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. 

This week on Build Mode, we’re diving back into the archives for a special best-of episode all about company culture. Host Isabelle Johannesen and producer Maggie Nye revisit some of the most insightful conversations from past seasons to explore how founders intentionally shape culture from day one and why the habits, values, and decisions of leadership have an outsized impact as companies scale.

Guests share lessons on hiring for culture, developing strong leaders, building diverse teams, navigating layoffs with empathy, and creating workplaces where people can do their best work. From early-stage startups to high-growth companies, these founders reveal what they’ve learned about building cultures that last.

In this episode, you’ll hear from:

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Ian Schmidt, partner & consultant at Trimergence ()

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Hala Jawani, cofounder & CEO of Rivio ()

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Ayal Yogev, cofounder & CEO of Anjuna ()

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

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Jasper Carmichael-Jack, cofounder & CEO of Artisan ()

Chapters:

00:00 Intro

01:22 Ian Schmidt (Trimergence): Why founders should invest in leadership and culture early

03:55 Hala Jawani (Riveo): Hiring leaders who can scale culture

05:22 Eyal Yogev (Anjuna): Why culture is built through a thousand small decisions

08:51 Leah Solivan (TaskRabbit / Precedent VC): Building diverse teams from day one

13:15 Jasper Carmichael-Jack (Artisan): How AI could reshape workplace culture

15:45 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.

This week on Build Mode, we’re diving back into the archives for a special best-of episode all about startup mistakes, hard-earned lessons, and the decisions founders wish they’d made differently.

Host Isabelle Johannesen and producer Maggie Nye revisit some of the most insightful conversations from past seasons to explore the missteps that shaped successful companies.

In this episode, you’ll hear from:

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Deon Nicholas, cofounder & former CEO of Forethought AI and co-founder of Espa Labs ()

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Jasper Carmichael-Jack, cofounder & CEO of Artisan ()

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Yuri Sagalov, partner at General Catalyst ()

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Isaiah Granet, cofounder & CEO of Bland ()

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Ayal Yogev, founder & CEO of Anjuna ()

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Sarah Lucena, founder & CEO of Mappa ()

Whether you’re building your first startup, hiring your early team, fundraising, or figuring out how to scale sustainably, this episode is packed with practical advice and honest reflections from founders and investors who learned these lessons the hard way.

Chapters:

00:00 Intro

02:20 Deon Nicholas (Forethought, Espa Labs): Product-market fit, iteration, and why your first product probably won’t work

05:45 Jasper Carmichael-Jack (Artisan): Hiring mistakes, logo shopping, and finding the right people

09:30 Yuri Sagalov (General Catalyst): Founder commitment, investor signals, and avoiding non-standard company structures

12:35 Isaiah Granet (Bland): Equity grants, payroll headaches, and taking care of early employees

17:25 Ayal Yogev (Anjuna): Overhiring, market shifts, and lessons from the 2022 downturn

22:55 Sarah Lucena (Mappa): Why every founder needs a great lawyer

 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. 

Apply to Startup Battlefield: We are looking for early-stage companies that have an MVP. So nominate a founder (or yourself): ⁠techcrunch.com/apply⁠ () . Be sure to say you heard about Startup Battlefield from the Build Mode podcast.