Megan Bent (Harbinger Ventures) - Why milk alternatives is in a better position than cell based meat to win, the benefits of a concentrated portfolio, and sharing carried interest

My guest today is Megan Bent, Managing Partner at Harbinger Ventures. Harbinger Ventures is a leading growth-equity investment firm focused on identifying and scaling high-growth companies in the consumer sector. Some of their investments include Once Upon a Farm, Cora and Vinebox.

Sponsor: This episode is brought to you by Gorgias. Gorgias combines all your communication channels including email, SMS, social media, livechat, and phone, into one platform and gives you an organized view of all tickets. Sign up here and mention the Consumer VC podcast for two months free.

Some of the questions I ask Megan:

1. What was your initial attraction to consumer packaged good?
2. How do you think about brand authenticity
3. Why did you decide to focus on venture capital and innovation?
4. What was your first role as an investor?
5. When does it make sense for a CPG company to fundraise from venture capital vs. angels or not fundraise at all?
6. How did you come to found Harbinger Ventures? What's the focus?
7. What are the missed opportunities that you are seeing in consumer?
8. What are some of the positives of having a concentrated portfolio?
9. What's the typically percentage of ownership you typically take?
10. Do you invest in companies that are typically pre product market fit?
11. In CPG, how do you think about IP and competitive moats?
12. How is your model unique compared to other venture models out there?
13. How do you leverage your platform to help founders?
14. What are some of the trends in consumer that you're focused on?
15. What's one thing you would change about venture capital?
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 to founders?