The Startup CPG Podcast · 28 Mar 2026 · 39m · Episode 281
Josh Resnick, co-founder and General Partner at OpenSky Ventures, discusses his journey from founding Pandemic Studios and Sugarfina to investing in early-stage consumer brands. He outlines OpenSky's investment thesis, focusing on pre-seed and opportunistic Series A checks, and explains how their operator background helps them evaluate founders. Resnick emphasizes that storytelling, lean cost DNA, and 'must-have' product positioning are critical traits for success, warning founders against chasing high valuations that lead to down rounds.
early-stage companies and companies scaling up
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Scott Tannen of Boll & Branch and Jamie Siminoff of Ring join Guy Raz to advise three early-stage founders. They discuss the trade-offs of bootstrapping versus venture capital for Q for Quinn, the strategic positioning of L Cubed Lifestyle against sunscreen rather than apparel, and expanding the market for Knox Provisions binoculars beyond traditional outdoor channels.
Axel Bichara, Co-Founder and General Partner at Baukunst, explains how his engineering background at MIT and experience founding Premise informs his approach to venture capital. He details Baukunst's strategy of acting as 'company builders' rather than passive investors, emphasizing the importance of founding team quality, capital efficiency, and founder-market fit. Bichara discusses specific criteria for investment, such as the preference for multiple founders to share the burden, the necessity of capital efficiency (achieving product-market fit within 12-18 months), and the critical role of open communication and humility in the founder-investor relationship.
Jennifer Neundorfer, co-founder and managing partner of January Ventures, explains how her firm addresses the systemic bias in venture capital by focusing on pre-seed and seed-stage investments in tech startups founded by women and people of color. She details the firm's $20 million fund, its strategy of accepting cold pitches to remove network barriers, and its efforts to diversify limited partners. Neundorfer highlights portfolio companies like Planet Forward and Kinside, discussing how they navigate supply chain sustainability and childcare crises during the pandemic.
Orgain founder and CEO Andrew Abraham joins Guy Raz to advise three early-stage founders on product positioning and growth. Bryn Snyder of Slate Electric Flosser discusses her $79.99 electric flosser and strategies for simplifying complex oral health benefits for consumers. Turner Lewis of 4 Craft Cocktails, a radiologist launching golf-inspired canned cocktails, seeks advice on scaling distribution and finding value-add investors. Catherine Smart of Not Just Co, a pasta sauce brand in 240 Target stores, asks how to secure seed funding despite investor skepticism about her $1 million sales run rate.
Paige Mycoskie, founder of Aviator Nation, explains how she bootstrapped a handmade clothing brand into a multi-million dollar business by leveraging word-of-mouth, shrewd landlord negotiations, and a strict 'made in California' manufacturing philosophy. She details her journey from sewing vintage-inspired garments in her apartment to securing her first major order from Fred Segel, and how she avoided external investment to maintain control over her brand's slow, steady growth. Mycoskie also discusses the operational challenges of scaling, including a costly production scam that led her to buy out her own factory, and her decision to remain the sole designer despite the company's recent viral success on TikTok.
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