Skin in the Game VC Podcast

In the latest episode of the Skin in the Game VC podcast, hosts Tom Wallace and Saxon Baum sit down with Jeff Gigante, co-founder of Next Level Brands and a major player in Tampa’s restaurant scene. This conversation dives deep into Jeff’s entrepreneurial journey, starting with his first pizzeria at Florida State to now running some of the hottest restaurants in Florida.

Jeff shares how his passion for creating unique dining experiences has shaped his career, and he’s candid about the challenges along the way—whether it was opening his first restaurant with a phone tutorial from Italy or navigating the complexities of growing a business during the pandemic.

What’s really exciting is how Jeff, Tom and Saxon explore the impact of technology on the restaurant industry. From AI answering systems to cloud-based POS systems and even robotics, it's clear that tech is revolutionizing how restaurants operate. Yet, Jeff reminds us that hospitality is still about human connection, something he believes will always be central to full-service dining.

If you’re into startups, tech innovation, or just curious about what it takes to succeed as an entrepreneur, this episode is packed with insights. Plus, it’s always inspiring to hear from someone like Jeff, who not only talks about success but also how important it is to care for your investors and build lasting relationships.

This is a great listen for anyone looking to learn from someone who’s been through it all and come out stronger on the other side.

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This episode focuses on Steve MacDonald’s unique experience of spending a year in Florence, Italy, while exploring the cultural and historical aspects, as well as insights into the local tech scene.

Steve shares that the decision to move to Florence was driven by a long-standing desire to experience life abroad with his family. He reflects on the cultural differences, the historical richness of Florence, and the challenges of adapting to a different lifestyle. Steve also highlights his travels within Europe during this period.

The podcast delves into the tech scene in Italy as well a noting cultural nuances affecting entrepreneurship. In contrast to the U.S., failure is not culturally acceptable in Italy, making it a challenge for startups. Additionally, Steve provides insights into the venture capital landscape in Europe, noting the conservative approach and a lack of angel investors.

Upon returning to the U.S., Steve shares his observations on the current market environment, emphasizing the prolonged timeline for startup exits and the impact of changing economic conditions on valuations. He stresses the importance for startups to focus on profitability and cash preservation.

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’ve all had that lightbulb moment at least once in our lives, where we have a striking realization seemingly independent of everyone else around us. What we don’t all have the privilege of experiencing? Having that moment lead to an early adoption of and investment in what would quickly become the most important, groundbreaking technology on the planet.

Arnie Bellini began his career at Price Waterhouse just as personal computers began their evolution from space-age technology to household necessity. Realizing the potential of this type of tech, he quit his consulting job, founded a company to help small businesses optimize their servers, and never looked back.

Bellini is co-founder and former CEO of ConnectWise, a provider of IT services to companies in the Tampa market and the publisher of the industry's most widely-used business operating system. He currently serves as managing partner of Bellini Capital, an investment firm based in the Tampa area.

Listen to today’s episode of Investing in Florida Technology and learn Bellini’s start-up origin story at the dawn of the PC, why he believes it’s so important to balance your work life with family and hobbies, and how he equates the lessons he gained training to swim the English Channel to his business philosophy.

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Some Questions Asked:

• What was the dynamic like between you and your brother when you started your company as business partners? (03:32)
• When you started, did you envision that you would be building a company that you would sell for over a billion dollars? (04:24)
• When was the tipping point when you realized that you had become more of a software company? (11:08)
• How is your family involved in Bellini Capital? (16:18)
• What advice would you have for founders out there? (20:13)
• What kind of investments and things are you looking for that excite you? (24:32)

In this episode, you will learn:

• A bit about Bellini and his experience as a founder of ConnectWise. (02:09)
• How Bellini became a programmer—out of necessity. (08:24)
• About Bellini’s experience becoming one of the few people over 50 to swim the English Channel. (12:52)
• How Bellini Capital is working to help preserve the Florida Wildlife Corridor. (16:56)
• The importance of work/life balance in order to avoid burnout as an entrepreneur. (21:52)
• What Bellini finds most exciting in the world of up-and-coming technology. (27:41)

Connect with Arnie:

• LinkedIn
• Connectwise

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Just like Florida is known for strawberries and tourism, LA is currently most famous for Hollywood – but things are gradually changing. The technology landscape is constantly growing and although LA has become a huge market, it still feels young. This means there are, yet, a lot of opportunities for angel investors to practice the art of venture capital in the right way, and grab their share of the market.

Adam Struck is a Floridian but he is currently living in LA with his family. Through his company, Struck Capital, he supports young founders providing core technology innovation to tackle the world’s largest problems. Adam and his team of investors focus on seed investments into companies led by visionary technologists.

Adam is a very successful young man who was named the Forbes 30 Under 30 Most Influential People – and in today’s episode, he is going to share his journey from being a lawyer to dedicating himself to transform LA into a place known for technology. We dive deep into his mindset and Struck Capital’s mission, as well as some successful deals he’s had over the years.

Tune in, to learn more about the changing landscape of LA and the investment opportunities you can find there.

Some Questions I Ask:

• After you left the law firm, did you go right on to start your own firm? (03:57)
• Tell us more about the journey at Struck Capital. What was your vision from the beginning? (07:31)
• How did you get to move to LA? (08:42)
• What is the main way you’re able to help founders grow their business? (15:08)
• How did you find out about the Postmates deal? Are you still in it today? (17:35)
• Have there been any investments that you passed on that you look back on and they really took off? (19:43)
• What stage are you typically investing in? (21:46)
• What do you see as the innovation and the opportunities in your area that you tend to look at? (25:00)

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• Adam’s journey from lawyer to being a venture capitalist. (01:20)
• The entrepreneurial history of Adam’s family. (02:54)
• The advantages of doing SPVs – Special Purpose Vehicle. (10:12)
• The landscape in LA, in terms of tech companies. (11:07)
• The reason Struck Capital was able to capture a lot of market share in a short time. (12:39)
• The typical Struck Capital cheque size for investments. (22:28)
• The partnership between Adam’s company and Leonardo DiCaprio’s platform. (23:33)
• Adam’s advice for investors. (27:00)

Connect with Adam Struck:

• Struck Capital Website
• LinkedIn

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