In this episode of the Tacos & Tech Podcast, host Neal Bloom chats with Andrew Albert, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Channel Equity Partners. Andrew brings decades of investing experience - from public markets to private software equity - to the table. He shares how his journey from the East Coast to San Diego led to launching a new kind of early growth equity firm focused on bootstrapped or lightly funded B2B SaaS companies.
Andrew unpacks his investment strategy, discusses founder-alignment, thesis-driven sourcing, and how Channel Equity delivers capital with intention. Plus, he reflects on the power of long-term partnerships, why market cycles don't shake his thesis, and of course, his favorite San Diego burrito spot.
Key Topics Covered
* Channel Equity’s unique approach to early growth equity
* How Andrew’s public markets background shapes his private investing lens
* The “Ideal Founder Profile” and why alignment matters more than hype
* Examples of successful thesis-driven investments (e.g., CreatorIQ, restaurant CMS tools)
* The impact of AI on go-to-market efficiency and capital needs
* Fund I formation and raising capital in a challenging market
* Why IPOs aren’t the goal, and how $100M exits can be life-changing
* Breakfast burritos, New York pizza, and San Diego sunshine
Links & Resources
Connect with Andrew
Connect with Neal Bloom
LinkedIn: Neal Bloom
Twitter: @NealBloom