• 6 minutes 14 seconds
    Investor Stories 479: Startup Lessons from Steve Blank, Seth Levine, and Ben Orthlieb: Hubris, Influence, and Founder Selection (Orthlieb, Levine, Blank)

    On this special segment of The Full Ratchet, the following Investors are featured:

    • Ben Orthlieb of Blue Moon
    • Seth Levine of Foundry
    • Steve Blank is an Adjunct Professor at Stanford

    We asked guests to tell the most important lesson they've learned in their career.

    The host of The Full Ratchet is Nick Moran of New Stack Ventures, a venture capital firm committed to investing in founders outside of the Bay Area.

    We're proud to partner with Ramp, the modern finance automation platform. Book a demo and get $150—no strings attached.

    Want to keep up to date with The Full Ratchet? Follow us on social. You can learn more about New Stack Ventures by visiting our LinkedIn and Twitter.

    11 June 2026, 8:00 am
  • 57 minutes 36 seconds
    510. The Hyper-Scaler CEO Whisperer and Founder of the Lean Startup Movement on Incorruptible Startups, Building to Thrive and Survive, and Creating a Governance Fortress (Eric Ries)

    Eric Ries of the Lean Startup joins Nick to discuss The Hyper-Scaler CEO Whisperer and Founder of the Lean Startup Movement on Incorruptible Startups, Building to Thrive and Survive, and Creating a Governance Fortress. In this episode we cover:

    • The Concept Behind "Incorruptible"
    • The Story of Saul Price and FedMart
    • The Governance Fortress and Legal Structures
    • The Role of Mission-Driven Companies
    • The Case of Novo Nordisk
    • Advice for Founders
    • The Importance of Mission-Driven Entrepreneurship
    • Eric's Approach to Advice

    Guest Links:

    The host of The Full Ratchet is Nick Moran of New Stack Ventures, a venture capital firm committed to investing in founders outside of the Bay Area.

    We're proud to partner with Ramp, the modern finance automation platform. Book a demo and get $150—no strings attached.

    Want to keep up to date with The Full Ratchet? Follow us on social. You can learn more about New Stack Ventures by visiting our LinkedIn and Twitter.

    8 June 2026, 8:00 am
  • 6 minutes 36 seconds
    Investor Stories 478: Visionary Founder Lessons from Poshmark, Centana, and EquipmentShare: Love, Listening, and Leadership (Chaddha, Byunn, Schlacks)

    On this special segment of The Full Ratchet, the following Investors are featured:

    • Navin Chaddha of Mayfield
    • Eric Byunn of Centana Growth
    • Willy Schlacks of EquipmentShare

    We asked guests to discuss the most visionary founder that they've worked with and what makes them so special.

    The host of The Full Ratchet is Nick Moran of New Stack Ventures, a venture capital firm committed to investing in founders outside of the Bay Area.

    We're proud to partner with Ramp, the modern finance automation platform. Book a demo and get $150—no strings attached.

    Want to keep up to date with The Full Ratchet? Follow us on social. You can learn more about New Stack Ventures by visiting our LinkedIn and Twitter.

    4 June 2026, 8:00 am
  • 7 minutes
    Investor Stories 477: Why VCs Passed on Figma, ClickUp, Uber, Pinterest, Okta, DoorDash, and Anthropic: Lessons from Investor Anti Portfolios (Ulevitch, Saper, Patnam)

    n this special segment of The Full Ratchet, the following Investors are featured:

    • David Ulevitch of Andreessen Horowitz
    • Jake Saper of Emergence Capital
    • Sandesh Patnam of Premji Invest

    Each investor highlights a situation where they decided not to invest, why they passed, and how it played out.

    The host of The Full Ratchet is Nick Moran of New Stack Ventures, a venture capital firm committed to investing in founders outside of the Bay Area.

    We're proud to partner with Ramp, the modern finance automation platform. Book a demo and get $150—no strings attached.

    Want to keep up to date with The Full Ratchet? Follow us on social. You can learn more about New Stack Ventures by visiting our LinkedIn and Twitter.

    28 May 2026, 8:00 am
  • 53 minutes 13 seconds
    509. The Downstream Effects of SpaceX, OpenAI, and Anthropic Soaking Up $3T in the Public Market, Who Is Netscape and Who Is Google in the AI Era, and the Impact of Private Credit Redemption Requests on PE and VC (Sandesh Patnam)

    Sandesh Patnam of Premji Invest joins Nick to discuss The Downstream Effects of SpaceX, OpenAI, and Anthropic Soaking Up $3T in the Public Market, Who Is Netscape and Who Is Google in the AI Era, and the Impact of Private Credit Redemption Requests on PE and VC. In this episode we cover:

    • Themes and Dynamics of the Current AI Shift
    • Investment Opportunities and Challenges
    • Thesis and Focus at Premji Invest
    • Advice for AI Companies and Public Markets
    • Impact of Mega IPOs on Private Markets
    • Challenges in Private Equity and Private Credit
    • Listening as a Secret Weapon

    Guest Links:

    The host of The Full Ratchet is Nick Moran of New Stack Ventures, a venture capital firm committed to investing in founders outside of the Bay Area.

    We're proud to partner with Ramp, the modern finance automation platform. Book a demo and get $150—no strings attached.

    Want to keep up to date with The Full Ratchet? Follow us on social. You can learn more about New Stack Ventures by visiting our LinkedIn and Twitter.

    25 May 2026, 8:00 am
  • 7 minutes 2 seconds
    Investor Stories 476: Staying in Your Zone of Genius, Why People Change for Themselves, and The Hard Lessons of Founder Accountability (Callaghan, Schlacks, Dillon)

    On this special segment of The Full Ratchet, the following Investors are featured:

    • Jon Callaghan of True Ventures
    • Willy Schlacks of EquipmentShare
    • Natalie Dillon of Maveron

    We asked guests to tell the most important lesson they've learned in their career.

    The host of The Full Ratchet is Nick Moran of New Stack Ventures, a venture capital firm committed to investing in founders outside of the Bay Area.

    We're proud to partner with Ramp, the modern finance automation platform. Book a demo and get $150—no strings attached.

    Want to keep up to date with The Full Ratchet? Follow us on social. You can learn more about New Stack Ventures by visiting our LinkedIn and Twitter.

    21 May 2026, 8:00 am
  • 5 minutes 5 seconds
    Investor Stories 475: What Makes Founders Exceptional, Navigating Complex Ethical Issues, and Building with Intensity (Ortlieb, Ulevitch, Saper)

    On this special segment of The Full Ratchet, the following Investors are featured:

    • Ben Orthlieb of Blue Moon
    • David Ulevitch of Andreessen Horowitz
    • Jake Saper of Emergence Capital

    We asked guests to discuss the most visionary founder that they've worked with and what makes them so special.

    The host of The Full Ratchet is Nick Moran of New Stack Ventures, a venture capital firm committed to investing in founders outside of the Bay Area.

    We're proud to partner with Ramp, the modern finance automation platform. Book a demo and get $150—no strings attached.

    Want to keep up to date with The Full Ratchet? Follow us on social. You can learn more about New Stack Ventures by visiting our LinkedIn and Twitter.

    14 May 2026, 8:00 am
  • 57 minutes 51 seconds
    508. Maintaining U.S. Dominance, Navigating Defense Tech, Prime Obsolence, and Why Your Startup is Likely DOA (Steve Blank)

    Steve Blank of Adjunct Professor at Stanford joins Nick to discuss Maintaining U.S. Dominance, Navigating Defense Tech, Prime Obsolence, and Why Your Startup is Likely DOA. In this episode we cover:

    • Changes in Product Development and MVPs
    • Impact of AI on Startup Success and Founder Mindset
    • Common Missteps and Digital Twins in Startups
    • Disruption and Adoption in Enterprise Software
    • Fundraising and Venture Capital in the AI Era
    • Defense and National Security Innovation
    • Challenges for Traditional Defense Contractors
    • The Role of Dual-Use Startups

    Guest Links:

    The host of The Full Ratchet is Nick Moran of New Stack Ventures, a venture capital firm committed to investing in founders outside of the Bay Area.

    We're proud to partner with Ramp, the modern finance automation platform. Book a demo and get $150—no strings attached.

    Want to keep up to date with The Full Ratchet? Follow us on social. You can learn more about New Stack Ventures by visiting our LinkedIn and Twitter.

    11 May 2026, 8:08 am
  • 6 minutes 12 seconds
    Investor Stories 474: Trusting Your Own Point of View, Why Conventional Wisdom Leads to Mediocrity, and Building a Personal Conviction Engine (Byunn, Levine, Dillon)

    On this special segment of The Full Ratchet, the following Investors are featured:

    • Eric Byunn of Centana Growth
    • Seth Levine of Foundry
    • Natalie Dillon of Maveron

    We asked guests for the most important piece of advice that they'd share with folks early in their venture career.

    The host of The Full Ratchet is Nick Moran of New Stack Ventures, a venture capital firm committed to investing in founders outside of the Bay Area.

    We're proud to partner with Ramp, the modern finance automation platform. Book a demo and get $150—no strings attached.

    Want to keep up to date with The Full Ratchet? Follow us on social. You can learn more about New Stack Ventures by visiting our LinkedIn and Twitter.

    7 May 2026, 8:00 am
  • 6 minutes 23 seconds
    Investor Stories 473: Speed at Legora, Intensity at Mysten, Mastery at Heights Labs — Why These Founders Stand Out (Effron, Austin, Simpson)

    On this special segment of The Full Ratchet, the following Investors are featured:

    • Jacob Effron of Redpoint
    • Ethan Austin of Outside VC
    • Arianna Simpson of Andreessen Horowitz

    We asked guests to discuss the most visionary founder that they've worked with and what makes them so special.on they've learned in their career.

    The host of The Full Ratchet is Nick Moran of New Stack Ventures, a venture capital firm committed to investing in founders outside of the Bay Area.

    We're proud to partner with Ramp, the modern finance automation platform. Book a demo and get $150—no strings attached.

    Want to keep up to date with The Full Ratchet? Follow us on social. You can learn more about New Stack Ventures by visiting our LinkedIn and Twitter.

    30 April 2026, 8:00 am
  • 35 minutes 36 seconds
    507. Consumer Retrenchment or Reallocation, AI Impact on GTM and Purchase Decisions, How to Balance Consumer Sentiment vs. Behavior, and Where Smaller Funds Win (Natalie Dillon)

    Natalie Dillon of Maveron joins Nick to discuss Consumer Retrenchment or Reallocation, AI Impact on GTM and Purchase Decisions, How to Balance Consumer Sentiment vs. Behavior, and Where Smaller Funds Win. In this episode we cover:

    • Investing in the Older Adult Category
    • Challenges for Smaller Funds in Venture Capital
    • Consumer Investing and Market Trends
    • Participation as a Product and Consumer Creators
    • AI's Impact on Venture and Marketplaces
    • Distribution and Go-to-Market Strategies
    • Balancing Portfolio Construction and Ownership

    Guest Links:

    The host of The Full Ratchet is Nick Moran of New Stack Ventures, a venture capital firm committed to investing in founders outside of the Bay Area.

    We're proud to partner with Ramp, the modern finance automation platform. Book a demo and get $150—no strings attached.

    Want to keep up to date with The Full Ratchet? Follow us on social. You can learn more about New Stack Ventures by visiting our LinkedIn and Twitter.

    27 April 2026, 8:00 am
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