Brian Wannop

Another Steelhead "Investor Series" article just dropped, with John Connolly, Partner at Spectrum Equity 📈 Never heard of Spectrum? That might be intentional... In our chat, John and I explored what's behind Spectrum's 3 decades of successful growth investing. Some highlights: 🌲 How John went from the green pastures of Oregon to Partner at a leading software & internet investment firm 🔇 What makes Spectrum unique and why they're not often in the news cycle 🤝 How John and Spectrum win deals 🔭 What Spectrum does when they are performing at their best And a lot more... Link in the comments!

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It’s no surprise to see leading VC firms investing in AI and parenting. As a parent of a 3- and 4-year-old, having tools that support our family’s needs is critical. Leveraging LLMs to reduce the time spent on tasks that might otherwise consume hours—like sorting through social media for advice—has been a game changer. On average, families have two kids that are close in age and are also often balancing caregiving responsibilities for other family members. It’s a lot to manage, especially for parents of teens and within the healthcare landscape.

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Today, Eli Taylor-Lemire and I are ecstatic to announce POSH’s $22M Series A, led by Goodwater, with participation from FirstMark, Companyon Ventures, and EPIC Ventures, empowering us to accelerate our mission to bring the world together through social experiences. Human connection is fraying in our digital age, where social media often amplifies our insecurities and distances us from genuine interactions. At POSH, we believe in reversing this trend by creating a platform that champions real-world connections and meaningful interactions. Over the last 3.5 years, we’ve embodied this mission, helping 20,000+ people make $95,000,000+, bringing people together around shared interests and backgrounds. Enriched with this newfound support, we are hyper-focused on two objectives: 1. Empowering Event Creators: We’re making it easy for anyone to start and grow their own in-person event communities, enriching the world with more social experiences. Through educational content and continuous product improvements, we aim to inspire and support aspiring organizers. 2. Personalized Event Discovery: We’re committed to providing personalized event recommendations, helping individuals find their tribe and connect in meaningful ways. With new social features and targeted marketing, POSH will become the go-to platform for discovering vibrant, socially-charged events. This investment is more than financial support; it’s a lifeline for those who share our passion for bringing people together. By enhancing our platform and expanding community support, we’re not just creating events—we’re fostering connections that transform lives. Together, with POSH as our guiding beacon, we can overcome the loneliness epidemic. It goes without saying, thank you to all of our amazing supporters Hatim Khety Derek Chu Rick Heitzmann Tom Lazay Nick Efstratis Jenny Chao and so many more... View the full story on Forbes here: https://lnkd.in/e3H4GPxF

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Great insights from Erik Swain at Respondology. After closing their Series A, he highlights three critical truths that every SaaS company should prioritize, but I wouldn't be a CFO if I wasn't biased towards point #2. Metrics matter, and the right ones to track are key to the success of your SaaS business. They’re not just numbers—they’re the story of your growth and a roadmap to guide your leadership's decisions! 💡📊 #SaaS #Metrics #Growth #TeamExcellence #Fundraising #Leadership

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I wrote last week about our plans at Permanent Equity to try to shed some light on succession planning in order to do it better ourselves. In fact, we’ve also made this a priority for our newly minted company boards, so it was a topic of discussion at our recent Operators Summit, where we hosted all of our portfolio company CEOs here in Columbia, Missouri, for a couple of days of discussion and fun. Unbeknownst to me, our operating team had already begun working diligently on this topic and circulated to our CEOs a questionnaire that they would like filled out and then kept up to date so in the event of emergency, there was documentation in place to inform what we might do in the event succession was necessary. In the interest of open sourcing our way to better business outcomes, this is what we wanted to know: 1. Where am I key? 2. What is my influence? 3. How ready is my team? An interesting nuance that came up in the course of discussing how to answer these questions was whether this should be more of an “in an emergency break glass” document or a long-term oriented transition thought piece. Our hopeful answer to that was “Well, can it be both?” Of course, you usually can’t optimize for the short- and long-term simultaneously, but since problems can arise at any time, it’s helpful to be able to pivot at any time. Time will tell if documenting the answers to those questions will enable us to do that with our portfolio companies, but I certainly believe this is a case where something is better than nothing. I’m also interested to see the answers that come back. One of my suspicions about succession planning is that a reason it often doesn’t go so well is that successful CEOs may not be able to communicate why what they do works so well. When I was talking about that fact with Ryan, one of our operating partners, he equated it to trying to recreate one of your mother-in-law’s famous recipes. While she may pass along the ingredients and instructions, it never comes out quite the same, does it?

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Kenton Chow is my former CFO and I consider him a close colleague and friend. When I was running companies, it was clear that the CEO-CFO relationship was key to grounding a growth-stage company and making expansion more predictable. As an investor in early stage, we help our founders understand the importance of the CFO and the Finance function in creating investor confidence and, in essence, creating a better business. I love this free-flowing conversation. Curious what you think.

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Great monthly meeting of my @REF San Diego https://lnkd.in/gEtWZ2Pw CEO Forum with a great speaker Andrea Steinbrenner of Exit Consulting Group, Inc. speaking about Exit Readiness balancing a triangulation of desired outcomes for Liquidity, Legacy & Relevancy. With intention and planning you can get the rewards of 3/3! ... without, you risk regrets on 1/3, 2/3 or 3/3! The members loved it. It is so great to be facilitating a CEO Forum again. Today we finalized our Core-Values and Operating Norms for a high-performing forum (my good friend and peer-forum thought leader Leo Bottary will concur!) ... something I am relentlessly committed to. Plus we explored how members can leverage Core-Values/Behavioral Norms more in their businesses (the reality is that the majority of businesses don't have the culture they think they do!) ... not least of all to be a value driver/multiplier in their Exit Readiness planning and intention. Fernando Harris Michael Praggastis John Lethert Jared Gustafson Bobby Bloom Hikmet Pauls @Gabe Wellsheim Arne Pike John Mendez

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for those that don't know Joe - he is a giant in the field of medical technology having been the guiding silent voice behind the curtain for so many mega successful Medtech companies. I've had the privilege of having Joe on the board of two of my companies and am so much better for it. check out his thoughts and peek a little bit into the shockwave story. for those that don't really know - it wasn't always a straight shot to the moon for shockwave - lots of ups and downs along the way and periods where this incredible technology almost didn't make it. so many patients are better for it. it's a lesson for would be medical technology entrepreneurs - just check out the pitchbook. it's anything but a smooth ride - as any entrepreneur will tell you, the highs get higher and the lows get lower as you get closer to achieve breakthrough success.

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There are not many founders who would prefer being out of business. Or so I thought. Meet Eve McDavid, who is on a mission to end Cervical Cancer by transforming gynecological care. At a recent Cornell University Women’s Health panel, she and entrepreneurs Carolyn Witte, founder of Tia Women’s Clinics, and J’Vanay Santos-Fabian, MBA, founder of MyLÚA Health Health, a virtual maternal care platform, inspired me and other Cornell alumni. Together these women are trying to (in Carolyn’s words) - MOVE WOMEN’S HEALTH FROM BODY PARTS TO WHOLE PEOPLE. 💡 Here are some key insights: 1️⃣ Time to Take Care of the Chief Doctor - Women are at the medical helm in almost every household. They control > 80% of healthcare purchase decisions. 2️⃣ It Makes Economic Sense - $1 invested in women’s healthcare returns $26 to the world economy 3️⃣ Don’t Overlook Mental Health – It’s time to reduce the $14 B in avoidable costs over 5 years due to missed and delayed diagnosis of mental health issues related to maternal care. 4️⃣ Create Medical Devices By & For Women – Too many medical devices and procedures used to treat women’s issues are not designed for the women they serve. For the budding entrepreneurs in Women’s Health, here’s their advice: 🚺 Tap into other founders, not only in Women’s Health. Create a balance of those at a similar development stage with those who are a step ahead for advice on how to survive and build your mission. 👩‍⚕️ Look for 3 types of people. You need all of them. Sponsors talk about you in rooms that you can’t get into yet. Mentors help mitigate risk and address challenges. Coaches support you every step of the way. 💲 Understand payment models. Consider doing a tour of duty at a health plan to understand how best to drive change. 📍 Design your solution for the whole person with a solution customized to their individual needs.

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I'm with Rockwell Shah, Ozlo Sleep CEO; Michael Proman, Co-investor, Scrum Ventures; and N.B. Patil, Ozlo Sleep Co-Founder and CTO, celebrating the public launch of Ozlo Sleepbuds! Sleepbuds empower wearers to actively address the problem of poor sleep, which is linked to physical and cognitive performance along with overall health and wellness. Ozlo’s technology provides advanced comfort, streaming white noise with longer battery life to assist with and extend sleep. The company is well-positioned to help solve a significant problem across demographics. There’s additional growth potential as they move into solving acute health problems such as Tinnitus, too. Learn more about this inspiring young company and their tech in this profile and product review in TechCrunch: https://lnkd.in/ewpbHmTV

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“Repel as much as they attract.” At our Innate Capital Partners portfolio gathering last quarter, the presentation by Maureen Farmer, CEO Advisor and Stephen Pitt-Walker, JD, FGIA included a provocative insight: “Powerful brands repel as much as they attract.” I was reminded of this insight in a store when my eight-year-old son immediately gravitated towards a candy called Toxic Waste. The product is further labeled Hazardously Sour Candy. A strong brand both (1) says what it is and (2) signals what is isn’t. This applies to brands for consumer products, business services, and - very much so - to private equity investors. To build a powerful brand, don’t try to appeal to everyone. Toxic Waste is not for the faint-hearted. It’s not for people looking for established confectioneries or safe brands. The brand does, however, resonate with a segment of customers. My son eagerly bought Toxic Waste and he enjoyed the treat. Candy Dynamics Richard Deer Laura King Matthew Quint Center on Global Brand Leadership Columbia Business School Columbia Business School Private Equity Program Laura Sosa, EdD, MBA, CMA Elizabeth Rzasa, M.A. #branding #marketing

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I've recently published my latest newsletter on Substack, "Pause to Prosper: The Power of Taking Breaks." In it, I explore the surprising benefits of taking regular pauses and how they can lead to better decisions, improved well-being, and enhanced financial outcomes. Check it out and let me know your thoughts! #FinanceWithHeart #ProductivityTips #WellBeing #FinancialSuccess #MindfulLiving

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Every single annual planning cycle I've ever been through, the question comes up, "should we think about expanding outside the US?" You can get new customers as you enter new markets (top line!), you can save money by hiring outside of high cost of living regions (OpEx!), and you often can find some of the most talented team members to grow your company that you can't find anywhere else (major vibes!). Join us for the chat on this topic about the trends in this space, the kind of things you should think about if this feels like the right move and anything else, as we talk with my colleague Matt Oberhardt and the CFO of Deel, Philippe Bouaziz. The link to register is in the comments.

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Why We Need $5 Million to Continue Developing the Life-Saving Gene Therapy to Cure TECPR2, a Rare, Fatal, Pediatric, Genetic Brain Disease?🔬 ▪️Early Therapeutic Development of Viral Vector: $100,000 ▪️Pre-Clinical Research of Testing the AAV Efficacy and Safety in Mice: $500,000 ▪️Toxicology: Before Testing in Humans, We Test in Rats Under FDA Guidelines: $500,000-$750,000 ▪️GMP Vector Production: Cost $2 Million to $4 Million ▪️Trial Design and Clinical Trial: $1 Million #GeneTherapy #RareDisease #Neurodegenerative #VentureCapital #PrivateEquity #Philanthropy #Brain Looking for Funders, Industry Partners, Investors, & Philanthropists to Join: SavingJordan.org 🩺

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It's important to be aware of the friction that could be created when key hires are made in a fast-growing business. I spoke with Jeremy Stein about this in our recent conversation about the role fractional executives are increasingly playing in high-growth businesses. Hear Jeremy's thoughts on this in the following short clip - and you can access the full interview and transcript over on our website: https://lnkd.in/dxX34bdN #COO #FractionalHires #Entrepreneurship

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Love these high-level takeaways from my due diligence discussion with Cherub today! So many actionable insights for both founders and investors.

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The consumer news, brands, people, places, things that captured my attention last week: 1. Hims & Hers rolls out Ozempic and Wegovy dupes at 85% off — (from Fox Business) https://shorturl.at/TTEoK 2. E.l.f. Beauty surpasses $1 Billion in annual sales — (from BoF) https://shorturl.at/HAJzz 3. The BOF shared Volume 2 of The BoF Brand Magic Index and Dior is still on top — (on the BoF Instagram) https://shorturl.at/sPmJ4 4. Hannah Beals is in, a new SHE-EO alert at OUAI — (from WWD) https://shorturl.at/DD6GN 5. Grace Coddington is Merit’s newest face — why older women are the key to the brand’s success — (from Glossy) https://shorturl.at/Y8IlP 6. Bumble buys community building app Geneva to expand further into friendships — (from Tech Crunch) https://rb.gy/2nvbzj 7. How VCs are using podcasts to lure in founders — (from Vanity Fair) https://rb.gy/srg8el

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My son's lacrosse tournament in Tahoe led to some insightful listening this weekend - we tuned into the ACQUIRED on Novo Nordisk! This podcast delves deep into the evolution of diabetes drugs, insulin, and the new groundbreaking weight loss medications labeled as miracle drugs. In 1980, diabetes medications generated $500 million in sales, a stark contrast to today's $80 billion market. The journey from extracting insulin from dogs, pigs and cows a century ago to the transformative GLP1s of today is fascinating. It is also scary that diabetes and obesity are such a part of modern life. The quadrupling of type 2 diabetes from 1980 to 2016 underlines broader systemic issues like food quality, limited access to unprocessed food, sedentary lifestyles, environmental toxins, and modern life stressors contributing to obesity. The future promises unprecedented innovation with new molecules for obesity treatment, emphasizing the importance of integrating lifestyle, nutrition changes, and environmental enhancements. For those intrigued by pharmaceutical development history and Novo Nordisk's evolution into the 15th largest market cap company globally, I highly recommend this podcast. ACQUIRED also offers in-depth analyses of companies like NVIDIA, Microsoft, Starbucks, Hermes, and Costco - perfect for long drives. #podcasts #acquired #novonordisk #diabetes #obesity

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