Consumer VC takes a look into early-stage consumer investing and venture capital. If you are interested in learning about consumer trends, have a b2c business and interested in learning about the fundraising process at the early stage, you have come to the right place.
Mike interviews some of the top venture capitalists in the world that focus on B2C and consumer type companies or have a deep track record investing in these categories such as marketplaces, SaaS, social, CPG and non-tech subscription.
Mike also interviews founders that are building some of the most disruptive consumer facing companies in the world. The conversation usually includes the insight the founder discovered, fundraising strategy, and the pitch.
This podcast also includes bonus episodes. Each bonus episode dives into a particular subject that might not have to due with the fundraise or venture capital, but still would be helpful to founders. For example, a bonus episode on brand strategy or how to construct a board of directors. All bonus episodes will be clearly labeled.
For all episodes, please visit www.theconsumervc.com. For updates, you can follow @mikegelb on Twitter.
Consumer VC takes a look into early-stage consumer investing and venture capital. If you are interested in learning about consumer trends, have a b2c business and interested in learning about the fundraising process at the early stage, you have come to the right place.
Mike interviews some of the top venture capitalists in the world that focus on B2C and consumer type companies or have a deep track record investing in these categories such as marketplaces, SaaS, social, CPG and non-tech subscription.
Mike also interviews founders that are building some of the most disruptive consumer facing companies in the world. The conversation usually includes the insight the founder discovered, fundraising strategy, and the pitch.
This podcast also includes bonus episodes. Each bonus episode dives into a particular subject that might not have to due with the fundraise or venture capital, but still would be helpful to founders. For example, a bonus episode on brand strategy or how to construct a board of directors. All bonus episodes will be clearly labeled.
For all episodes, please visit www.theconsumervc.com. For updates, you can follow @mikegelb on Twitter.
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What if cannabis could become a true social beverage—an alternative to alcohol that delivers the buzz without the hangover?
That’s the bet Jake Bullock, co-founder of Cann, made when he left the world of finance to reinvent drinking culture. Today, Cann is the #1 THC-infused beverage brand in the U.S., sold in liquor stores across 30 states, backed by celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow and Kate Hudson, and changing the way people think about unwinding.
In this episode, Jake shares the full story of how Cann went from a garage experiment to a category-defining brand:
✅ Why lowering THC to 2mg unlocked cannabis’ social potential
✅ How Cann turned stigma into approachability with smart branding
✅ The brutal challenges of selling drinks through dispensaries
✅ The regulatory pivot that opened up liquor store distribution
✅ Competing head-to-head with alcohol (and winning shelf space)
✅ Product innovation: Grapefruit Rosemary, Lemon Lavender, and Roadies
✅ What celebrity investors really bring to the table
✅ The future of THC vs. non-alcoholic drinks in American culture
👉 If you’re curious about the future of social drinking—or want to hear what it really takes to build a disruptive CPG brand—this conversation is a must-listen.
Timestamps
00:00 Intro
01:00 Why 100mg Drinks Were a Problem
03:00 Cann’s Insight: Low-Dose, Great Taste
07:00 Unlocking the Social Buzz at 2mg
10:00 Making Cannabis Approachable (Not Premium-Elite)
13:00 Campaigning Against Alcohol Culture
15:00 Breaking Out of Dispensaries
18:00 Regulatory Challenges & State-by-State Growth
22:00 The Big Pivot: From Dispensaries to Liquor Stores
28:00 Winning Shelf Space vs. Craft Beer & RTD Cocktails
33:00 The Rise of Roadies & Naked Highboys
38:00 Flavor Innovation: Grapefruit Rosemary, Lemon Lavender
42:00 Gross Margins & Beverage Economics
45:00 Fundraising & Celebrity Investors
49:00 What Value-Add From VCs Really Means
51:00 Defining Success: Exit, IPO, or Independence?
53:00 Cann’s Mission to Change Drinking Culture
55:00 Lightning Round: Humor, Misconceptions & Mistakes
01:02:00 Book Recommendations
📬 Subscribe for more founder stories & scaling insights: 👉 The Consumer VC Newsletter - https://www.theconsumervc.com/
Follow Mike Gelb: Twitter / IG / TikTok → @mikegelb / @consumervc
