Neil Sequeira (Defy) - When to invest before the Series A, the verticalization of social and the future of celebrity co-founded business

Our guest today is [Neil Sequeira](https://www.linkedin.com/in/neil-sequeira-76739a40/), Co-Founder & Managing Director at [Defy](https://defy.vc/). Defy backed exceptional entrepreneurs at the early stages. Some of their investments include Fable, Triller, and Boom Sports. Previously, Neil served as Managing Director of General Catayst and has been a venture capitalist for the past 20 years. I had a blast chatting with Neil about the current state of VC, celebrities cofounding consumer companies, the verticalization of social and categories he's comfortable writing the first check in. Without further ado, here's Neil. Some of the questions I ask him: 1. What was your initial attraction into venture? 2. How did you make your way into venture capital? 3. You've had a ton of experience investing in consumer technology and consumer goods companies. How do you think about the market today? When things are tough 4. What's your approach for looking at opportunities? 5. What's your due diligence process? 6. How do you think about fund differentiation? 7. How do you approach price and ownership? 8. When I talk to investors, deals are closing really fast. Their wish is for the market to actually move slower. Have you had to alter at all your due diligence process at all to get to conviction faster? 9. What makes a good board member? 10. What does an entrepreneur really want? 11. Do the things that makes their life easier 12. What has been your biggest learning from COVID? 13. How are you seeing the world of startups and venture capital as the world begins to open up? 14. How has venture capital changed? 15. What's one thing you would change about venture capital?     1. Very diverse firm     2. People invest in people who look like them 16. What's one book that inspired you personally and one book that inspired you professionally? 17. What's the best piece of advice that you've received? 18. What's one piece of advice for founders currently building?

Om Podcasten

The Consumer VC takes a look into early-stage consumer investing and venture capital. If you are interested in learning about consumer trends, have a b2c business and interested in learning about the fundraising process at the early stage, you have come to the right place. Mike interviews some of the top venture capitalists in the world that focus on B2C and consumer type companies or have a deep track record investing in these categories such as marketplaces, SaaS, social, CPG and non-tech subscription. Mike also interviews founders that are building some of the most disruptive consumer facing companies in the world. The conversation usually includes the insight the founder discovered, fundraising strategy, and the pitch. This podcast also includes bonus episodes. Each bonus episode dives into a particular subject that might not have to due with the fundraise or venture capital, but still would be helpful to founders. For example, a bonus episode on brand strategy or how to construct a board of directors. All bonus episodes will be clearly labeled. For all episodes, please visit www.theconsumervc.com. For updates, you can follow @mikegelb on Twitter.