20VC: Why Growth Investors Ruined the Venture Market, Why Marketing in Venture Has No Substance, Why Follow-On Investing Can Damage Returns and The Mistakes VCs Made in the Last 18 Months with Ophelia Brown, Founder @ Blossom Capital

Ophelia Brown is the Founder of Blossom Capital, one of Europe's newest but leading early-stage venture firms. Ophelia and the Blossom team have invested in stand-outs including Checkout, Duffel, Tines, and Moonpay. Prior to Blossom, Ophelia was a GP at LocalGlobe and a Principal at Index Ventures where her investments included Robinhood and Typeform. In Today's Episode with Ophelia Brown We Discuss: 1.) From Restaurant-Owning DJ to Leading European VC: • How Ophelia made her way into the world of venture and came to found Blossom? • What does Ophelia know now that she wishes she had known when she entered venture? • What does Ophelia feel she is running away from? 2.) Venture Capital: The Market: • Why does Ophelia believe the best venture firms focus either by stage/theme/geography? • Why does Ophelia believe that marketing in venture has no substance? How can founders determine between what is real and what is false? • Why does Ophelia believe that growth investors have ruined the venture market? • When does Ophelia believe VCs will realise that FOMO investing is not a good strategy? 3.) Ophelia Brown: The Investor and Fund Manager: • What has been Ophelia's biggest investing mistake? How did it change her mindset and approach? • In a world where everyone does seed investing, why does Ophelia not? • How was raising the first Blossom fund? What were some of her biggest lessons? • Why does Ophelia believe that follow-on investing can damage returns? • How does Ophelia reflect on her own relationship to price? When has she paid up and it worked? When has she paid up and it not worked? • Does Ophelia think it is fair that many find her curt and abrasive to work with? 4.) Europe: Is Now Really The Right Time? • What would Ophelia like to see change in the way European VCs act? • If Ophelia could invest in one seed firm, one Series A firm and one growth firm in Europe, what would they be? Why? • What are 1-2 of the biggest barriers Europe must overcome in the next 5 years?