Insider Ep. 64: The ‘Trifecta’ That This Investor Looks For In Growing Brands

This week, we’re joined by Megan Bent, the founder and managing partner of Harbinger Ventures, a specialized investment firm whose mission is to provide growth equity and strategic resources to the next generation of female entrepreneurs. In an interview included in this episode, Bent spoke about the creation of the firm, initial challenges of getting partners on board and how the impact of the #MeToo movement on the fund’s development.  She also explained why she returns a percentage of fund profits to her founder, how she vets potential portfolio companies and what listeners can do at their own companies to encourage diversity.

Show notes:

1:23: Sugar, Honey, Iced Tea. Plus, Booch Bosses at BNL. -- On location at BevNET Live, the hosts chatted about the quality of brands participating in the New Beverage Showdown 18, why Ray was crushing organic energy shot brand Kafina during the show and how attendees responded to BevNET’s two-day takeover of the Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel. Mike also spoke about his interaction with the founder of sparkling tea brand Kite and Ray remarked on an impromptu meeting of kombucha entrepreneurs during the event.

8:05: Megan Bent, Founder & Managing Partner, Harbinger Ventures -- Bent sat down with NOSH editor Carol Ortenberg at the 2019 Mobile Innovation Summit where she discussed her background in investment banking and why launching Harbinger was about “rethinking some of the fundamentals in how capital is invested.” She also explained why launching the firm was harder than she expected, why she believes the experience was similar to that of entrepreneurs attempting to fundraise and why she gives 10% of profits to portfolio companies. Later, Bent spoke about her rationale for bringing on a male managing partner, why “the best thought leadership comes from organizations that show a diverse set of thinking that’s across gender, backgrounds, experiences [and] ages” and how the firm evaluates brands for investment. She also explained why funding decisions are “probably more relational than anything else” and why she encourages “bite-sized actions” to support greater diversity in business.

Brands in this episode: Kafina Energy, Kite, Greenbelt Kombucha, Brew Dr. Kombucha, Humm Kombucha, Health-Ade, Revive Kombucha, GT’s Living Foods, Evol, Siggi’s, Little Secrets