Connect with us here:

1. Kirsten Green – https://x.com/kirstenagreen

2. Ruchi Sanghvi – https://x.com/rsanghvi

3. South Park Commons – https://x.com/southpkcommons

This episode was produced and distributed by our friends at Atomik Growth: https://atomikgrowth.com/

00:00 Trailer

00:56 Introduction

02:25 Humble beginnings

05:12 Vague misconceptions

07:44 Consumer AI direction

11:43 How to win in consumer AI

18:32 Where is distribution now

22:49 "What caught your attention?"

24:45 The problems and the solution

27:35 Consumer traction and engagement

30:50 Giving venture the finger?

34:06 Counterintuitive Traits of Founders

37:03 Effective channels and connections

39:53 Business of saying no

41:49 Agents

43:04 Search experience

44:09 Education and healthcare economy

46:36 Physical personalization

48:31 Healthcare and social

51:55 Key roles

54:51 Outro