Shows
Wannabe AngelsInvesting in SMBs with Paul Strachman from SPAR Ventures [Ep 33]In this episode Harry speaks with Paul Strachman. Paul is an early-stage technology investor based in NY. After 8 years as General Partner at different funds (Red Sea Ventures, ISAI), Paul is now launching his own fund SPAR Ventures.SPAR Ventures is an early stage fund (Pre-Seed and Seed) investing in tech-enabled B2B companies serving the SMB market. Illustrative investments include Novo (neobank for SMBs), Tango (Product-Led Growth productivity tool) or Solo (super app for gig workers) amongst others.Paul brings a proven investment track record, deep operating experience as well as key B2SMB expertise through his existing portfoli...2024-01-2430 min
Wannabe AngelsWhy Alex Roy Would Invest in Waymo Today [Ep 32]In this episode Harry and Colin talk with Alex Roy. Alex is the founder of Johnson & Roy Advisors, the Autonocast, The Drive & The Human Driving Association. Alex set 7 Cannonball Run driving records in the ICE, EV & 3-wheeled classes, and worked at self-driving startup Argo AI for four years. He is author of The Driver, producer of APEX: The Secret Race Across America, and Chairman Emeritus of The Moth storytelling series. He’s been investing in mobility start-ups since 2014.Where to Listen and Watch:Apple - (Go straight to the episode by clicking here)Sp...2023-12-2045 min
The Angel Next DoorLessons Learned from Raising Over $200 MillionHave you ever wondered what it takes to successfully raise funds for a startup? In this thought-provoking episode of The Angel Next Door Podcast, host Marcia Dawood sits down with Colin Gardiner, an operator in residence at Techstars and a seasoned investor with a track record of raising over $200 million. Colin shares his journey into the world of angel investing, starting with his parents' entrepreneurial background and their experience raising capital for their business. Throughout the episode, he offers valuable insights and lessons learned from his own fundraising experiences, emphasizing the importance of storytelling, communication, and strategic forecasting for...2023-11-0923 min
Wannabe AngelsHow Alex Cohen Balances Angel Investing, Shit Posting, and Product Lead [Ep 31]Wannabe Angels Breakfast Tacos Meetup Info - Sept 26 from 9:00 AM-11:00 AMhttps://lu.ma/3k4jtfq2In this episode, Harry and Colin speak with Alex Cohen. Alex is a Product leader and angel investor. He leads the consumer and growth product teams at Carbon Health, a fast growing digital health startup based in San Francisco. Previously founded 2 venture backed companies. He’s an angel investor in 70+ companies including Lula, CertifyOS, Flume Health, Almond OBGYN, Railway, Splitero, and many more!Where to Listen and Watch:Apple - (Go straight to the episode by...2023-09-2041 min
Wannabe AngelsTikTok and Angel Investing with Maggie Sellers [Ep 30]Wannabe Angels Breakfast Tacos Meetup Info - Sept 26 from 9:00 AM-11:00 AMhttps://lu.ma/3k4jtfq2In this episode, Harry and Colin speak with Maggie Sellers. Maggie Sellers is an angel investor and syndicate lead, media entrepreneur and creator that sits at the intersection of entertainment, brand, and early-stage consumer startups. After pioneering Angel Investing and Private Market Investing Tok as a content creator in Los Angeles, she founded Hot Smart Rich Media, a digital media company that empowers startup founders, investors, creators, operators and 87,000+ other aspiring knowledge workers with real business insights by cutting o...2023-09-1329 min
Wannabe AngelsThe Art of SPVs with Alex Pattis [Ep 29]Wannabe Angels Breakfast Tacos Meetup Info - Sept 26 from 9:00 AM-11:00 AMhttps://lu.ma/3k4jtfq2In this episode, Colin speaks with Alex Pattis. Alex is a seasoned professional with a strong track record. As a General Partner at Riverside Ventures, he's invested in 200+ startups, providing valuable support to entrepreneurs in their early stages. His extensive operating experience includes scaling startups for almost a decade, with a pivotal role at MAT, a startup later acquired in a 9-figure exit. Alex's influence extends to co-founding Hampton, a premium community for founders, and Last Money In, a V...2023-09-0639 min
Wannabe AngelsMastering Startup Growth and Sales: Insights from Expert Dojo's Brandon Gerson [Ep 28]In this episode, Harry speaks with Brandon Gerson. Brandon Gerson is an entrepreneur, sales person, venture partner, and angel investor. Throughout his career, he has co-founded 3 companies, 2 were small exits, 1 was a small failure, and he is now working to ensure one - or more - of his portfolio companies delivers a big exit. At present he oversees deal flow and pipeline management at Expert Dojo, one of the world's most active startup accelerators. In between professional endeavors he is a blessed family man who is working with his wife on raising 2 little girls to become future leaders in t...2023-08-3032 min
Wannabe AngelsThe PR Behind Angel Investing with Trace Cohen [Ep 27]In this episode, Colin interviews Trace Cohen, a serial entrepreneur with 15 years of experience. He founded Brandyourself during college, launched more startups after graduation, and has invested in 60+ startups. He's a senior manager at American Express in the SE&D team, enhancing digital product experiences. Formerly Managing Director at New York Venture Partners, he managed 50+ early-stage investments, sourced founders, and oversees 50+ current investments. He leads the Active Investors Community, connecting global investors. Trace co-founded Launch.it, a self-publishing platform, and was an SVP at iFluencePR.Where to Listen and Watch:Apple - Spotify...2023-08-2336 min
Wannabe AngelsIs Nick Huber the Most Hated Investor on Twitter? [Ep 26]Harry just made his second investment from his fund - check it out here. And without further ado, let's get into today's episode!In this episode, Colin and Harry speak with Nick Huber. Nick was born in Leopold, Indiana and attended Cornell University, where he excelled in track and founded Storage Squad. With his partner, they expanded the business to 25 major college towns before selling it in early 2021. After the sale, Nick turned his focus to real estate private equity and self-storage operations, rapidly growing his portfolio. Currently, he owns and manages 63 self-storage locations across 11 states, totaling 1.9 m...2023-08-0227 min
Wannabe AngelsImportance of Investing in Diverse Founders with Marcia Dawood [Ep 25]In this episode, Colin and Harry talk with Marcia Dawood. Marcia is an investor in many early-stage private companies and funds. In addition to her own investing, she is a Venture Partner with Mindshift Capital and a part of the investment committee for Next Wave Impact Fund. She is also a member of Golden Seeds, one of the largest angel groups in the US. Mindshift Capital and Golden Seeds focus on investing in women-led companies. She currently serves on the Small Business Capital Formation Advisory Committee to the Securities and Exchange Commission. She was the Chair...2023-07-2630 min
Rockin' Your MarketplaceAnalytics and Metrics for Marketplaces ft. Colin Gardiner at Karta LabsIn the 20th episode of Rockin' Your Marketplace, Colin Gardiner joins to help us break down marketplace metrics for us.
Colin is the Founder and a marketplace advisor at Karta Labs. He is also the Founder and a marketplace investor at Yonder Ventures. He also writes about marketplaces in his newsletter Take Rate and co-hosts the podcast Wannabe Angels along with Harry Cambell, the Rideshare Guy.
All of that to say... there is no better person to talk about marketplace metrics with than Colin Gardiner.
LTV, GMV, Take Rate, CAC… the world of metrics for marketplaces can get very co...2023-07-2023 min
Wannabe AngelsColin Gardiner on His Experience at Outdoorsy [Ep 24]In this bonus episode of Wannabe Angels, Harry talks to Colin about his time at Outdoorsy. Outdoorsy is a RV sharing platform where owners can list their RV/Camper for rent. Colin worked as the Chief Revenue Officer at Outdoorsy. In this episode, Harry and Colin take a deep dive into lessons learned about marketplaces and what it took to make Outdoorsy successful. Where to Listen and Watch:Apple - Spotify - YouTube - Segments:0:00 - Intro1:45 - What is Outdoorsy?8:10 - What has C...2023-07-2033 min
Wannabe AngelsInvesting in Highly Regulated Industries with Stevie Cline [Ep 23]In this episode Colin and Harry talk with Stevie Cline. Stevie is an experienced executive in regulatory and compliance, operations, business development, and strategic alliances with a demonstrated history of leadership in the startup industry. She is the founder of Highly Regulated, and a managing partner at Vol. 1 Ventures. She is skilled in Product Marketing and Launch, Strategic Planning, External Relationships, and Data Analytics.Where to Listen and Watch:Apple - Spotify - YouTube - Segments:0:00 - Intro2:26 - Benefits of education6:10...2023-07-1228 min
Wannabe Angels25 Years of Angel Investing with Martin Tobias [Ep 22]In this episode, Harry speaks with Martin Tobias. Martin Tobias is an experienced entrepreneur and investor known for his involvement in various successful ventures. He is the founder of Incisive Ventures, a venture capital firm. Martin has an impressive background, having worked at prominent companies such as Accenture and Microsoft. He was also a former Venture Partner at Ignition Partners, another well-known VC firm.As a CEO, Martin has led three venture-funded companies and has raised over $500 million in funding. He has taken two of these companies public through IPOs, showcasing his expertise in building and scaling b...2023-07-0736 min
Wannabe AngelsInvesting in the Future: Learn, Earn and Own with Katelyn Donnelly [Ep 21]In this episode, Harry and Colin talk with Katelyn Donnelly. Katelyn is the Managing Director of Avalanche VC, an early-stage venture firm investing in massive technology-driven trends starting with how people learn, earn, and own. She's previously been an active angel investor and LP in over 20 companies and funds. Before Avalanche, she co-founded Delivery Associates, a leading public sector advisory firm driving outcomes and technology implementation worldwide. She played every role in building the company, including serving on the board until its exit to private equity in November 2022. Previously, she co-founded Pearson Ventures, a significant EdTech venture fun...2023-06-2832 min
Wannabe AngelsInvesting in Exceptional Founders: Mac Conwell's Approach at Rare Breed [Ep 20]McKeever "Mac" Conwell II is the managing partner at RareBreed Ventures. Mac's background includes a former role as a software engineer and working as a DOD contractor with top-secret clearance. He was a two-time founder with an exit and a failure. Next, Mac moved on to venture capital via the Maryland Technology Development Corporation as part of their seed investment team. Mac then transitioned into venture capital through the Maryland Technology Development Corporation, where he played a key role in their seed investment team. Today, Mac is the founder of RareBreed Ventures, a pre-seed to seed venture fund that...2023-06-2136 min
Wannabe AngelsRolling Funds and Relentless Founders: Andrew Gluck’s Approach to Investing [Ep 19In this episode Colin and Harry talk with Andrew Gluck. He is the Founder & Solo GP of irrvrnt. He spent over a decade in digital marketing, including founding WITHIN where he spent $1B+ on Google and Facebook for brands like Nike, Intuit, Goop, Rothy's and more. After a successful exit in 2018, he transitioned into an early-stage venture.irrvrnt is an ~$10MM early-stage fund with a strong focus on AdTech, Ecomm Enablement, Vertical SaaS, and Marketplaces. They invest $300-$500k into relentless founders with strong founder-market fit building in large and growing markets.Where to Listen and Watch:2023-06-1432 min
Wannabe AngelsEducating Angel Investors with Sam Huleatt [Ep 18]In this episode, Colin and Harry talk to Sam Huleatt. Sam is a seasoned professional in the startup and venture capital scene who is taking some time off to explore and actively invest. Most recently, he built and ran the On Deck Angel (ODA) program and was part of On Deck's fund team, where he also helped develop the capital network strategy. In the past, Sam co-founded Workstreamer, a B2B sales intelligence platform that received venture capital backing and was sold to a PE in 2010. He also co-founded Heights Media, an ad tech platform that provides liq...2023-06-0736 min
Wannabe AngelsUnleashing the Power of 'Go to Market' with Kyle Richless [Ep 17]In this episode, Colin and Harry talk with Kyle Richless. Kyle is a hands-on, GTM advisor/investor, with a particular focus towards optimizing the commercial machine of 2-sided marketplaces, verticalized SaaS plays & and consumer businesses (e.g. leveraging a capital-efficient growth marketing motion). The first 9 years of his career, post law school, he helped to build the commercial machine at a first generation, legal tech startup - called Axiom Law - backed by Benchmark - and which was exited to Permira (the global PE firm) in 2019. From there, he has been an active angel, has spent time as...2023-05-3145 min
Wannabe AngelsInvesting in Network Effects with Sameer Singh [Ep 16]In this episode, Colin and Harry talk to Sammer Singh. Sameer is an early-stage investor focused on network effects. "Creator" of Breadcrumb.vc and Applied Network Effects (one of the highest rated courses on Maven) — both are globally renowned resources to learn about network effects. He is also a Venture Partner at Speedinvest and part of the Atomico Angel Program, where he invests in early-stage startups with network effects. Sameer has 14 years of experience in the technology ecosystem — distributed between technology startups and investing. For much of this time, he studied technology business models and network effects in a pr...2023-05-2436 min
Wannabe AngelsAmber Illig’s Journey from Angel Investor to General Partner [Ep. 15]In this episode, Colin and Harry talk with Amber Illig. Amber Illig is an angel investor turned solo General Partner at The Council Fund, where she invests in founders that are transforming traditional industries. Fund I has a $5m target to invest in pre-seed and seed stage companies across Vertical SaaS, Fintech, and Healthcare. Before investing full time, Amber was an operations leader at Eli Lilly, Apple, Snap, Cruise, and Atmos. Where to Listen and Watch:Apple - Spotify - YouTube - Segments:0:00 - Intro2:16...2023-05-1749 min
Wannabe AngelsAngel Investing in Vertical SaaS with Nick Tippmann [Ep.14]In this episode, Colin is joined by Nick Tippmann. Nick Tippmann is a successful angel investor focusing on early-stage B2B Vertical SaaS companies. He has invested in over 50 startups and is an LP in various emerging funds. Nick was previously the CMO and part of the founding team at Greenlight Guru, a pioneer in the vertical SaaS (vSaaS) model for MedTech companies. With his experience building and scaling a successful vSaaS company, Nick offers a unique perspective to founders on how to approach the vertical SaaS model and what to look for.Where to L...2023-05-1037 min
Wannabe AngelsSyndicating Deals with Colin and a New Mini Fund for Harry [Ep. 13]In this episode of Wannabe Angels, Harry, and Colin fly solo, and they discuss their updates in angel investing. Harry discusses his new fund, and Colin talks about his latest syndications with yonder.vc. Don’t worry; they also cover some trending Twitter topics.Where to Listen and Watch:Apple - Spotify - YouTube - Segments:0:00 - Intro01:09 - Harry’s Big “Fund” News9:02 - Colin’s Syndicate Update17:53 - Twitter Thread 1 - Should investors stay updated after Series A funding round?...2023-05-0331 min
Wannabe AngelsAngel Investing in Devtools with swyx [ep. 12]In this episode, Colin and Harry are joined by swyx aka Shawn Wang. Shawn is a well-known angel investor actively involved in the developer relations and developer tools community. He has made a name for himself as a blogger, speaker, and community organizer. Get ready to learn everything you wanted about Devtools, Devrel, becoming a scout, and much more!Where to Listen and Watch:Apple - Spotify - YouTube - Segments:0:00 - Intro3:03 - What are Devtools?7:20 - Why did Shawn get into...2023-04-2643 min
Wannabe AngelsWhy I Won’t Be Angel Investing Anymore - Dennis Hegstad [Ep. 11]In this episode, Harry and Colin are joined by Dennis Hegstad. Dennis is an angel investor and the founder of Vigilance. The company protects direct-to-consumer brands from coupon leaks. Before that, he co-founded Live Recover, which was later acquired. Dennis is an expert in the Shopify ecosystem and all things DTC. He invests through his aptly named business Fake VC. We go into Dennis’s portfolio performance originally documented in this tweet: https://twitter.com/dennishegstad/status/1638556297703440384?s=20We discuss how he thinks about angel investing in the future and why he...2023-04-1935 min
Wannabe AngelsNavigating the Evolving Angel Investing Landscape - Gale Wilkinson [Ep10]Gale Wilkinson joins Harry and Colin to discuss her journey into angel investing and what she does to make it open to everyone. Gale is VITALIZE's founder and Managing Partner, a seed fund and angel community investing in transformative WorkTech software. Previously, Wilkinson worked at IrishAngels, one of the largest angel groups in the world. Gale has led $70M+ in early-stage deals across 125+ portfolio companies and has made 50 personal angel investments. Her experience before VC includes founding two HR tech startups, consulting for new product launches with Nielsen, and data strategy with Orbitz.Where to Listen and W...2023-04-1242 min
Wannabe AngelsNavigating the Angel Investing Landscape: Lessons Learned from Vitalize Founder Gale Wilkinson [Ep10]Harry and Colin are joined by Gale Wilkinson. Gale is the founder and Managing Partner at VITALIZE, a seed fund and angel community investing in transformative WorkTech software. Previously, Wilkinson founded IrishAngels, one of the largest angel groups in the world. Gale has led $70M+ in early-stage deals across 125+ portfolio companies, and she has made 50 personal angel investments. Her experience prior to VC includes founding two HR tech startups, consulting for new product launches with Nielsen, and data strategy with Orbitz.Links to Additional Info:Gale WilkinsonLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/galevc/Twitter...2023-04-1242 min
Wannabe AngelsKirk Ouimet Interview After Party [Ep9]In this bonus episode, Harry and Colin discuss their interview from episode 8 with Kirk Ouimet. The original episode can her found here.Where to Listen and Watch:Apple - Spotify - YouTube - Segments:0:00 - Intro3:30 - Will Harry change his investments based on what he learned from Kirk?4:39 - Thoughts on investing beyond your network/area of expertise7:09 - Colin’s story about investing in ideas and not people12:15 - Favorite Kirk QuotesOther Ways to Co...2023-04-0921 min
Wannabe AngelsKirk Ouimet Interview After Party [Ep9]In this bonus episode, Harry and Colin discuss their interview from episode 8 with Kirk Ouimet.Time stamps0:00 - Intro3:30 - Will Harry change the way he invests based on what he learned from Kirk?4:39 - Thoughts on investing beyond your own network/area of expertise7:09 - Colin’s story about investing in idea and not people12:15 - Favorite Kirk QuotesLinks to Additional Info:Episode 8 LinksPodcast - https://rss.com/podcasts/wannabeangels/YouTube - https://youtu.be/DUg1t4...2023-04-0621 min
Wannabe AngelsOutsized IRR with Kirk Ouimet ‘Spray and Pray’ as an Angel Investment Strategy [Ep8]In this episode, Harry and Colin talk to Kirk Ouimet. Kirk Ouimet is a successful entrepreneur, inventor, and investor who founded Scan, a computer vision company that created a popular app downloaded over 250 million times. He sold the company to Snap Inc. and helped scale their engineering team and launch an office in Utah. Kirk authored over 20 patents and provided his team and investors with $100M+ in returns when Snap went public. He now focuses on investing in and advising startups, with over 250 investments, including several unicorns.Links to Additional Info:Kirk Ouimet...2023-04-0553 min
Wannabe AngelsOutsized IRR with Kirk OuimetIn this episode, Harry and Colin talk to Kirk Ouimet. Kirk Ouimet is a successful entrepreneur, inventor, and investor who founded Scan, a computer vision company that created a popular app downloaded over 250 million times. He sold the company to Snap Inc., helped scale their engineering team, and launched an office in Utah. Kirk authored over 20 patents and provided his team and investors $100M+ in returns when Snap went public. He now focuses on investing in and advising startups, with over 250 investments, including several unicorns.Where to Listen and Watch:Apple - Spotify...2023-04-0553 min
Wannabe AngelsRunning the Angel Squad with Brian NicholsBrian is the co-founder and lead for the Lyft syndicate UpLyft, which has 3,500+ members, and a Co-Founder of Hustle Fund's Angel Squad. Across all of his syndications, they have raised $55M+. He has also been an operator working at Lyft, Zoox, and Blackbird and co-founded two companies.Where to Listen and Watch:Apple - Spotify - YouTube - Segments:0:00 - Intro08:11 - What is the story behind the UpLyft syndicate?15:19 -.Angel Squad Thesis- why would a VC fund want an angel school?2023-03-3041 min
Wannabe AngelsRunning the Angel Squad with Brian Nichols: Tips for Aspiring Angel Investors [Ep7]Brian is the co-founder and lead for the Lyft syndicate UpLyft which has 3,500+ members. And a Co-Founder of Hustle Fund's Angel Squad. Across all of his syndications they have raised $55M+. He has also been an operator working at Lyft, Zoox and Blackbird and co-founded two companies.0:00 - Intro08:11 - What is the story behind the UpLyft syndicate?15:19 -.Angel Squad Thesis- why would a VC fund want an angel school?19:11 - What types of angels are you trying to attract?20:42 - What are the top three tips for...2023-03-2941 min
Wannabe AngelsBalancing Being a Founder and Angel Investor with Andrew Arruda [Ep6]In this episode, Harry and Colin speak with Andrew Arruda. Andrew is a serial entrepreneur and active angel investor. Andrew is the CEO/Co-founder of Flexpa. Andrew speaks internationally on the subjects of startups, innovation, and entrepreneurship and has been featured in publications such as The New York Times, BBC, Wired, CNBC, CBS, Bloomberg, Fortune, Forbes, TechCrunch, The Washington Post, and The Financial Times. Andrew is a former TED speaker and member of the 2017 Forbes 30 under 30 class. In this episode, Andrew talks about his experience as an Andrew investor while also running a company. Andrew also discusses why he...2023-03-2241 min
Wannabe Angels9 years of Angel Investing with Scott Paul [Ep5]In this episode, Harry and Colin talk with Scott Paul. Scott is a long time angel investor based in Utah and focused in Utah, he is well known startup comedian, hair-influencer and general fun and irreverent personality. He is also a founder/partner of Convoi Ventures with Trent Mano which is a Utah focused pre-seed fund. In this episode, Scott discusses what he has learned over the last 9 years as an angel investor and advice for people starting out.0:00 - Intro01:50 - Scott’s angel investing journey04:10 - What % of your net worth ha...2023-03-1540 min
Wannabe AngelsShould You Angel Invest With Conviction Or Do You Follow The Lead? [Ep4]In this episode, Colin and Harry discuss what they have recently been up to in the world of angel investing, a recent twitter thread, and what types of companies they chose to invest in and why.0:00 - Intro01:00 - What did Harry do recently in the World of Angel Investing?01:51 - What did Colin do recently in the World of Angel Investing?03:24 - Featured Twitter Thread- Should you invest only if there’s a lead?11:25 - What is Harry investing in?15:10 - What is Colin investing in?...2023-03-0821 min
Wannabe AngelsJack Greco Interview After Party [Ep3]In this quick episode of Wannabe Angels, Harry and Colin discuss the interview with Jack Greco from Episode 2. What went right, what went wrong and how they can do better in the future.0:00 - Intro01:07 - Passion and Skin in the Game02:36 - Investing in Public Company04:30 - Angel Investing is an Extension of Workforce06:34 - Early Angel investing, Consider being an LP or Emerging Manager07:34 - Colin offers advice on how to help around mindset10:37 - How did Harry and Colin do in their...2023-03-0815 min
Wannabe AngelsLessons Learned From 100+ Angel Investments - Jack GrecoIn this Episode of Wannabe Angels, Harry and Colin are joined by guest Jack Greco. Jack is from Buffalo, New York, and co-founded one of the area’s most successful startups, ACV Auctions. He currently runs a Pre-seed/Seed venture fund focusing on B2B marketplaces. He also is a founding partner at Far Out Ventures. A former super angel with 120+ direct investments and 50+ LP positions under his belt, Greco now invests through Far Out Ventures, writes for the Buffalo Bridge, loves to plant trees and supports the early creation and growth of disruptive companies across the universe, with a...2023-03-0845 min
Wannabe AngelsWhat’s an Angel Investor? [Ep1]In this episode, Harry and Colin discuss the meaning of Angel investing, their goals with this podcast, and how they got started. They also discuss topics such as Pro Rata, and some recent trending twitter threads related to Angel Investing.0:00 - Introduction01:50 - Colin Gardiner Introduction04:00 - Harry Campbell Introduction05:56 - What to expect from this podcast07:59 - What is an Angel Investor?12:34 - How Collin and Harry Got Their Start as Angel investors15:04 - Angel Investing in early to late stage companies18:05...2023-03-0627 min