This Week in VC Podcasts

Nov 24 – Nov 30, 2025

7 top clips from 2 episodes across 2 shows

Trending this week

Clip of the week

Founder closes $700K round with VCs on The Pitch

29:24 / 29:50

We have raised a total of $700,000. I was looking for a million, and I am actually planning on closing it tomorrow, the last term she'd sell. Yeah. Well, we're in. Okay. If you'll have us. Yeah. I would love to have you guys. You've been very kind and generous along the way. But, yeah, term sheet's tomorrow.

29:24 - 29:5026sRead the episode →

Top clips

The Pitch

founder story

Founder admits their goal is to break the system entirely

A founder explains their strategy to disrupt existing systems while acknowledging the extreme difficulty of their mission. They demonstrate self-awareness about potential pivots, drawing from experience at a pre-revenue company that pivoted four times.

22:28 - 22:5527s

system-disruption pivoting-strategy founder-mindset

Riding Unicorns · Erin Platts

personal lesson

CEO reveals how to make critical decisions during four-day crisis

Octopus Ventures CEO Erin Platts discusses the challenge of prioritizing decisions during an intense four-day crisis period. She explains how, without preparation for such extreme situations, leaders must rely on instinct and core values to guide critical decision-making when everything is on the line.

10:30 - 11:0333s

crisis-management decision-making leadership-under-pressure

Riding Unicorns · Erin Platts

personal lesson

Growing up poor gave this VC CEO crucial perspective on money

Erin Platts reflects on how her background of growing up with very little money has shaped her perspective on financial risk in venture capital. She discusses how founders and investors each have different relationships with money, and how her personal experience provides valuable context when working with entrepreneurs who are taking significant financial risks.

15:19 - 15:5334s

founder-psychology financial-risk personal-background

Riding Unicorns · Erin Platts

personal lesson

How Octopus Ventures team reacted when their world nearly collapsed overnight

Erin Platts reveals the surprising internal response at Octopus Ventures during a major crisis period. Despite facing potential operational collapse, the team showed remarkable resilience and gratitude rather than panic or complaint. The CEO shares how employees focused on being thankful they could continue supporting the ecosystem and maintain their livelihoods.

15:57 - 16:3842s

team-resilience crisis-management venture-operations

Riding Unicorns · Erin Platts

tactical advice

Why total transparency kills startups and how to find the right balance

Erin Platts explains why complete transparency isn't always the right approach for CEOs and founders. She discusses the delicate skill of determining the optimal level of transparency with different stakeholders, emphasizing that while communication is crucial for moving fast, oversharing can be counterproductive.

22:58 - 23:4143s

transparency communication leadership

Riding Unicorns · Erin Platts

market insight

The impossible challenge of building a VC brand that appeals to founders

Erin Platts discusses the complex branding challenge Octopus faces as a multi-sector investment firm. She explores how difficult it is to create a brand identity that appeals to tech founders while simultaneously maintaining credibility in traditional sectors like infrastructure and energy.

32:58 - 33:3536s

brand-strategy multi-sector-investing founder-relations

Riding Unicorns(5)The Pitch(2)

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