This week on In The Money, I sat down with Asher Hochberg, Partner at Rootspring Ventures and former GP at CircleUp, to break down the state of early-stage investing and brand building in 2025.
💥 What’s changed?
• No more vibe rounds. Investors are trading buzz for margin discipline.
• Being “cool” isn’t enough. Brands need a reason to exist and a loyal repeat customer.
• Growth equity is back—but with teeth. PE-backed strategics want EBITDA, not just traction.
• Storytelling ≠Instagram ads. Narrative now means LTV, retention, and product moat.
⚖️ We talked about how smart founders are navigating:
The risk/growth balance in a tighter capital market
When to scale retail vs. when to say no
What investors are actually looking for at seed and Series B
🧠Favorite line from Asher:"Strong brands used to get funded on buzz. Now, they get funded on retention."
