09 May Tony Conrad | IU Ventures Podcast, Ep. 1
Tony Conrad, BA/BS ‘84 – Partner, True Ventures
Welcome to the IU Ventures podcast! Each month, hear Hoosier founders and funders share the problems they’re solving, advice for aspiring IU innovators, and most importantly, hard-hitting questions like Mother Bear’s or Pizza Express? Little 500 or Homecoming? Sample Gates or Showalter Foundation?
This is Episode #1 and you’ll hear host Jon Barada interview True Ventures Partner Tony Conrad. Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and your other favorite podcast spots – follow and leave a 5-star review if you’re enjoying the show!
● Episode Summary & Player
● Show Notes
● Learn more about IU Ventures
IU Ventures Episode #1: Tony Conrad, BA/BS ‘84 – Partner, True Ventures
Welcome to IU Ventures! In this pilot episode, IU Ventures VP – Engagement Jon Barada chats all things IU and founding and funding startups with True Ventures Partner Tony Conrad. Tony founded about.me and Sphere (both acquired by AOL) and now collaborates with founders building brands and companies that permeate the cultural zeitgeist, including Peloton, Fitbit, and Ring. Hear his favorite and least favorite classes at IU, what he learned from roles as a janitor and yogurt merchandiser, how to decide who to invest in, what sets outstanding founders apart, and the top companies he missed on. This episode covers everything from the SAT to speaking French. Here’s a small sample of what you will hear in this episode:
● How did Tony decide to attend IU?
● What’s his favorite IU memory?
● How did he start True Ventures?
● What companies has he missed investing in?
● How has his investment strategy changed over the years?
● What is his “Never Daunted” moment?
● How do you stay in-the-know in the venture world?
● What does Tony look for in founders?
Learn more about True Ventures at TrueVentures.com and IU Ventures at IUVentures.com.
Check out the episode and show notes below for much more detail.
This podcast is presented by Kelley Direct Online MBA. Learn more about how you can go from moment to momentum by earning a Kelley Direct Online MBA at Kelley.IU.edu
Show Notes
○ [0:27] Welcome to IU Ventures
○ [0:31] This podcast is presented by Kelley Direct Online MBA. Learn more about how you can go from moment to momentum by earning a Kelley Direct Online MBA at Kelley.IU.edu
○ [0:45] Jon Barada
○ [0:54] Learn more about True Ventures at TrueVentures.com and IU Ventures at IUVentures.com
Cream & Crimson Q&A
○ [1:18] How did Tony decide to attend IU (Indiana University)?
○ [2:08] SAT
○ [3:00] Indiana Hoosiers Basketball
○ [3:22] What’s Tony’s favorite IU memory?
○ [3:32] Quarry
○ [4:24] Who was Tony’s favorite professor at IU?
○ [5:22] What was his favorite class at IU?
○ True Ventures
○ [7:17] How was Tony’s experience as a baseball umpire?
○ [8:23] How did he start True Ventures?
○ [9:02] Little 500 (Little 5)
○ [10:49] How do you instill a culture as a founder?
○ [12:51] True Ventures Portfolio
○ [13:28] How does Tony know when to invest in a company?
○ [15:52] Peloton, Ring, Fitbit, MakerBot
○ [18:01] Matt Mullenweg
○ [19:51] This podcast is presented by Kelley Direct Online MBA, named the #1 Best Online MBA by U.S. News & World Report 2023. Unlike many online MBA programs, the thing that’s great about the Kelley Direct Online MBA is it’s completely designed, taught, facilitated, and managed by full-time faculty and staff. They take pride in creating every aspect of the academic and student experience from the ground up. 85% of Kelley Direct Online MBA students started a new job or reported receiving a promotion or raise while enrolled. Learn more about how you can go from moment to momentum by earning a Kelley Direct Online MBA at Kelley.IU.edu
○ [20:43] What companies has Tony missed investing in?
○ [21:00] Twilio, Uber, Instagram
○ [22:24] How does Tony consider pre-seed investments?
○ [26:42] What advice does he have for emerging VCs (Venture Capitalists)?
○ [28:57] How has his investment strategy changed over the years?
○ [32:52] Axios Pro Rata
○ [33:24] How will AI (Artificial Intelligence) impact future jobs?
○ [35:38] Kevin Rose
○ Never Daunted
○ [36:42] What is Tony’s “Never Daunted” moment?
○ [39:35] Danone
○ [40:53] How do you stay in-the-know in the venture world?
○ [42:00] ChatGPT
○ [43:08] What does Tony look for in founders?
○ [45:01] Airbnb
○ [45:44] Blue Bottle Coffee
○ [46:14] Learn more about True Ventures at TrueVentures.com and IU Ventures at IUVentures.com
○ [46:32] This podcast is presented by Kelley Direct Online MBA. Learn more about how you can go from moment to momentum by earning a Kelley Direct Online MBA at Kelley.IU.edu
○ Theme Songs: “Indiana, Our Indiana” composed by Karl L. King adapted by Russell Harker and arranged for The Marching Hundred by Ray Cramer and Dave Woodley. “Indiana Fight” composed by Leroy Hinkle, arranged for The Marching Hundred by Ray Cramer
What does IU Ventures do?
Thanks for listening to the IU Ventures podcast. IU Ventures invests to generate significant and long-lasting social and economic impact for IU, Indiana, and the World. Learn more at IUVentures.com. Go Hoosiers!
This podcast is presented by Kelley Direct Online MBA. Learn more about how you can go from moment to momentum by earning a Kelley Direct Online MBA at Kelley.IU.edu