In this episode, Mark and I talked about why unicorns are not equal success, too much flowing into the capital market, why culture is make or break for your business and how much you should raise.

Denis from Flashpoint discusses venture debt as a lower-risk capital for mature companies with at least $5 million in revenue and strong growth evidence. He emphasizes the importance of unit economics, scalability, and resilient founders, structuring deals with a debt instrument and equity kicker. Denis covers venture capital insights, including deal flow management, board seats, fundraising challenges, and the future of venture growth debt, concluding with reflections on best and worst investments and a question for the next guest about entrepreneurial motivation.

In this podcast episode, Sharon Grewal shares her journey from journalism to entrepreneurship, highlighting the impact of early influences and the transition to startups. She discusses the rise of entrepreneurship, venture capital dynamics, and offers practical advice for bootstrappers and understanding founder exits. Sharon also provides an exclusive look at her book, "The Empathetic Entrepreneur," emphasizing the privilege and fulfillment of doing what you love.

Anton, a laser physicist turned VC at Flashpoint VC, shares his journey from physics to finance, emphasizing the importance of market size, team building, and founder-market fit. He highlights the value of accelerators, data-driven decision-making, and the challenges of down rounds and messy cap tables.