The Nombase Podcast

Chris Robb, founder of Supernatural Ventures and early investor in brands like Bachan’s, shares how he evaluates founders before revenue, what separates breakout brands from the rest, and what most CPG companies waste money too early.What founders will learn:• Why unit velocity matters more than total revenue in early retail growth• How to price your first fundraising round without hurting future raises• What kind of packaging is the one area early brands should overspend on• How to use retailers and store buyers as real world product validation before scaling• What Chris looks for in founders before investing pre-revenue capitalChris also breaks down how Supernatural Ventures approaches pre-seed investing, why he avoids heavy marketing spend early on, and how brands can build momentum organically before raising larger rounds.

OpenSky Ventures has backed brands like Fishwife, Magic Mind, and Habiza, and is actively deploying capital into the next wave of innovative businesses. They focus on brands with early traction, strong customer loyalty, and clear potential to scale into lasting, differentiated brands.In this episode, Stephanie Nwokolo Hussey, Principal at OpenSky Ventures, breaks down exactly what they look for, how they evaluate founders, and how to know if your brand is a fit before you pitch.You will learn:• How to prove real brand strength through repeat rates, subscriptions, and early customer loyalty signals• What investors actually want in a deck, including must show metrics and common deal breaking mistakes• How to stay capital efficient by controlling marketing spend, supply chain costs, and team structure• How to build a go to market strategy using organic growth, community tactics, and customer first channels• How VCs separate real trends from hype using examples like protein demand and GLP 1 driven behavior shiftsIf you are a food or beverage founder thinking about raising, this episode will help you quickly understand whether Open Sky should be on your target list.

After raising capital, most founders feel like they have finally unlocked the ability to grow. But what you do next can determine whether that capital creates momentum or quietly sets your business back.In this episode, Day Out Snacks founder Becky Pleat sits down with Phil Trowler, former finance lead at Olipop, to discuss the specifics on how early stage CPG brands should actually think about deploying capital, building financial discipline, and preparing for what comes next.You will learn:The most expensive mistake founders make right after raising capitalWhy expanding into more retail doors too early can hurt your businessHow to prioritize velocity over distribution when deploying capitalWhat burn rate and contribution margin actually mean in practiceThe key financial metrics every founder should know weeklyHow to think about fundraising timing, milestones, and dilutionWhat strong unit economics look like and how to improve them over timeThe difference between scaling your business and just getting biggerWhen to invest in people versus systems as your company growsHow profitability changes your leverage in fundraising conversationsMake smarter decisions with your capital and avoid costly mistakes early!

In today’s CPG landscape, profitability isn’t always the first milestone founders should focus on. As capital markets and deal structures, investors and acquirers are often looking for something earlier in a brand’s lifecycle: clear product market fit, strong velocity, and the potential to scale efficiently. In this episode, Ryan Williams, founder of Northall and creator of the Fabid deal database shares what recent investment and acquisition activity reveals about how value is actually being built in food and beverage CPG. Together they explore why some brands attract premium valuations while others struggle to raise, how founders should think about capital efficiency, and what recent exits say about the paths companies take to reach a successful outcome.