Exploring Founder <> Investor Relationships with the Thrive Through Connection Podcast

Mike Preuss
CEO
Why Thrive Through Connection What to Expect The First Episodes
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Beyond pitch decks, valuations, term sheets, and growth rates, fundraising is about relationships. Behind every round of capital is a series of conversations, introductions, and partnerships that result from human-to-human connection. That’s why we’re excited to announce the launch of our new podcast season, Thrive Through Connection, a series dedicated to exploring the human side of fundraising.

Why Thrive Through Connection

We’ve seen firsthand that at the center of successful startups, good old-fashioned relationship building consistently shows up, because founders don’t raise capital in a vacuum. They rely on their teams, peers, and investors to navigate the ups and downs of building something from nothing.

Thrive Through Connection highlights the relationships that fuel the growth of both founders and investors. We candidly discuss what it really takes to raise venture capital, including the setbacks, tactics, and stories you won’t hear anywhere else.

What to Expect

Each episode features real stories and actionable insights from founders and investors, from first-time founders reflecting on closing their first round to seasoned investors sharing what they look for in a deal. Every conversation is packed with lessons you can apply to your fundraising journey.

The First Episodes

We’ve got three episodes to get things started, and we’re excited to continue recording and publishing new episodes throughout the year. Check out the first three below:

Finding the Right Investors with Laurel Hess

On the first episode of the Thrive Through Connection Podcast, we welcome Laurel Hess, the CEO and Founder of hampr. Laurel has raised over $10M for hampr across multiple rounds. She joins us to share her journey and the importance of building genuine relationships with investors.

Navigating Investor Relationships with Brett Brohl

On the second episode of the Thrive Through Connection Podcast, we welcome Brett Brohl, Managing Partner at Bread & Butter Ventures. Brett joins us to dive deep into all things founder fundraising, sharing tactical advice on everything from cold outreach to evaluating if an investor is a true culture fit.

Going From Operator to Funder with Leo Polovets

On the third episode of the Thrive Through Connection Podcast, we welcome Leo Polovets, the General Partner at Humba Ventures and Co-founder of Susa Ventures. Leo joins us to talk about his journey from operator to supporting over 100 companies as an investor at both Humba and Susa.

The first three episodes are live now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and most places you get your podcasts. Subscribe to the Thrive Through Connection Podcast to stay in the loop as more episodes are published.

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Building Trust and Vulnerability in Business with Max Yoder
On the fourth episode of the Thrive Through Connection Podcast, we welcome Max Yoder, the Founder of Lessonly and author of Do Better Work. Lessonly was an Indianapolis-based company that grew to over 300 employees and $30 million in annual recurring revenue before being acquired by Seismic in 2021. Max joins us to share the lessons he learned from scaling Lessonly and writing Do Better Work. About Max In addition to growing Lessonly to 300+ employees and leading it through a successful exit, Max became known for his thoughtful approach to leadership, insights he captured in his book, Do Better Work. He’s had a front-row seat to the highs, lows, and daily challenges that startup founders and leaders face. In this episode, Max breaks down the countless relationships that shaped both Lessonly and Do Better Work. Mike, the CEO and Founder of Visible, had an opportunity to sit down and chat with Max. You can give the full episode a listen below: Spotify Link Apple Link What You Can Expect to Learn from Max How the mission and vision for Lessonly came to life How mentors helped shape decision-making and strategy in the early days The advantages of having a strong network What it means to lead with vulnerability The importance of aligning with investors and partners Stay up to date with the Thrive Through Connection Podcast by subscribing wherever you listen to your podcast. You can find links to your favorite podcast hosts below: YouTube Spotify Apple
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Finding the Right Investors with Laurel Hess
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Navigating Investor Relationships with Brett Brohl
Fundraising
Going From Operator to Funder with Leo Polovets