For Episode 136 of The VentureFizz Podcast, I interviewed Jon Keidan, Founder and Managing Partner of Torch Capital.
Are there parallels between identifying musical talent that will become the next great recording artist and the next great entrepreneur who will transform an industry by building a unicorn company? There are definitely some similarities, as you are taking a risk by investing in the artist or the entrepreneur and betting on their ability to execute. We have definitely seen some crossovers from the music industry into tech investing with examples like Troy Carter or Guy Oseary.
Jon is another example of a crossover whose career has transcended both industries and identifying talent has always been a superpower. He started his own music talent management company at a very young age and he worked on developing the careers of high-profile artists and since becoming an investor, he made early stage investments in lots of great companies like Sweetgreen, Acorns, Zocdoc, and many more.
Torch Capital is a new investment firm that he founded with a $60M fund which will focus on investing in early-stage consumer companies.
In this episode, we cover:
- Jon’s early career in the music business and what he learned from running a talent management company.
- The details on InsideHook, a digital media publication that he co-founded and was acquired.
- How he became an investor and why he decided to start Torch Capital.
- What he looks for when making an investment.
- Why entrepreneurs should be careful about valuations.
- Advice for founders on building a consumer brand.
- And more!
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Keith Cline is the Founder of VentureFizz. Follow him on Twitter: @kcline6.