How much value do VCs truly bring beyond their capital? And what makes the difference between a supportive partnership and a dysfunctional founder-investor relationship?
In this episode, Chris Saad and Yaniv Bernstein welcome Nick Crocker, General Partner at Blackbird Ventures, to explore these critical questions. Blackbird has been at the forefront of Australian venture capital, backing iconic startups like Canva, SafetyCulture, and Culture Amp. Drawing from Nick’s deep experience, this conversation unpacks what founders need to know about choosing investors, avoiding pitfalls, and building lasting partnerships.
Nick also dives into what separates successful startups from the rest—clear storytelling, well-balanced cap tables, and hiring the right early team members. If you're a founder, this episode is a must-listen for navigating the complex venture capital landscape.
In this episode, you will:
- Understand the common misconceptions about venture capital and why VCs may overstate their value.
- Learn why it’s critical to reference-check your investors and how to tactically approach it.
- Discover the key to early-stage success: clearly defining and passionately telling your story.
- Gain insights into the importance of hiring a strong operations/finance leader in your first 10 hires.
- Explore how founders can safeguard their health and attention to stay effective in the long term.
- Uncover the challenges Australian startups face in scaling and how the ecosystem can mature.
- Evaluate the impact of governance and board structures on a startup’s success.
00:00 Intro
01:24 Guest Introduction: Nick Crocker
01:55 Understanding Venture Capital
04:04 The 'VC Value Add'
10:26 Challenges with Dumb Money
17:15 Governance and Control in VC
22:08 Early Signals and Mistakes in Startups
27:28 New Startup Cultures
29:08 Challenges in Scaling Up
30:03 Talent Gaps in the Australian Ecosystem
31:28 The Importance of Operational Excellence
35:48 How To Think About Early Stage Startup Valuations
37:52 The Role of Finance and Operations in Startups
44:10 Founders' Health and Wellbeing
52:18 Final Thoughts and Takeaways
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Key links
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Learn more about Chris and Yaniv
Work 1:1 with Chris: http://chrissaad.com/advisory/
Follow Chris on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrissaad/
Follow Yaniv on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ybernstein/
Editor: Justin McArthur https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-mcarthur
Content Strategist: Carolina Franco https://www.linkedin.com/in/francocarolina/
Intro Voice: Jeremiah Owyang https://web-strategist.com/
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