VC10X - Startups, GTM, Investing, Venture Capital, Asset Management, Private Equity, Family Office

Wendy Craft is a family office veteran, she has worked with multiple wealthy families helping them with asset allocation, risk management, tax optimization, governance, risk management & more. Wendy serves as CEO for Elle Family Office, a single family office in Atlanta, GA. The office handles the holdings of the Lazarian family which include real estate, exotic cars and various other investments.Links: ⭐ Sponsored by Podcast10x - Podcasting agency for VCs - https://podcast10x.comWendy Craft on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendy-craft-7281176🎙️ Hosted by Prashant ChoubeyFollow Prashant on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/choubeysahabFollow Prashant on X - https://x.com/ChoubeySahabIn this episode we talk about -- Importance of structuring a family offices and different aspects to keep in mind- Different ways of tax optimization utilized by wealthy families- Privacy risks faced by wealthy families- How does political and market environment impact family office strategy- Are wealthy families really happy with their lives?& lots moreTimestamps:(00:00) Introduction(03:32) Wendy's personal story and experience with family offices(04:24) Importance of structuring a family office(05:30) Key considerations when establishing a family office(07:13) Different types of family offices (embedded, multi-family, single family)(10:08) Capital allocation and preservation strategy(11:00) Risk management and portfolio construction(14:19) Generational differences in investment approach(17:39) Family office organizational structure and governance(18:13) Family office constitution and mission statement(20:02) Family office trusts and their purposes(22:20) Tax optimization strategies for family offices(26:31) Impact of market conditions and political environment on family office strategies(29:00) Privacy risks and concerns for wealthy families(34:42) Factors contributing to long-lasting family offices across generations(37:52) Venture capital as an asset class from a family office perspective(42:56) How venture capital fund managers should approach family offices(48:09) Risk profiles of direct investments, VC funds, and fund of funds(53:07) Common mistakes made by family offices(55:30) Happiness and challenges of wealthy familiesFor sponsorship or guest appearance requests, write to prashantchoubey3@gmail.comSubscribe to VC10X on Youtube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts.

Grady Buchanan is a Co-founder & Managing Director at NVNG, a fund of funds with corporations as limited partners investing into venture capital funds.Before launching NVNG, Grady worked with the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation’s (WARF) $3B investment portfolio.Links: ⭐ Sponsored by Podcast10x - Podcasting agency for VCs - https://podcast10x.comNVNG website - https://nvngia.com/Grady Buchanan on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/gradynvng🎙️ Hosted by Prashant ChoubeyFollow Prashant on X - https://x.com/ChoubeySahabFollow Prashant on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/choubeysahabIn this episode, we talk about -- The investment thesis at NVNG- Why do corporations invest in NVNG fund of funds?\- What's the strategic significance of having corporations at LPs? How does it help the portfolio companies of the portfolio funds?- Key things they look for in fund managers- Advice for GPs raising in a difficult fundraising environment- How they generate DPI in the fund of funds- Approach to portfolio construction& lots moreTimestamps:(00:00) Introduction to Grady Buchanan and NVNG(02:46) Grady's background and journey into investing(05:30) Origin story of NVNG (Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained)(07:11) Corporations' need for innovation and startup exposure(09:33) Strategy of having corporations as Limited Partners (LPs)(13:15) Addressing concerns about outsourcing innovation(17:41) Value creation for portfolio companies through corporate connections(22:33) Key criteria for selecting fund managers(26:31) Assessing fund managers' long-term potential(30:14) Sector focus and corporate investment preferences(34:47) Generating Distributed Paid-In Capital (DPI) in a fund of funds model(38:32) Advice for VCs fundraising in a challenging environment(42:48) Portfolio construction strategy(45:42) Rapid fire round covering:- Themes and regions of investment- LP commitment size- Fund stages- Contact information- Follow-up channelsFor sponsorship or guest appearance requests, write to prashantchoubey3@gmail.comSubscribe to VC10X on Youtube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts.

Promise Phelon, Founder and Managing Partner at Growth Warrior Capital, shares her journey from Silicon Valley tech leader to investor in Seed & Series A AI firms. She emphasizes the importance of 'dangerous' founders and encourages them to be 'students of revenue.' Phelon discusses navigating fundraising challenges, especially as a woman of color in venture capital, and offers strategies for helping startups thrive. She also touches on the current exit landscape and building strong relationships with investors.

Neil Greene is the founder of Jaboy Productions, a bespoke event company with a primary focus on producing conferences and networking events for RIAs, Family Offices, Professional Athletes, and High Net Worth Investors.Links: ⭐ Sponsored by Podcast10x - Podcasting agency for VCs - https://podcast10x.comJaboy Productions website - https://jaboyproductions.com/Neil Greene on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/neil-greene-2003571🎙️ Hosted by Prashant ChoubeyFollow Prashant on X - https://x.com/ChoubeySahabFollow Prashant on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/choubeysahabIn this episode, we talk about -- What inspired Neil to start Jaboy Productions, and how has the journey been so far?- What goes into organizing events for RIAs, HNIs, Family Offices, Investors, Athletes?- How to make the most of conferences?& lots moreTimestamps:(00:00) Introduction to Neil Greene and Jaboy Productions(02:10) Neil's background and motivation for starting Jaboy Productions(03:00) Neil's 35-year experience in financial services(05:21) Vision behind creating Jaboy Productions(08:06) Organizing conferences - the behind-the-scenes process(10:33) The dynamics of buy-side and sell-side at conferences(15:12) Approach to pitching and building relationships at conferences(21:48) Qualification process for conference attendees(27:35) Facilitating connections between attendees(31:31) Pricing strategy for conferences(38:20) Emerging trends in the events industry(42:22) Plans for events in 2025(45:44) Closing remarks and contact informationFor sponsorship or guest appearance requests, write to prashantchoubey3@gmail.comSubscribe to VC10X on Youtube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts.

Colin Gardiner is the founder & GP of Yonder Ventures where he is investing in early-traction marketplace startups. Colin is also an experienced marketplace operator and was formerly the CPO & CRO of Outdoorsy, a highly valued outdoor experience marketplace.In this episode, we talk about -- Colin's story and how he started investing- Their investment thesis at Yonder- What are marketplaces?- Why marketplaces make great business opportunities?- Use of AI in marketplaces& lots moreLinks: ⭐ Sponsored by Podcast10x - Podcasting agency for VCs - https://podcast10x.comYonder Ventures website - https://www.yonder.vc/Yonder-8ee3fa1f28f7420ca780f62f293b86cbSubscribe to Take Rate newsletter by Colin - https://www.gardinercolin.com/Colin on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/colingardine🎙️ Hosted by Prashant ChoubeyFollow Prashant on X - https://x.com/ChoubeySahabFollow Prashant on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/choubeysahabTimestamps:(00:00) Introduction to Colin Gardiner and Yonder Ventures(02:11) Colin's story and how he got into investing(04:43) Founding Yonder Ventures(05:24) Investment thesis at Yonder Ventures(06:49) Definition of marketplaces(07:33) Why marketplaces make great business opportunities(08:26) Application of AI in marketplaces(10:37) Interesting examples of marketplaces(13:09) How marketplaces benefit from network effects(14:41) Evolution of marketplaces over time(16:37) Portfolio companies solving important problems(18:43) When marketplaces hit escape velocity(20:38) Investing in early-stage marketplaces(22:32) First-mover advantage in marketplaces(23:21) Common mistakes marketplace founders make(24:22) Sourcing high-quality deal flow for marketplaces(25:47) Portfolio construction strategy at Yonder(28:06) Investment return criteria(30:08) Biggest learning from investing in startups(32:00) Rapid fire round beginsFor sponsorship or guest appearance requests, write to prashantchoubey3@gmail.comSubscribe to VC10X on Youtube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts.

James Keston is the owner of USL soccer team Orange County SC.The Californian club, which plays in the US second tier, is renowned for its trailblazing nature on and off the field - they are renowned for their player development and have sent more players to Europe than any other American team in recent seasons. They won the championship in 2021 and consistently compete on the field with this youth-development-focused model.Off the field they have many innovative commercial deals, and recently completed a US fan fundraise initiative that was very successful, they also launched one for the UK market too.In this episode we talk about -- What made James buy a soccer team?- How does the club make money?- What are his return expectations from the investment?- The big opportunity in the player transfer market- Importance of management in sports team's success& lots moreTimestamps:(00:00) Introduction to James Keston and Orange County SC(03:30) James' background and how he purchased Orange County SC in 2016(06:07) Restructuring the team after acquisition(08:34) Player development approach(11:17) Club revenue streams(13:21) Differences between owning a team in MLS vs USL(15:37) Expected returns and investment in a sports team(19:15) Motivations for owning a sports team(20:54) 2020-2021 championship season(23:22) Importance of management in sports team success(25:03) Coaching decisions and hiring process(29:10) Long-term goals for Orange County SC(31:29) Potential MLS ambitions(33:09) Closing remarks and ownership roundsLinks:⭐ Sponsored by Podcast10x - Podcasting agency for VCs -https://podcast10x.comOrange County SC website -https://orangecountysoccer.comUK fundraiser -https://europe.republic.com/orange-county-scOrange County SC on Instagram -https://www.instagram.com/orangecountysoccer/Orange County SC on LinkedIn -https://www.linkedin.com/company/orangecountysc🎙️Hosted by Prashant ChoubeyFollow Prashant on X -https://x.com/ChoubeySahabFollow Prashant on LinkedIn -https://www.linkedin.com/in/choubeysahabFor sponsorship or guest appearance requests, write to prashantchoubey3@gmail.comSubscribe to VC10X on Youtube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts.

Salvatore Buscemi is the Co-founder & Managing Partner at Brahmin Partners where he works with the 0.001% of wealthy families, guiding them to opportunities that many cannot access due to a lack of buy-side networks. Salvatore has managed money successfully for almost 20 years through the creation of multiple portfolios into various cross-asset platforms Salvatore is also a 3X published author. He has graciously offered to send a copy of his book to our listeners if you write to him. In this episode, we talk about - - How the top 0.001% invest? - What are statement assets? - What makes alternative investment appealing to ultra high net worth families? - How impact investing is reshaping priorities of wealthy families - Importance of networking & influence in getting into high quality deals & lots more Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction to Salvatore Buscemi and Brahmin Partners (03:34) How ultra high net worth families preserve wealth across generations (04:40) Statement assets and investment strategies of the top 0.001% (07:11) Why most families lose their wealth by the third generation (08:24) Appeal of alternative investments for ultra high net worth families (10:05) Impact investing and reshaping priorities of wealthy families (13:02) Building and maintaining high net worth networks (14:05) Legacy building and succession planning (16:07) Reputation and trust in investment decisions (17:55) Role of family governance in maintaining financial stability (19:28) Preparing the next generation to handle wealth responsibly (20:28) Unique advantages of private investment clubs and societies (21:59) Brahmin Partners' approach to investing (23:17) Perspective on family office investing (24:47) Common mistakes family offices make (26:30) Investment strategies in the current interest rate environment Links: ⭐ Sponsored by Podcast10x - Podcasting agency for VCs - https://podcast10x.com Brahmin Partners website - https://brahminpartners.com/ Salvatore's email - sal@brahminpartners.com Salvatore on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/salvatore-buscemi Salvatore on X - https://x.com/SMBuscemi 🎙️ Hosted by Prashant Choubey Follow Prashant on X - https://x.com/ChoubeySahab Follow Prashant on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/choubeysahab For sponsorship or guest appearance requests, write to prashantchoubey3@gmail.com Subscribe to VC10X on Youtube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts.

Manish Patel is the Founder of Nava Ventures. Manish has 14+ years of experience in venture capital, helping startups secure Series A funding. He also led product teams at Google and teaches design thinking at Stanford. In this episode we talk about - - Manish's story and how he got into investing - The investment thesis at Nava Ventures - How to apply design thinking to build great products? - What makes a company Series A worthy? - His biggest learning investing in startups over the years & lots more Links: ⭐ Sponsored by Podcast10x - Podcasting agency for VCs - https://podcast10x.com Nava Ventures website - https://www.nava.vc/ Manish on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/manishpatelli 🎙️ Hosted by Prashant Choubey Follow Prashant on X - https://x.com/ChoubeySahab Follow Prashant on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/choubeysahab For sponsorship or guest appearance requests, write to prashantchoubey3@gmail.com Subscribe to VC10X on Youtube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts.

John Messervey is an organization behavior consultant who advises high wealth families throughout the United States and overseas. Among the earliest family business/wealth consultants, John has consulted with more than 400 families throughout the U.S., Europe, and Asia since 1985. He often guides families, owners and managers through very difficult conversations and is known for his consultations with very complex family challenges. In this episode, we talk about: - Key challenges wealthy families are facing today - How is the new generation different from the previous generations in wealth management? - Why it's so important to tell the family wealth creation story to the new generation? - How do wealthy families do parenting right? - How important is marriage in wealth growth and continuity? - Why he actively recommends pre-nupital aggreement in marriages? - How should families approach dispute resolution? - What do high performing, multi-generation family offices get right? & lots more Links: ⭐ Sponsored by Podcast10x - Podcasting agency for VCs - https://podcast10x.com John Messervey's Website - https://www.privatefamilyadvisor.com/ John on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-messervey-5219778 🎙️ Hosted by Prashant Choubey Follow Prashant on X - https://x.com/ChoubeySahab Follow Prashant on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/choubeysahab For sponsorship or guest appearance requests, write to prashantchoubey3@gmail.com Subscribe to VC10X on Youtube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts.

Kevin Jiang, Co-founder and Managing Partner at Mangusta Capital, shares his journey from the Softbank Vision Fund to launching a VC firm focused on vertical AI startups. He discusses the transformational impact of AI across various industries and its potential to reshape productivity. Kevin also explores the nuanced relationship between AI and knowledge workers, emphasizing that creativity remains a vital human asset. He outlines the key traits that successful founders possess and underscores the importance of strategic networking in attracting substantial investments.