Scott Mordell

Between 2023 and Q1 2024, $373M was invested in #foodasmedicine (FaM) startups. Foodsmart's $200M raise, led by TPG, reflects accelerating investor optimism in the space—particularly for comprehensive #foodcare solutions that bring together food access, nutrition care delivery and support, and AI-driven food benefits management. In-line with mounting investor interest, enterprise #partnership volume in #FaM has surpassed that of the prior seven years combined. As enterprises continue to pilot FaM programs and integrate them into broader #primarycare and #SDOH strategies, we expect continued growth in the startup landscape, venture funding, and partnerships. To get deeper in this space, check out our FaM market primer: https://lnkd.in/gyagJTSJ Disclaimer: Foodsmart is a Rock Health Capital portfolio company. https://lnkd.in/gdNjJWbK

84

3 Comments

Is #venturecapital broke(n) or just evolving into something else? Gus Bessalel, author of #TheStartupLottery, shares some thoughts on what has changed. #founder #startup #bootstrap #capital #tech #ai #seed #preseed #money

7

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?

29

3 Comments

Make America Health Again is a big topic. A new set of policymakers start work in January. Investors are trying to understand the changes. There is a collective intrigue on what innovations will speed better food, better health, and improve the climate. Affordable and scalable. As a venture firm we see 1000s of new technologies and companies over the years. And many entrepreneurs working on these issues. As well as great advisors who have spent a lifetime studying disease, agriculture, and innovation. As part of the Food is Health Revolution, we will are hosting a series of presentations, each bite size, to help connect with entrepreneurs, industry professionals, investors and policy makers focused on Food is Health. Our next session is Friday at 9 central time. 8 presentations, each 15 mins, with 5 mins of Q&A. Register to attend or receive the replay. https://lnkd.in/gC4ApA4M

44

2 Comments

CEO Insights: Interview with Ryan Lean from JB&B about the importance of hiring people not just for their skills but their ethics, values, ability to learn on the job and culture match. Interested in joining me in CEO Insights - Private Forum? Message me or comment below. More episodes of CEO Insights here: https://lnkd.in/geMd5J7C #hiringpeople #retaining

31

2 Comments

Vistage speaker and strategy expert Marc Emmer begins his annual Trends series by addressing the increasing energy demands and the need for CEOs to prioritize sustainability. Get ready for insights on the ecological challenges that small and midsize businesses will face in 2025 and beyond!  #Sustainability #EnergyTrends #EcologicalTrends

3

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

7

🌟 Exciting News! Manna Tree is thrilled to announce the launch of our white paper, "Live Better, Longer: The $1.8 Trillion Opportunity in Health and Wellness." Dive into the burgeoning healthspan market and discover our insights on how innovative businesses are shaping the future of health. 📈 Read the full white paper here: https://lnkd.in/gFGHGEi2 #Healthspan #Wellness #Investment #MannaTree #HealthTech #FutureOfWellness #ConsumerTrends

43

2 Comments

Entrepreneurship can be a lonely and challenging journey. Be sure to take care of your #mentalhealth along the way. Thank you Andy Dunn for speaking out. https://lnkd.in/eXA86vXc

8

3 Comments

PI Reference Profiles - The Promoter Some Highlights 💡 👉 Promoters are natural team players. 👉 They’re known to be sympathetic, casual, and uninhibited. 👉 They thrive in and help contribute to a culture of teamwork. Does it sound like you or someone you know? Read on to: ⭐ Learn more about the characteristics of a Promoter. ⭐ Discover how a Promoter operates on a team. ⭐ Gain insight into how to manage a Promoter https://loom.ly/JIaVZ-U #pi #predictiveindex #talentoptimization #teamcohesion #leadership

6

If you struggle to define the ROI of sustainablity, check out this free webinar by Impact Growth Partners on Tuesday, December 17 at noon EST. #sellingsustainability

5

1 Comment

Great article by Jory Cohen on impact investing!

1

I am going to be on an awesome panel put together by James from Startup Grind this Wednesday! Come join!! If you want a ticket let me know!! I have a few for friends! See you Wednesday for an awesome panel! Great networking too! #ceo #startup #event #fundraising #entrepreneurship #geCKoMaterials

7

1 Comment

Words of wisdom from Venture Capitalist, Investor, and Star of ABC's Shark Tank, Kevin O'Leary at this year's #C360. We're finding out just how essential data was in the illustrious career of one of the world's most prolific businessmen, and the businesses he supported. How are you adapting data to give your business an advantage? #SharkTank #Transformation #DataAndAnalytics #TheFullView

17

12 Essential Oils For a Better Night's Sleep Many people add essential oils like lavender, lemongrass, chamomile to their SUND Sleeve to improve their sleep. Natural, holistic approaches like aromatherapy can also comfortably help you relax, nap, & meditate. Here our 12 essential oils that may soothe your sense of SMELL and help you sleep. https://bit.ly/3IKaMGC

2

1 Comment

Business Six Pack There are two aphorisms about history that I have found compelling. First, a quote attributed to Mark Twain that “History doesn’t repeat itself, but it rhymes;” and Harry Truman’s observation the “There is nothing new in the world except the history you do not know.” I think you’ll find these Six Very Short Stories about Business History from the American History Business Center affirm the insight of the aforementioned quotes and if nothing else will confirm that while business is about change, there is also much about business that doesn’t.

7

2 Comments

In late July, a subcommittee of the House of Representatives approved legislation that would eliminate funding for the CDC’s Office on Smoking and Health. Tobacco control advocacy groups, led by Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids, denounced the move as “a gift to the tobacco industry” that “would be devastating to public health in the U.S.” Would cutting off funding to OSH, in fact, harm public health? The Office on Smoking and Health (OSH) is the self-described “lead federal agency for comprehensive tobacco prevention and control.” OSH has been consistent in recent years in its negative messaging regarding electronic cigarettes - despite FDA marketing granting orders authorizing specific electronic cigarette products as “appropriate for the protection of public health” since 2021. In each case, the MGOs were based on an FDA determination, following an extensive scientific review, that the authorized products were likely to benefit smokers who completely switched, or significantly reduced their cigarette use. Yet FDA’s electronic cigarette authorizations would be a mystery to anyone who obtained their information on smoking from OSH. Instead, OSH has chosen to repeat tobacco control talking points that are calculated to confuse current smokers about the risk profile of vaping, as compared to continuing to smoke. And there is no video in the “Tips from Former Smokers” collection, sharing a testimonial from someone who successfully quit smoking by switching to vaping - despite an earlier CDC study that showed that switching to e-cigarettes has become a more popular quit method than nicotine replacement therapy. OSH also emphasizes in its public-facing communications that “no e-cigarette has been approved by the FDA as a smoking cessation aid.” But the standard for receiving such an FDA approval would be that the product helps a smoker both quit smoking and eliminate all use of nicotine. For the smoker who cannot or will not quit all use of nicotine - the fact that an e-cigarette would only help them quit smoking will not be a reason to abstain from switching. By failing to educate smokers that switching to an FDA-authorized e-cigarette can benefit their health where quitting all nicotine use isn’t an option - OSH is undermining FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products and harming public health. Ideally, OSH will dramatically reform its approach to educating the public about e-cigarettes. Specifically, it should: (1) educate adults who smoke about the existence of FDA-authorized products, and (2) the benefit of switching for the smoker who cannot, or will not, quit all nicotine use. Unless OSH ends what can only be described as a campaign of concealment and disinformation about e-cigarettes, the next best outcome would be for it to be defunded. With all due respect to tobacco control groups, de-funding OSH as it is currently handling this critically important issue would promote rather than harm the public health. 

15

1 Comment