Best Preston Kirby Podcasts (2025)

1
What Led Larry Cheng To Invest Early in Chewy, Chamberlain Coffee & US Mobile 56:38

8d ago56:38

56:38

Larry Cheng is the Managing Partner at Volition Capital, a $1.7B growth equity firm behind breakout brands like Chewy, Chamberlain Coffee, BURST, and Grove Collaborative. Volition’s unique approach? No early VC checks. No burn-at-all-costs playbooks. Just capital-efficient businesses with traction—and a partner who’s okay being the first check in. …

1
Former Matchmaker Turned CEO: How Katie Wilson bought Facebook Groups to Build a Gut Health Empire 57:17

22d ago57:17

57:17

This episode is brought to you by Highbeam. Highbeam is the all-in-one banking and cash management platform built for consumer brands – https://www.highbeam.co/capital?partn... Katie Wilson is the CEO and co-founder of BelliWelli, a gut health brand that went from home kitchen experiments to the shelves of Walmart and Target—with zero paid ads and …

1
From Surviving a Plane Crash to Building Baby Formula and Energy Drink Brands: Richard Lavar 1:02:43

2M ago1:02:43

1:02:43

This episode is brought to you by Highbeam. Highbeam is the all-in-one banking and cash management platform built for consumer brands – https://www.highbeam.co/capital?partn... Richard Laver isn't your typical founder. At age 12, he survived a plane crash that killed 137 people—including his father. Years later, he built Kate Farms to save his daug…

1
Don’t Raise VC Money Until You Hear This | Mike Gelb with Shamin Walsh | Consumer VC 58:21

2M ago58:21

58:21

This episode is brought to you by Highbeam. Highbeam is the all-in-one banking and cash management platform built for consumer brands – https://www.highbeam.co/capital?partn… Join host Mike Gelb as he chats with Shamin Walsh, Managing Director at BAM Ventures — the early-stage VC firm behind Thrive Market, Honey, and Cotopaxi. Shamin breaks down ho…

1
How Ithaca Hummus Scaled to $50M Without Venture Capital? Mike Gelb with Chris Kirby | Consumer VC 56:03

3M ago56:03

56:03

This episode is brought to you by Highbeam. Highbeam is the all-in-one banking and cash management platform built for consumer brands – https://www.highbeam.co/capital?partnerId=consumervc In this episode of The Consumer VC, Mike Gelb sits down with Chris Kirby, founder of Ithaca Hummus, to uncover how he turned a local farmer’s market stand into a…

1
Are You Building for the Right Reasons — or Just Because the Category Is Hot? Should there be a Better Business Bureau for VCs? w/ Sid Banthiya 58:59

3M ago58:59

58:59

#venturecapital #consumervc Join host Mike Gelb on The Consumer VC as he talks with Sid Banthiya — investor, advisor, and former CSO at Milk Bar. In this episode, Sid dives deep into consumer startup dynamics, term sheet red flags, and how founders can scale smarter (not louder). Learn why many startups fall into the trap of "venture validation," w…

1
The Future of Restaurant-Tech: Inside EMERGING’s $100M Fund with Mathew Focht 49:33

4M ago49:33

49:33

Mathew Focht is the Founding Managing Partner of EMERGING, a $100M growth capital fund investing in the future of restaurant-tech and entertainment. In this episode of The Consumer VC, Mathew breaks down how EMERGING helps scale innovative hospitality concepts like F1® Arcade, BatBox, Puttshack, and more. We explore why the intersection of restaura…

1
Will AI Screw IP Holders, Content Getting Better or Worse, and The Future of Journalism with Ishan Sinha, Partner at Point72 Ventures 57:48

4M ago57:48

57:48

#consumervc #venturecapital #aicontentcreation Join host Mike Gelb on The Consumer VC as he talks with Ishan Sinha, Partner at Point72 Ventures.In this episode, Ishan shares insights into the evolving role of AI in consumer startups, the challenges of AI-driven media, and the future of monetization for creators. He discusses the impact of AI on int…

1
FDA Regulatory Roundup: CDER Human Factors ANDA Guidance (ft. Melissa Lemke) 1:07:48

5M ago1:07:48

1:07:48

Join us in our latest episode of Safe and Effective, where we take a deep (and possibly exasperated) dive into one of the most debated regulatory guidances in the drug-device combination product world — the FDA’s Comparative Analyses and Comparative Use Human Factors Studies Guidance — with none other than our dear friend, industry powerhouse, and …

1
Selling Shorter Shorts to a Successful Exit, The Story of Chubbies with Preston Rutherford 54:39

5M ago54:39

54:39

Join host Mike Gelb on The Consumer VC as he talks with Preston Rutherford, co-founder of Chubbies. In this episode, Preston delves into their founding journey, tackling topics like why they raised VC money, overcoming early manufacturing challenges, and evolving their brand strategy. He shares insights into achieving product-market fit, the import…

1
The Fusion of Innovation and Leadership with YuChiang Cheng 53:15

5M ago53:15

53:15

Having transitioned from founding companies to supporting early-stage ventures, YC shares his passion for creating consumer-centric solutions across diverse industries. From media and sports technology to consumer goods, he reflects on shifting his focus from generating ideas himself to aiding under-managed ventures with effective execution and str…

1
Why The Supplement Industry Is Broken and How Momentous Plans to Fix It with Jeff Byers 1:07:21

6M ago1:07:21

1:07:21

Thank you to our presenting partner –– Propeller Industries https://www.propellerindustries.com/Propeller Industries is the leading strategic finance and accounting partner for venture-stage companies.Our guest today is Jeff Byers, CEO of Momentous. Momentous produces and sells best in class human performance products. Previously, Jeff Byers founde…

1
Why Invest in CPG and Tech? Expected Returns and Red Antler's VC Journey with Daniel Faierman, Partner at Habitat Partners 54:59

6M ago54:59

54:59

Thank you to our Partner –– Propeller Industries https://www.propellerindustries.com/Propeller Industries is the leading strategic finance and accounting partner for venture-stage companies. Our guest on today’s episode is Daniel Faierman, Partner at Habitat Partners. Habitat Partners is an early-stage venture fund that is part of Red Antler. Red A…

1
Is AI the Sole Future of Consumer Tech, What's Missing in Social & Will Glasses Be The Consumer Platform with Bryan Kim, Partner at Andreessen Horowitz 1:01:53

7M ago1:01:53

1:01:53

In today’s episode, we’re thrilled to host Bryan Kim, Partner at Andreessen Horowitz, for an insightful conversation on the intersection of venture capital and consumer innovation. Brian shares his remarkable journey from a thriving career in investment banking to becoming a driving force in the tech industry. He opens up about the transformative e…

1
How Choosing the Best Food for Your Dog Can Add Years to Their Life & The Problem with The Legacy Pet Food Market with Terri Rockovich, Co-Founder & CEO of Jinx 58:55

8M ago58:55

58:55

Thank you to our Partner –– Propeller Industries https://www.propellerindustries.com/ Propeller Industries is the leading strategic finance and accounting partner for venture-stage companies. Thank you Jerry Staub for the intro to our guest today is Terri Rockovich, Founder & CEO of Jinx. Jinx is a dog food brand that offers premium kibble, homemad…

1
Election Edition: What happened to the Human Factor in Elections and Society? 36:47

8M ago36:47

36:47

I can no longer be silent. I really believed better for us. Despite all the division in this country, I believed in the true American spirit. That when we are in crisis, we rally, we come together, we unify, we stand next to each other, and we support each other, and we fight for each other. But I guess those times are over. Or maybe they were neve…

1
How He Went From the Music Industry to VC, Investing in Tech vs. Brands, and When Down Rounds Make Sense with Jon Keidan 57:21

9M ago57:21

57:21

n this episode with Jonathan Keidan, founder of Torch Capital, we dive into his journey from talent management in the music industry to early-stage venture capital. Jonathan shares how nurturing emerging artists parallels supporting founders, offering unique insights into spotting potential and overcoming challenges in both fields. He reveals key l…

1
Starting from Scratch: Integrating Agile Mode into HF/UX Research Operations (ft. Nick Roome) 1:29:06

9M ago1:29:06

1:29:06

Join us in our latest episode of Safe and Effective, where we dive headfirst into the wild and wonderful world of integrating agile development methodologies into HF (Human Factors) and UX (User Experience) research operations, with none other than our friend, favorite human, and podcast bestie, Nick Roome. We kick things off by tackling age-old qu…

1
The Future of Gaming: Game Economies, New Business Models, Gamification, Blockchain Technology & AI Innovation with Brian Cho, Co-Founder of Patron 57:00

10M ago57:00

57:00

In this episode with Brian Cho, co-founder and general partner at Patron, we explore the intricacies of the gaming world's future. From the complexities of cross-currency games to the delicate balance of control and user flexibility within game economies, Brian offers his invaluable perspective. We delve into the sustainability of centralized model…

1
The Evolution of Premium Products in Mainstream Retail with Marcel Bens, CEO of Emil Capital Partners 50:41

11M ago50:41

50:41

Today, we're diving into the secrets of successful early-stage investments in North American consumer brands with Marcel Bens, CEO of Emil Capital. In this episode, Marcel shares the unique strategy of Emil Capital’s hybrid venture firm, with its sharp focus on 'better-for-you' products and how it bridges the critical investment gap between angel i…

1
When to Invest in Consumer Technology with Vanessa Larco at NEA 59:40

11M ago59:40

59:40

Our guest today is Vanessa Larco, Partner at NEA. She shares her journey from pioneering XBox at Microsoft to navigating the social gaming boom with Playdom and making her mark in venture capital. Discover her investment ethos centered on consumer passion projects, successful investments in companies like Robinhood and Mejuri, and her insights on A…

1
Turning Science into Consumer Brands with Osman Khan, CEO of Squared Circles 1:01:12

11M ago1:01:12

1:01:12

Join us as we explore the cutting-edge intersection of AI, science, and consumer innovation with Osman Khan, CEO and co-founder of Squared Circles. Discover how his venture studio is revolutionizing product development and redefining the future of consumer brands. Thank you to our Partner –– Propeller Industries https://www.propellerindustries.com/…

1
Investing in the Future of Healthy Living with Abby Miller Levy, Managing Partner and Founder at Primetime Partners 57:39

12M ago57:39

57:39

Our Guests Today is Abby Miller Levy, the visionary founder of Primetime Partners. In this enlightening episode, Abby shares her journey from personal frustration with her aging parents to spearheading a venture capital firm that is revolutionizing opportunities for older adults. Discover How Abby and renowned venture investor Alan Patricof are fos…

1
How They Built a Direct-to-Consumer Baby Food Brand and Scaled to Selling Millions of Products Each Month with Angela Vranich and Ben Lewis From Little Spoon 58:08

12M ago58:08

58:08

Our guests today are Angela Vranich and Ben Lewis, the dynamic duo behind Little Spoon, as we explore their journey from high school sweethearts to co-founders of a revolutionary baby food brand. Listen in as they share how their early fascination with consumer brands led them to the natural products industry, and how their personal relationship ev…

1
Future of Food Tech, Can A Retail Model Like Foxtrot Work at Scale, and Channel Strategy for Food Brands with Ashley Hartman and Andrew Bluestein @ Bluestein Ventures 1:07:05

1y ago1:07:05

1:07:05

Our guests today are Andrew Bluestein and Ashley Hartman, Managing Partners of Bluestein Ventures. Bluestein Ventures invests in the future of food. What does that mean? They focus on investing in High-growth consumer brands, Proprietary foodtech, Next-gen commerce, Value-add digital technology. They just raised a $45 million third fund – which hug…

1
Unlocking the Potential of Beauty and Personal Care Brands With Manica Blain 53:32

1y ago53:32

53:32

Our guest today is Manica Blain. In this episode, we journey through the fascinating evolution of two beauty brands that have overcome initial hurdles to achieve remarkable success. Discover how an Ayurvedic beauty brand captured investor interest through high repeat purchase rates and how Everest, a hair care concentrate brand, pivoted from sustai…

1
AI in Healthcare Human Factors: Ready or Not, Here it Comes, Can We Hide? (ft. Kate Preston and Barry Kirby) 1:26:19

1y ago1:26:19

1:26:19

Join us in our latest episode of Safe and Effective, where we welcome our new friend Kate Preston and our Human Factors Cast family member Barry Kirby to have a chat with us about AI in Healthcare and Medical Device and Development and HumanFactors and its current and future challenges, as well as the implications for such. AI in medical device dev…

1
The New Types of Acquirers in Health & Wellness, Different Parts Of The Term Sheet That Could Make a Difference In The Exit, and How Deals Get Done with Teddie Townsend from CG Sawaya Partners 1:01:22

1y ago1:01:22

1:01:22

Our guest today is Teddy Townsend of CG Sawaya Partners, as we explore the dynamic world of health and wellness brand acquisitions.Teddy brings her expertise to the table, shedding light on why companies in this vibrant sector pursue mergers and acquisitions, and how different types of buyers, from private equity funds to strategic acquirers, appro…

1
The Fusion of Past & Future Shopping Experiences, Insights from Brand Capital Fund's Consumer VC Benchmarks Report with Diana Melencio at XRC Ventures 1:06:05

1y ago1:06:05

1:06:05

Our guest today is Diana Melencio. Diana manages the entire XRC Ventures investment process across three investment vehicles – Accelerator Fund, Brand Capital Fund, and Opportunity Fund. Thank you to our Partner –– Propeller Industries Propeller Industries is the leading strategic finance and accounting partner for venture-stage companies. Subscrib…

1
What Consumers Care About in Health & Wellness Products, How Competition Builds New Categories, and Will Ozempic Have an Impact on CPG Demand? with Dayton Miller, BFG Partners 1:00:16

1y ago1:00:16

1:00:16

Our guest today is Dayton Miller, Managing Partner at BFG Partners. BFG Partners help entrepreneurs build exceptional businesses that deliver sustainable growth and outperform competitors in the better-for-you food, beverage, and consumer products space. Their investments include Olipop, Athletic Greens, Caulipower, and Bobo’s. We discuss the infle…

1
Live from SXSW: George Milton and Erin Link – How They Founded Yellowbird Sauce 56:25

1+ y ago56:25

56:25

Our guest today is George Milton & Erin Link, Founders of YellowBird Foods a Modern Hot Sauce business. We discuss: • How did they get into Whole Foods? • How did they also get into Walmart? • How did their approach to retail expansion? • How did they approach branding and positioning for Yellowbird Thank you to our Partner –– Propeller Industries …

1
Desperately Seeking: MedDev Human Factors Use Error Classification System (ft. Bert Boquet) 1:11:08

1+ y ago1:11:08

1:11:08

Join us in our latest episode of Safe and Effective, where we welcome back our good friend Dr. Albert Boquet to talk about using an existing framework, such as HFACS, to develop a unified use error classification system and database to add as a tool to the human factors engineering process in the medical device and combination product (development)…

1
What Gives a Brand Acquisition Energy with Amrit Richmond 52:17

1+ y ago52:17

52:17

Our guest today is Amrit Richmond, Founder of Indie CPG since 2019, and has also joined SecureCPG recently We discuss: • What gives a food and drink brand accusation energy? • What are the different profiles of the acquire today? • Why acquire emerging brands? Thank you to our Partner –– Propeller Industries Propeller Industries is the leading stra…

1
He Worked with JAY-Z, Was an Olympian, and Now Runs a VC with Samyr Lainé, Founder of Freedom Trail Capital 1:13:20

1+ y ago1:13:20

1:13:20

Our guest today is Samyr Lainé, an Olympian, an amazing operator who worked with Jay-Z's, Will Smith and Jada Pickett Smith who is now the founder of Freedom Trail Capital. We discuss: • How he trained for the Olympics while being a full time law student • Working at Monumental Sports (owners of the Washington Capitals and Wizards) • Shifting towar…

1
How He Built A Business Off a Fruit Peel, The Shocking Moment of Getting into Retail, and How One Chat Changed His Trajectory with Matt Weiss Founder & CEO at Rind Snacks 1:01:06

1+ y ago1:01:06

1:01:06

Our guest today is Matt Weiss, Founder & CEO at RIND Snacks Matt is the CEO of RIND Snacks, a sustainable fruit snack brand. He has over a decade of experience in the natural food industry and previously worked in investment research. Matt is also known for his advocacy in community and environmental causes, founding a nonprofit that helped establi…

1
Selling Group Nine Media, The Evolution of New York's Startup Scene and The Future of Digital Media with Ben Lerer, Managing Partner at Lerer Hippeau 53:26

1+ y ago53:26

53:26

Our guest today is Ben Lerer. Ben Lerer is a Managing Partner at Lerer Hippeau. Lerer Hippeau is a venture capital fund based in New York who were early investors in Warby Parker, Glossier, and Topicals. He also founded Thrillist, an online media website website back in 2004 and was former CEO of Group Nine Media until it was acquired by Vox Media.…

1
How He Buys Multi-Million Dollar Brands with Fan Bi, Founder/CEO of The Hedgehog Company 46:14

1+ y ago46:14

46:14

Our guest today is Fan Bi, Founder & CEO of Hedgehog Fan Bi is the Founder & CEO of Hedgehog. He founded, grew, and exited many eCom + store menswear brands. He has been in DTC eCommerce for over 13 years. We discuss: • How was Fan was introduced to entrepreneurship and what things he found compelling about man's fashion? • What multiples were used…

1
What is a Cult Brand? With Sarah Woelfel, Co-Founder & Partner at Cult Capital 1:03:38

1+ y ago1:03:38

1:03:38

Our guest today is Sarah Woelfel, Co-Founder & Partner at Cult Capital. She combines her zeal for investing with her affection for cult consumer brands. Their investments include Supergoop!, Babo Botanicals, and Lawless Beauty. Prior to CULT Capital, Sarah served on the investment team at Audax and as an I-banking analyst at Deutsche Bank. --------…

1
Women in (Med)Tech in HF/UX (ft. Rebecca Grier) 1:21:48

1+ y ago1:21:48

1:21:48

Join us in our latest ‘Let’s Get Real’ episode of Safe and Effective, where we delve into a nuanced and multi-faceted conversation with Rebecca Grier, a behavioral science expert in human factors and UX in the tech industry, discussing the broader issues of inequities and inequalities faced by women in the workplace, with a focus on behavioral scie…

1
How She's Adding The Belgian Waffle To The American Diet...and 8,400+ stores with Anouck Gotlib, CEO of Belgian Boys 47:47

1+ y ago47:47

47:47

She leads the day-to-day operations and long-term strategy for Belgian Boys and is bringing European treats like Belgian waffles, brioche french toast, crepes, and other delicious delights to the American home. They are now in over 8,400 stores including Walmart, Target, Whole Foods. Thank you to our partner Propeller Industries Propeller Industrie…

1
The Human (Factor) in the Neurodivergent Experience (ft. Nick Roome) 1:37:37

1+ y ago1:37:37

1:37:37

In today’s episode of Safe and Effective we are featuring an excerpt of the previously recorded Human Factors Cast show in which Nick Roome and our host Heidi Mehrzad shared their personal experiences living with ADHD and AuDHD/ASD and discussed the various ways in which their neurodiversity impacts their lives. From professional to personal relati…

1
Selling 10 Million Soup Dumplings and Counting: The Story of MìLà with Caleb Wang 37:29

1+ y ago37:29

37:29

Our guest today is Caleb Wang, CEO and Co-Founder MiLa. Authentic soup dumplings, chinese noodles and chef crafted sauces. Made fresh and shipped! We talked about how he and his wife, Jen first stated a restaurant, how that expanded to an ecommerce business, how they raised capital and why they raised capital, and much much more.…

1
Why This Venture Studio Backed By VF Corp is Investing in Consumer Tech with David Wagner and Jesse Marble, Co-Founders of Wildwood Ventures 50:57

1+ y ago50:57

50:57

Our guests today are David Wagner and Jesse Marble, Co-Founders of Wildwood Ventures. Wildwood Ventures is backed by VF corporation, a holding company whose portfolio includes iconic outdoor and activity-based lifestyle and workwear brands like Vans, North Face, Timberland, Dickies. Wildwood Ventures invests in consumer technology companies that ma…

1
When Can A Celebrity-Led Brand Work with Denise Lambertson from Constellation Capital and LMS 52:08

1+ y ago52:08

52:08

Our guest today is Denise Lambertson, Managing Partner at Constellation Capital and Chairwoman & Founder of LMS, the influencer marketing agency. We actually didn’t get into the Constellation Capital / VC / Investing side for this episode, we ran out of time. We focused on the relationship between talent and brand and how that partnership could wor…

1
FinTech: What's Real and What's a Scam with Drew Glover, General Partner of Fiat Ventures 53:37

1+ y ago53:37

53:37

Today’s episode we focus on the wonderful world of consumer fintech and our guest today is Drew Glover, General Partner of Fiat Ventures and Founding Partner of Fiat Growth. Fiat Growth is a growth consultancy helping to scale some of the largest fintech companies out there - Chime, Lemonade, Copper. They decided to launch a VC fund that focuses on…

1
Failure as a Path to Innovation and Resilient Outcomes (ft. Christy Harper) 1:13:02

2y ago1:13:02

1:13:02

Join us in our latest episode of Safe and Effective, in which we launch our newest segment ‘Let’s Get Real’ - where we drop all filters and stop masking and get real about special and sometimes sensitive topics and issues. In our first ever Let’s Get Real segment we talk with Christy Harper, usability expert and co-founder of End-to-End User Resear…

1
Breaking Boundaries in Broadway: The TodayTix Story with Brian Fenty 45:22

2y ago45:22

45:22

Our guest today is Brian Fenty, Co-Founder & CEO of TodayTix. TodayTix is the digital gateway to live shows, arts, and cultural experiences. We discuss: His introduction to Broadway & ticketing How Broadway initially tried to appeal to younger demographics and failed How TodayTix partners with theatres The threat of TicketMaster Why they didn’t piv…

1
A Collaborative Approach Between Clinical and HF (ft. Helene Quie) 1:04:10

2y ago1:04:10

1:04:10

Join us in our fourth episode of Safe and Effective, where we dive deep with Helene Quie, regulatory and clinical expert, and founder and CEO of Qmed Consulting A/S in Copenhagen, Denmark. Together, we explore the pivotal role of a collaborative approach between clinical and human factors teams in order to align with regulatory requirements as well…

1
Will There Be Cities With No Cars? What is The Future of Urban Transportation? The Difference Between U.S. and European Markets with Martin Mignot from Index Ventures 50:23

2y ago50:23

50:23

Our guest today is Martin Mignot, Partner at Index Ventures. Index Ventures is a global firm that operates as one team across three offices (London, SF, NYC) and invests at all stages. Martin opened Index’s office in New York a couple of years ago. We discuss the massive consumer opportunity in New York that Index has tapped into through, the futur…

1
Transforming the Mexican Food Aisle: Miguel Leal's Journey with SOMOS Foods 54:10

2y ago54:10

54:10

Listen in as we explore the exciting journey of Miguel Leal, co-founder and CEO of Somos Foods. Miguel shares his experience transitioning from successful stints at Kind Snacks and Chalula to establishing his own brand. Inspired by a disparity in the market, he decided to revolutionize the Mexican food aisle by creating authentic, plant-based, non-…

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