Podcast by Paige Soya
05 December 2024
In the final episode of Season 2, K Street Capital’s Managing Partner, Paige Soya, sits down with Greg Vetter—the driving force behind Tessemae’s, one of the nation’s most iconic condiment brands.
Greg unpacks the journey of growing a family business into a brand that was valued at $300M+ at its peak. From navigating the fallout of the pandemic to ultimately filing for Chapter 11, his story is one of grit and perseverance.
He also opens up about his new book, “Undressed: The Unfiltered Story of My Failed American Dream and How It Led to Success,” offering a candid look at the lessons learned along the way.
A fitting close to a season all about exits—don’t miss this one.
Greg’s book- https://www.amazon.com/Undressed-Unfiltered-Failed-American-Success/dp/0960127704
Connect with us here:
1. Greg Vetter: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregvetter/
2. Paige Soya: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paigesoya/
3. K Street Capital: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kstreetvc/
00:00
35:06
22 November 2024
In this episode of High Stakes, Dimitry Gershenson shares how his team tackled the operational and financial diligence required to pull it off, in this conversation K Street Capital’s Managing Partner, Paige Soya.
Dimitry reflects on the challenges of validating key information, noting that diligence often means asking the same question in multiple ways to uncover inconsistencies.
They discuss the importance of trusting your instincts during the diligence process and how open, honest communication can make or break a successful transaction.
Connect with us here:
1. Dimitry Gershenson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dgershenson/
2. Paige Soya: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paigesoya/
3. K Street Capital: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kstreetvc/
00:00
23:19
07 November 2024
What started as an MBA class idea led to an acquisition by one of the nation’s leading baby and kid gear marketplaces.
Alli Cavasino and Natalie Poston, founders of JoyLet, built a no-frills “rent-the-runway” model for baby gear, allowing parents to rent items for the time they need.
In EP 19 of High Stakes, Alli and Natalie join Paige Soya, Managing Partner of K Street Capital, to discuss the exit and how they navigated the roadblocks in their journey.
Connect with us here:
1. Alli Cavasino- https://www.linkedin.com/in/allicavasino/
2. Natalie Poston- https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalieposton/
3. Paige Soya: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paigesoya/
4. K Street Capital: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kstreetvc/
00:00 Introduction
00:47 Meet the Founders: Ali and Natalie
01:41 The Birth of Joylette
04:41 Early Challenges and MVP Development
05:38 Raising Capital and Going Full-Time
07:31 Learning and Pivoting the Business Model
09:34 Customer Acquisition Strategies
16:43 Deciding to Exit
19:34 The Exit Process
24:43 Reflections and Future Plans
00:00
29:38
24 October 2024
How do you leverage intellectual property for M&A?
In this episode of High Stakes, Todd Bracher joins Paige Soya to answer.
With over 20+ years experience in building great products, Todd believes that the world’s biggest problems already have solutions, but they need the right design approach to shine.
They discuss:
- how better design can give your patent the moat it needs
- TRLs and IP litigation attorneys
- making a product market-ready
Don’t miss out.
Connect with us here:
1. Todd Bracher: https://www.linkedin.com/in/toddbracher/
2. Paige Soya: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paigesoya/
3. K Street Capital: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kstreetvc/
Resources:
1. Design in Context (Todd’s book)- https://www.toddbracher.com/book
2. Market Efficiency Index (Free tool for founders/investors)- https://www.toddbracher.com/mei
00:00
25:13
16 October 2024
Hookit was acquired by KORE Software for much more than the $20 million they raised over three funding rounds.
But getting there was no walk in the park.
In this episode of High Stakes, K Street Managing Partner Paige Soya is joined by Scott Tilton, exited co-founder of Hookit.
They discuss:
• how Hookit got acquired for 2x the offer price
• why co-founders need to be aligned before the big close
• embracing the shift to becoming an employee after a merger
Connect with us here:
1. Scott Tilton: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiltcore/
2. Paige Soya: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paigesoya/
3. K Street Capital: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kstreetvc/
00:00
42:13
26 September 2024
Managing our digital footprints has become almost impossible without the right tech.
Personal data is more vulnerable than ever, and cybercriminals are ready to take advantage.
That’s where PrivacyHawk steps in — your defense against this growing digital chaos.
We're thrilled to have backed PrivacyHawk in its recent $3M funding round.
In this conversation with Aaron Mendez, CEO of PrivacyHawk, we discuss everything from dead weight on your cap table, the need for a better understanding of liquidation preferences, and why you're better off selling early rather than too late.
Connect with us here:
1. Aaron Mendes: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mendes/
2. Paige Soya: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paigesoya/
3. K Street Capital: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kstreetvc/
00:00
45:40