This week on Build Mode, we’re diving back into the archives for a special best-of episode all about venture capital. Host Isabelle Johannesen and producer Maggie Nye revisit conversations from past seasons to give founders a glimpse behind the VC curtain and a better understanding of what investors are really looking for.

From choosing the right investors to building a differentiated go-to-market strategy, these venture capitalists and founder-turned-investors share hard-earned lessons on fundraising, portfolio dynamics, investor-founder relationships, and what separates the companies that successfully raise their next round from those that don’t.

In this episode, you’ll hear from:

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⁠Yuri Sagalov, managing director at General Catalyst⁠ ()

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⁠Ross Fubini, managing partner at XYZ Venture Capital⁠ and Leslie Feinzaig, founder and general partner at Graham & Walker⁠ ()

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⁠Paul Irving, partner at GTMfund⁠ ()

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⁠Leah Solivan, founder of TaskRabbit and founder of Precedent VC⁠ ()

Chapters:

00:00 Intro

01:19 Yuri Sagalov (General Catalyst): The three types of investors and who founders should avoid

03:29 Ross Fubini (XYZ VC) & Leslie Feinzaig (Graham & Walker): What great investors actually bring to the table

08:36 Paul Irving (GTMfund): The go-to-market signals investors look for

12:30 Leah Solivan (TaskRabbit / Precedent VC): Understanding the competition inside your investors’ portfolios

14:30 Outro

Subscribe to Build Mode on⁠ ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠ () ,⁠ ⁠Spotify⁠⁠ () , or⁠ ⁠wherever you like to listen⁠⁠ () . And watch the full videos on⁠ ⁠YouTube⁠⁠ () . New episodes of⁠ ⁠Build Mode⁠⁠ () drop every Thursday. Hosted by Isabelle Johannessen. Produced and edited by Maggie Nye. Audience development led by Morgan Little. Special thanks to the Foundry and Cheddar video teams.