From Founder to Investor: Ellis Fried on Everything from Pre-Seed to Series A Milestones & Misses [Video]

Ellis Fried, Vice President at Vanterra Ventures, made the leap from founding a health-focused snack brand to becoming an investor in the consumer health space.

After studying economics at the University of Michigan and launching SMPL, Ellis shifted to venture capital.

In this episode of Turning Pro, Ellis discusses his transition from founder to investor, offering insights into the skills required to succeed in both roles.

He reflects on how his operational experience shapes his current work, supporting founders in sectors like branded products and digital health.

00:00:00 Early Career and Startup Beginnings: How Ellis started his entrepreneurial journey during college with Smpl

00:02:51 Lessons from Shutting Down a Startup: The emotional and professional impact of closing his first company during the pandemic

00:05:57 Operator Empathy in Investing: Why operational experience makes investors more effective in supporting founders

00:10:09 What Founders Get Wrong About Fundraising: Key pitfalls, including rigid valuations and misaligned expectations with investors

00:17:25 Market Trends in Consumer Health: Shifts toward profitability over growth and the new benchmarks for early-stage funding success

00:22:05 Ecommerce Enablement Trends: Why brands are consolidating their tech stacks and how modern solutions are driving ROI

00:26:50 The Case for Lean Operations: How startups can use offshore talent and capital efficiency to weather a cautious funding market

00:46:25 Empathy and Transparency in Investing: The value of direct communication with founders and the importance of building trust early

00:54:25 Ellis Freed’s Turning Pro Moment: The life-changing first investment that validated his entrepreneurial path

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