Episode 320: Mike Duda - Managing Partner, Bullish

The VentureFizz Podcast

This is episode #320 and today’s guest is Mike Duda, Managing Partner at Bullish. Peloton, Harry’s, Warby Parker, Casper, Birchbox… these are all iconic direct-to-consumer brands that have all disrupted various categories that were ripe for disruption. Take Warby Parker, the eyewear company that disrupted Luxottica’s business which pretty much owned the whole market from eyewear brands to storefronts. Or Casper, the company that made the process of purchasing a mattress much more enjoyable. A common thread for all of these companies is Bullish. One-part consumer investment firm, one-part strategic agency, Bullish blends capital, consulting and creation to design the most remarkable businesses in the world. In this episode of our podcast, we cover: * A discussion on the state of the state of the consumer market and a dive into Function of Beauty, a personalized shampoo DTC company. * Mike’s background story and initial career through the ranks in the agency world. * A sincere nod of appreciation to First Round Capital for starting office hours for startups and how they were helpful to both of us starting our own businesses. * The story of Bullish and how they set out to build a different firm through its project based work and investments. * What it’s like building a Super Bowl commercial for a brand. * The investment criteria for Bullish and what he means by a “chip on the shoulder” entrepreneur. * And so much more.