EPISODE · Jul 3, 2026 · 15 MIN
Best of Build Mode: Think like a VC
from Equity · host TechCrunch, Rebecca Bellan, Kirsten Korosec, Anthony Ha, Sean O'Kane, Theresa Loconsolo
Instead of our usual news rundown, Equity is sending you off into the 4th of July weekend with a special episode of our sister podcast Build Mode. Season 3 launches July 9th, but before it does, Build Mode is revisiting some of the best fundraising and startup advice from the investors featured in last season. From choosing the right investors to building a differentiated go-to-market strategy, these venture capitalists and founder-turned-investors share hard-earned lessons on fundraising, portfolio dynamics, investor-founder relationships, and what separates the companies that successfully raise their next round from those that don't. In this episode, you'll hear from: Yuri Sagalov, managing director at General Catalyst Ross Fubini, managing partner at XYZ Venture Capital and Leslie Feinzaig, founder and general partner at Graham & Walker Paul Irving, partner at GTMfund Leah Solivan, founder of TaskRabbit and founder of Precedent VC Chapters: 00:00 Intro 01:19 Yuri Sagalov (General Catalyst): The three types of investors and who founders should avoid 03:29 Ross Fubini (XYZ VC) & Leslie Feinzaig (Graham & Walker): What great investors actually bring to the table 08:36 Paul Irving (GTMfund): The go-to-market signals investors look for 12:30 Leah Solivan (TaskRabbit / Precedent VC): Understanding the competition inside your investors' portfolios 14:30 Outro Subscribe to Build Mode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you like to listen. And watch the full videos on YouTube. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
What this episode covers
Instead of our usual news rundown, Equity is sending you off into the 4th of July weekend with a special episode of our sister podcast Build Mode. Season 3 launches July 9th, but before it does, Build Mode is revisiting some of the best fundraising and startup advice from the investors featured in last season. From choosing the right investors to building a differentiated go-to-market strategy, these venture capitalists and founder-turned-investors share hard-earned lessons on fundraising, portfolio dynamics, investor-founder relationships, and what separates the companies that successfully raise their next round from those that don't. In this episode, you'll hear from: Yuri Sagalov, managing director at General Catalyst Ross Fubini, managing partner at XYZ Venture Capital and Leslie Feinzaig, founder and general partner at Graham & Walker Paul Irving, partner at GTMfund Leah Solivan, founder of TaskRabbit and founder of Precedent VC Chapters: 00:00 Intro 01:19 Yuri Sagalov (General Catalyst): The three types of investors and who founders should avoid 03:29 Ross Fubini (XYZ VC) & Leslie Feinzaig (Graham & Walker): What great investors actually bring to the table 08:36 Paul Irving (GTMfund): The go-to-market signals investors look for 12:30 Leah Solivan (TaskRabbit / Precedent VC): Understanding the competition inside your investors' portfolios 14:30 Outro Subscribe to Build Mode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you like to listen. And watch the full videos on YouTube. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Best of Build Mode: Think like a VC
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