The Hard Part with Evan McCann Kiva Dickinson from Selva Ventures
Kiva Dickinson is the Founder & Managing Partner of Selva Ventures.
Selva Ventures invests in healthier living. They support Seed & Series A stage consumer health & wellness brands that make healthier living more engaging, accessible, habit-forming and fun.
Takeaways
- His background in investment banking at Barclays, private equity at TPG and investing at CircleUp.
- Why he wanted to start his own firm in the CPG space.
- Debunking the myth that CPG doesn't work for VCs.
- Why investing in CPG requires a better batting average compared to technology investments.
- Why Kiva looks for products with strong gross margins and repeat purchase metrics.
- What is the sweet spot and inflection point for Selva to invest.
- Spaces in CPG that Selva and Kiva are excited about.
- Kiva's thoughts on celebrity brands.
- Hiring investors in the CPG space.
- "DTC is a channel, not a business" and how to run a strong retail strategy.
- Why LA is one of the best geographies for CPG businesses and investors.
Chapters
00:00 Kiva Dickinson's Background and Journey
06:23 Starting Selva Ventures
08:24 Investment Strategy: Focus on Consumer Products
10:58 Investing at the Inflection Point
16:52 The Role of Retail Strategy in CPG
20:46 The Misconception that CPG Doesn't Work for Venture Capital
25:36 Exciting Spaces in Consumer Products
29:47 The Outlier Effect of Los Angeles in CPG
32:30 Hiring Investors in the Consumer Industry
35:06 The Impact of Celebrity Brands in the Consumer Space
41:19 Dealing with Hard Times and Finding Balance
Keywords
Kiva Dickinson, investment banking, consumer venture capital, Selva Ventures, private equity, consumer products, investment strategy, gross margin, repeat purchase, celebrity brands, geography