Growth Investor with GrowthCap‘s RJ Lumba

In this episode, we speak with Niclas Luthman, Founding Partner of Nick’s. Based in Sweden, Nick’s develops "better for you" alternatives to popular sugar packed and carb loaded foods, such as confectionery, ice cream, snacks and sweeteners. Nick’s seeks to eliminate the gap between indulgent and healthy, through food innovation, to empower more people to make better food choices. An entrepreneur with a mechanical engineering background, Niclas became a self taught food engineer in 2014 after having to change his diet and lifestyle.  He worked with food scientists to develop a range of sugar, wheat and gluten-free snacks that can be part of every-day life.  The Nick’s range has become a permanent fixture in the Swedish confectionery aisles and also has a home in the US. I am your host RJ Lumba.  We hope you enjoy the show.  If you like the episode, click to subscribe.

Ben Levin, Co-founder and CEO of Level Equity, discusses his extensive experience in growth equity focused on software companies. He shares insights on the importance of company culture and strategic partnerships in nurturing businesses. Ben highlights how Level Equity supports its portfolio with operational expertise to ensure growth readiness. The conversation also touches on maintaining resilience during challenges, and the balancing act of fitness and nutrition while managing travel demands. Personal reflections enrich the discussion, making it both informative and relatable.

In this episode, we speak with John Jahnke, the CEO of Tackle, the leading solution built to help software companies generate revenue through a data-driven Cloud go-to-market (Cloud GTM). John is a business and technology leader with a successful track record of building great teams to drive emerging technology patterns. Tackle works with more than 550 software companies including CrowdStrike, HashiCorp, Lacework, New Relic, VMware, and many more at every stage - from companies scaling their go-to-market to the largest software companies in the world. They are venture backed by three of the world's top SaaS investors - a16z, Bessemer Venture Partners, and Coatue. I am your host RJ Lumba.  We hope you enjoy the show.  If you like the episode, click to subscribe.

In this episode, we speak with Jack Purcell, a Managing Partner of Ridgemont Equity Partners, which is a Charlotte-based middle market private equity firm with $9 billion in assets under management that has provided buyout and growth capital to industry-leading companies in the business and tech-enabled services, industrial growth, and healthcare sectors for three decades. The principals of Ridgemont have refined a proven, industry-focused model designed to build distinctive middle market companies. Jack focuses primarily on investments in business and tech-enabled services as well as industrial growth.  Previously, Jack worked with Banc of America Capital Investors, which he joined in 2002. I am your host RJ Lumba.  We hope you enjoy the show.  If you like the episode, click to subscribe.

In this episode, we speak with Jim Donnelly, Co-founder of Restore Hyper Wellness. Restore delivers expert guidance and an extensive array of cutting-edge health modalities, such as IV drips and cryotherapy, integrated under one roof. With multiple franchise locations across the U.S., the company is a national presence and leading brand in the Hyper Wellness space. Restore was founded in 2015 in Austin, Texas after Jim used cryotherapy while training for a triathlon. The success of the Austin location accelerated the brand into a franchise entity, and they are planning to have 500 locations by the end of 2024. Prior to founding Restore, and after serving in the military, Jim founded and backed multiple ventures.  He also co-founded IgoUgo.com, a  leader in user-generated travel website content, which was later sold to Sabre Holdings / Travelocity. I am your host RJ Lumba.  We hope you enjoy the show.  If you like the episode, click to subscribe.

In this episode, we speak with Michael Fisch, Founder and CEO of American Securities.  Based in New York with an office in Shanghai, American Securities is a leading U.S. private equity firm that invests in market-leading North American companies with annual revenues generally ranging from $200 million to $2 billion. American Securities and its affiliates have more than $26 billion under management. Originating as a family office founded in 1947, in 1994, American Securities opened its private equity investment activities to outside investors seeking attractive risk-adjusted rates of return. Michael is a founder of American Securities and has been CEO since its inception in 1994. Before founding the firm, Michael was a partner in two private equity funds, a consultant in the Paris office of Bain & Company, and a professional in the mergers and acquisitions department of Goldman Sachs. Michael earned his undergraduate degree from Dartmouth College, where he is a Member of the President’s Leadership Council, and an MBA from Stanford University, where he has been a guest lecturer since 2006. I am your host RJ Lumba.  We hope you enjoy the show.  If you like the episode, click to subscribe.

In this episode, we speak with Sarah Jones Simmer, CEO of Found, a company with a mission to make evidence-based, sustainable weight care accessible for all. Prior to joining Found in 2021, Sarah was the COO of Bumble, where she was responsible for core strategy, international growth, marketing initiatives, and business operations, as well as the expansion of Bumble’s rapidly growing team. She started her career analyzing equities and market conditions at a Los Angeles-based hedge fund with ~$5 billion AUM. Found has raised over $130 million and is backed by WestCap, Google Ventures, Atomic and other notable investors. I am your host RJ Lumba.  We hope you enjoy the show.  If you like the episode, click to subscribe.

In this episode, we speak with Guillermo Rauch, Founder and CEO of Vercel, the frontend cloud that gives developers the frameworks, workflows, and infrastructure to build a faster, more personalized web. Founded in 2015, the company has raised over $300 million dollars and is backed by GGV Capital, Accel, Bedrock Capital, CRV, and other notable investors. Vercel unlocks developer potential and enables users to go from idea to global application in seconds. Vercel enables customers like Under Armour, Nintendo, The Washington Post, and Zapier to build delightful user experiences on the Web. I am your host RJ Lumba.  We hope you enjoy the show.  If you like the episode, click to subscribe.

In this episode, we speak with Eric Dawson, Founder and CEO of RIVET, which channels the collective economic power of young people to fund their work as social innovators. Young people control over $3 trillion of spending power and are hungry for authentic avenues to express their values.  Meanwhile brands are hungry to connect to young consumers.  Combine those two facts and add in the tremendous energy driving the youth social change movement and you have RIVET. Prior to RIVET, Eric co-founded Peace First as a freshman at Harvard, leading it to become a global nonprofit that now supports over 13,000 youth-led projects in over 150 countries. As an Ashoka, Echoing Green, and Pop!Tech Fellow and best-selling author, Eric is a globally recognized expert on youth empowerment. I am your host RJ Lumba.  We hope you enjoy the show.  If you like the episode, click to subscribe.

In this episode, we speak with Kristin Gunther, a Partner at Revolution Growth which has more than $1 billion in assets under management and backs category-defining companies. Revolution is a D.C.-based investment firm founded by AOL cofounder Steve Case in 2005. Through its family of funds – The Rise of the Rest Seed Fund, Revolution Ventures, and Revolution Growth – Revolution partners with founders at every stage of the startup lifecycle. Kristin brings over 15 years of experience in private equity, finance, and operations. Prior to joining Revolution, she spent five years at Perseus where she worked with portfolio companies and management teams on growth strategies, operating and finance matters, and exit planning. I am your host RJ Lumba.  We hope you enjoy the show.  If you like the episode, click to subscribe.