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Carter co-founded M13 in 2016 with his brother Courtney. The duo co-founded and sold VEEV, the spirits brand, and co-authored the bestseller “Shortcut Your Startup.” A former Goldman Sachs investment banker, Carter is a LACMA board member.

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As an investing partner at M13, Brent leads investments across the firm's consumer investment themes. Prior to joining M13, Brent was an investment associate at Battery Ventures. Prior to that, he served as a strategy & corporate development associate for Samsung NEXT.

Brent Murri

Partner

As a principal at M13, Brent leads investments across the firm's consumer investment themes. Prior to joining M13, Brent was an investment Associate at Battery Ventures...

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Brent Murri | M13

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Sarah was previously the VP of marketing and investor relations at Arlon Group and has served in IR roles at StepStone Group and Citi Private Equity. She is a public company board member, co-founded the Sustainability Investment Leadership Council, and has served on numerous non-profit boards.

Sarah Tomolonius

Sarah was previously the VP of marketing and investor relations at Arlon Group and has served in IR roles at StepStone Group and Citi Private Equity. She is a public company...

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Sarah Tomolonius | M13

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As a product specialist, Rob helps startups strategically build, deploy, fundraise, and go to market. Prior to M13, Rob has been a serial founder as the CEO of BlackSmith Studios and Pecabu, as well as acting in an interim-CMO/CPO capacity at a number of later-stage Bay Area VC-backed companies, including Cala Health, Apnicure, Neodyne & others. He is a recipient of UK Entrepreneur of the Year in 2012.

Rob Smith

Rob Smith SEO

Rob Smith | M13

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A partner and head of legal, Win has served in senior leadership roles at numerous consumer technology companies, including as General Counsel of MasterClass and early-stage startup Vessel (acquired by Verizon), as well as senior legal and business affairs roles at Hulu. A former electrical engineer, he started his legal career as a corporate attorney at Latham & Watkins

Win Chevapravatdumrong

Win leads all legal and risk matters relating to our investment activity and fund operations and provides operational and strategic support to our portfolio companies.

Win Chevapravatdumrong SEO

Win Chevapravatdumrong | M13

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Zach’s focus is on architecting systems and processes that augment the data backbone behind all of the firm’s operating systems.  He held multiple roles at Quovo (acq’d by Plaid) and Plaid, including Technical Lead and Product Manager for Plaid’s Partnerships Team.  Prior to joining M13, Zach founded a consultancy focused on data engineering and a SaaS platform for B2B Go-To-Market Teams.

Zach Naglieri

Operator

Zach’s focus is on architecting systems and processes that augment the data backbone behind all of the firm’s operating systems.

Zach Naglieri SEO

Zach Naglieri | M13

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Emma manages all things content, from thought leadership, to reporting, to social media. Prior to M13, she was the managing editor at business intelligence startup CB Insights. Other experience includes working at a fintech startup, the country’s third most-circulated newspaper, and a top 5 global insurance company.

Emma Miller

Emma manages all things content, from thought leadership, to reporting, to social media. Prior to M13, she was the managing editor at business intelligence startup CB Insights. 

Emma Miller SEO

Emma Miller | M13

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As a partner and head of operations, Lizzie leads the Propulsion team that helps propel our founders’ businesses forward. She was previously the COO of sneaker marketplace GOAT Group, CMO of Gilt Groupe, and founding partner of Brilliant Ventures.

Lizzie Francis

As a partner and head of operations, Lizzie leads the Propulsion team that helps propel our founders’ businesses forward. She was previously the COO of sneaker marketplace GOAT...

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Lizzie Francis | M13

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As a member of the investor relations team, Talitha has worked with the team to build the IR systems at M13 from the ground up. She was previously the quality control and administrative assistant for the accounting and assurance department of Lindsay & Brownell, LLP.

Talitha Wright

As a member of the investor relations team, Talitha has worked with the team to build the IR systems at M13 from the ground up. She was previously the quality control and...

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Talitha Wright | M13

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As M13's community program coordinator, Samantha aligns with M13’s commitment to creating an inclusive community through authentic experience, dedication to innovation, and creativity. Samantha was previously the development associate for outreach and programming at Rockefeller University.

Samantha Hughes

As M13's community program coordinator, Samantha aligns with M13’s commitment to creating an inclusive community.

M13SharePeople-SEO image Samantha Hughes

Samantha Hughes | M13

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As M13's brand project specialist, Generra brings her experience in operational excellence and community building from her previous time at The Knowledge House, a tech non-profit. Prior to that, Generra led project management, from enrollment and ops to data management, for Newark Public Schools. 

Generra Rodriguez

As M13's brand project specialist, Generra brings her experience in operational excellence and community building from her previous time at The Knowledge House, a tech non-profit. 

M13SharePeople-SEO image Generra Rodriguez

Generra Rodriguez | M13

__I’m obsessed with journeys alongside good human beings.__ Of all the things we’ve done and achieved, that’s been the best part of this entire process, for me.

 __After Courtney and I sold VeeV,__ we closed the chapter on what had been an 8 or 9 year journey—but we wanted to make sure that experience informed what we committed ourselves to next.

 __M13 came out of two major motivations.__ The first one was pretty simple intellectual curiosity. We wanted to be around the smartest people doing innovative things every day.

 __The second reason is that we wanted to give back__—and we wanted to do it in a scalable way. Along the road of building VeeV, there were so many people who helped us and believed in us, but there were also so many things we needed to learn from scratch when really, they were repeatable processes, things we could have flown through if we’d had the right tools.

 __Sometimes, the small things are the big things.__ One text, one deal. No single decision truly moves the needle, but enough decisions, over enough time, compound to create a massive impact, starting the flywheel.

 __That’s what we’re here for.__ When you’re an entrepreneur, your to-do list is always going to be greater than your resources, and there are always going to be areas where you have blind spots, where you need more guidance. But when you have resources like our Propulsion team with productized knowledge and a dedicated operating team in your corner, that entire equation starts to look different.

 __We’re always challenging ourselves to think about how we can help entrepreneurs make better decisions,__ make fewer mistakes, and do it faster. Because speed is one of the biggest differentiators in today’s world you have to win, but you also have to do it quickly.

 __Why should every entrepreneur have to learn how to prepare for their first board meeting?__ It’s pretty simple. Here are some tools, here’s what the deck should look like, here are some best practices. By stepping in to help with these repeatable processes, we allow them to focus on the things that are unique to their business their product, their customer experience because doing those things better than anyone else is what’ll really set them apart.

 __Telescope in one eye, microscope in the other.__ There’s no substitution for being in the trenches and getting things done. But on the flipside, it’s also critical to make sure you’re picking your head up and looking at the bigger picture otherwise, you’re just waiting to get left behind.

 __Gratitude journaling, foraging the farmer’s market…__ I value anything that reminds me to make time for appreciation every now and then.

 __While there’s a total democratization of ideas,__ there’s not yet a democratization of execution, resources, and access to capital. That’s what we’re aiming to foster with all the arms of our venture engine, but especially with our Launchpad. By creating an infrastructure that empowers more kinds of people to take the leap and pursue their ideas, we’re working to level the playing field.

Carter Reum

Co-founder & Partner

M13 Partnership

As investors in the innovations that will change consumer behavior over the next decade, we’re always looking for startups that will transform how we live, work—and play. Here are the 10 industry trends and investment areas that we’re excited to track in 2022: 
<img src="////images.ctfassets.net/vcjxvx0h1a5n/2naBlLG2TZpJpZ9k7J8BUS/abae7fb18ce51610e69f97f518b8bdfd/Divid_v1.png" style="width:25%;height:25%;">
 <img src="//images.ctfassets.net/vcjxvx0h1a5n/7HF5cLP9z4O3yxdpyFCOq3/a866912ad2b54fdde1fa8772f5493554/Anna_title_v8.png" alt="Anna Barber" style="width:25%;height:25%; float: left; margin-bottom:10px"> 
## A fundamental need to build resilience will create new opportunities. 
2021 was the year of resilience. When we think about resilience on the largest scale, it’s our climate—and 2021 may have been the tipping point for the mainstreaming of climate tech. In venture capital, we recognize that market timing is essential. Now feels like the moment for technologies and new business models that combat climate change to take hold. We're interested in ideas that get consumers closer to the solution.
<PullQuote author="Anna Barber" text="Resilience is the word for 2022. Over the past two years, we've witnessed the fragility of everything from our healthcare systems to our supply chains to our climate and even our own mental health." /> 
Companies are looking to build resilience—to create redundancy in their supply chains, to improve workplace happiness so they can retain great workers, and to hedge against the continued pandemic and economic uncertainty. 
Consumers are also looking to build resilience—to shore up their own mental and physical health, to solidify their emergency financial resources, to make their homes more resistant to extreme weather events. 
And on a more fundamental level, we’re all looking for mental resilience—for solutions to chronic anxiety and stress. I'm closely following innovations in women's health and wellness. The rapid adoption of telehealth (combined with better diagnostics and a growing awareness that women need tailored healthcare solutions that go beyond reproductive health) are factors in creating big opportunities in what we've come to call [femtech](https://m13.co/article/how-femtech-innovations-can-help-break-taboos-around-womens-health). Women are also looking to take control of their own health through diet and supplements, and they’re looking for community around shared concerns. 
We’re seeing unprecedented innovation in all of these critical areas. Investing in companies that offer resilience in any category is a great place to focus for 2022. 
<img src="////images.ctfassets.net/vcjxvx0h1a5n/2naBlLG2TZpJpZ9k7J8BUS/abae7fb18ce51610e69f97f518b8bdfd/Divid_v1.png" style="width:25%;height:25%;">
 <img src="//images.contentful.com/vcjxvx0h1a5n/3hswHdC5V4pRFFWQ6K4nYH/ec23152443f91c1a3768574cd0c5a659/Matt_title_v10.png" alt="Matt Hoffman" style="width:25%;height:25%; float: left; margin-bottom:10px"> 
## How we measure success at work will change.
With the tectonic shift in how, where, and why we work over the past 18 months, it's no surprise that HR tech companies are among the most heavily funded and highly valued of late. The area I’m most excited about exploring is a deeper dive into what "work" actually is—and how companies and employers evaluate the way they assess talent and performance in the new world of work. 
I believe we’ll be seeing a much richer, deeper, and healthier focus on the attributes of high performance, and the skills and competencies needed for measurable success. As the location of work moves from in-office to distributed, companies will need to truly focus on what matters for delivering value: removing politicization, presenteeism, and other aspects that have little impact on a company’s trajectory. 
In line with this shift, the next generation of HR tech startups will create richer methodologies to measure top talent, both at the hiring stage and across the employee development lifecycle. This will enable companies to improve their selection processes with better skill assessment and talent matching—and enable a deeper focus on meaningful career development thereafter. We know these areas drive engagement, retention, and ultimately performance, and I'm excited to see all the exciting breakthroughs to come in this critical space. 
<img src="////images.ctfassets.net/vcjxvx0h1a5n/2naBlLG2TZpJpZ9k7J8BUS/abae7fb18ce51610e69f97f518b8bdfd/Divid_v1.png" style="width:25%;height:25%;"> 
 <img src="//images.ctfassets.net/vcjxvx0h1a5n/4yPeYDPTv7cBXMFPOlZwOZ/862dbe20e7ad3eabb1b3bf95c937ca54/Lizzie_title_v2.png" alt="Lizzie Francis" style="width:25%;height:25%; float: left; margin-bottom:25px"> 
## Creators will help fuel the Great Resignation.
The "[Great Resignation](https://www.npr.org/sections/money/2021/10/19/1047032996/why-are-so-many-americans-quitting-their-jobs)" of 2021 will continue into 2022—in addition to the impact of the pandemic, the creator economy continues to grow and shift our cultural mindset. Workers are redefining on the fly previous definitions of work and career. There's also market validation that a sustainable living can be made as a creator. I continue to be excited by the growth of both sides of the creator marketplace: the increase in new and savvier creators, as well as the rise of platforms and technology tools that allow these creators to monetize their efforts. 
Venture will continue to see and fund the proliferation of smarter creator technology and innovation. These innovations, along with this mindset shift, will fuel the Great Resignation. 
<img src="////images.ctfassets.net/vcjxvx0h1a5n/2naBlLG2TZpJpZ9k7J8BUS/abae7fb18ce51610e69f97f518b8bdfd/Divid_v1.png" style="width:25%;height:25%;"> 
 <img src="//images.contentful.com/vcjxvx0h1a5n/7xbTF3zNsSNAcj4dH3aUcL/e2a8fbaafd12d366ce56a76f2f6071df/Rob_title_v2.png" alt="Rob Olson" style="width:25%;height:25%; float: left; margin-bottom:0px"> 
## Consumers will start monetizing their personal data. 
The success of influencers proves that we were ready to democratize the monetization of content by supporting various platforms where anyone can freely publish sponsored content or directly monetize their following (e.g. [NFTs](https://m13.co/article/crypto-and-the-consumer-the-road-ahead) or [M13 portfolio company Clash](https://m13.co/article/investing-in-clash-productizing-individuality)). 
Consumers have shown that they’re receptive to "pseudo organic" advertising by influencers, and they’ve increased the share of their "eyeball minutes" they allocate to these influencer-heavy channels. 
<TextCard text="In 2022, we’ll see a parallel dynamic on the consumer side—we’ll see we are ready to democratize the monetization of personal data by inventing the platforms where anyone can freely publish their data or directly monetize their information." topic="Data" />
We'll see a true disruption in the traditional marketing value chain when consumers realize that in addition to being the demand, they can also own some of the supply chain of connecting their eyeballs to an ad. 
I believe consumers have shown they are by and large open to "pseudo anonymous" data collection, aggregation, and utilization … as long as they have visibility and control (total or selective—the perception is what matters), and as long as they have an incentive or reward (real or perceived, direct or indirect). 
The creativity here lies in how those incentives and rewards are structured so as to maximize economics for the brands that will figure it out and win as a result. 
Just as consumers have willingly connected all of their finances via Plaid and given one bank insights into their entire financial picture, they’ll flock to products promising them exclusive content, limited NFTs, or simply a 10% off coupon. Consumers will agree to connect their relevant behavioral data and selectively grant access to the brands and publishers they deem to be worthy. 
Forget about "if" this will happen—"when" someone creates the technology and the single button to do the aggregation, consumers will be fighting to press it. At the same time, consumers will cut off and restrict data collection in places where they have no visibility, no ownership, and no incentives. 
What's going to be the "Nielsen Family" of the 21st century? Will we be proud of the name of the data collective we choose to aggregate and sell our data on our behalf? How creative will these platforms get when vying for the loyalty of their panel members' directly attributable, life-encompassing data? 2022 will be the year we not only regain control over our personal data but also start monetizing it. 
<img src="////images.ctfassets.net/vcjxvx0h1a5n/2naBlLG2TZpJpZ9k7J8BUS/abae7fb18ce51610e69f97f518b8bdfd/Divid_v1.png" style="width:25%;height:25%;"> 
 <img src="//images.contentful.com/vcjxvx0h1a5n/2aVsiIbO7viAty1qy23C3z/fef9b867ad14e9610b87d786743a4bd3/Courtney_title_v1.png" alt="Courtney Reum" style="width:25%;height:25%; float: left; margin-bottom:0px"> 
## Companies will have to adapt to consumers’ growing power.
“Consumerization of everything” is the new “software is eating the world” as global businesses enter a new phase. Power is shifting to the consumer—take [M13 portfolio company Northstar](https://m13.co/article/northstars-series-a-redefining-financial-wellness), which is redefining financial wellness as an employee benefit. Company benefits used to be business-led “you get what you get.” Compounded by current labor shortages, companies must now cater to the desires of the consumers and look at the longer pipeline of B2B2C. 
<img src="////images.ctfassets.net/vcjxvx0h1a5n/2naBlLG2TZpJpZ9k7J8BUS/abae7fb18ce51610e69f97f518b8bdfd/Divid_v1.png" style="width:25%;height:25%;"> 
 <img src="//images.ctfassets.net/vcjxvx0h1a5n/45HzwNV3biLXxxLuekJDir/ef4b67b5281102359223c3e94cc02f82/Latif_title_v1.png" alt="Latif Peracha" style="width:25%;height:25%; float: left; margin-bottom:10px"> 
## Gig workers will find new ways to earn digitally—and globally. 
The gig economy will be transformed in the next 24 months. The new frontier is global and will not be bound by local regulations. Long gone will be the days of fighting with the local taxi commission. Driving a stranger around in your car will still be a viable and flexible way to generate income, but new (and more enjoyable) methods will emerge. Play-to-earn gaming is the first breakout category, but there will be many more that allow people to earn digitally in novel ways and in communities with vested interests that know no borders. 
<img src="////images.ctfassets.net/vcjxvx0h1a5n/2naBlLG2TZpJpZ9k7J8BUS/abae7fb18ce51610e69f97f518b8bdfd/Divid_v1.png" style="width:25%;height:25%;"> 
 <img src="//images.ctfassets.net/vcjxvx0h1a5n/sOZCNnaoQG431PlsgHUri/92a8edf7daf48670e5b60827c9ad04e9/Karl_title_v1.png" alt="Karl Alomar" style="width:25%;height:25%; float: left; margin-bottom:0px"> 
## Evolving work-life balance choices will continue changing the world.
As we think about consumer behavior, we have to consider how younger generations are choosing to work and live. The millennial and Gen Z generations are taking more control of their lives, insisting on quality of life ahead of difficult career choices—and businesses are accommodating this change. 
What began as a simple remote work trend has now exploded into a huge independent worker trend. Whether as a gig worker or simply choosing where and when you work as well as who you work for on a fluid basis, the next generation owns their time and their allegiances more than ever before. 
As with all consumer change, this drives a significant amount of new products to help manage and optimize these choices. We see this in everything from fintech and individualized working SaaS tools as well as property management and a reimagining of the physical workspaces. 
<img src="////images.ctfassets.net/vcjxvx0h1a5n/2naBlLG2TZpJpZ9k7J8BUS/abae7fb18ce51610e69f97f518b8bdfd/Divid_v1.png" style="width:25%;height:25%;"> 
 <img src="//images.ctfassets.net/vcjxvx0h1a5n/3Y4MHswBh0kdWDV1lXjd3C/b4e759e89aa1ae9469426ccdb31cb299/Carter_title_v1.png" alt="Carter Reum" style="width:25%;height:25%; float: left; margin-bottom:0px"> 
## Brand, content, media, and influence will continue to be essential to the success of consumer tech companies.
We’re committed to building a great venture franchise, and a central part of our thesis is to build a marquee name in Los Angeles. After San Francisco, the world in tech revolves around LA, and yet the city has long been underestimated. Most people don’t realize that well over $275 billion of value has been created in LA in the last five years with companies like GoodRx, Thrive Market, Dollar Shave, Snap, Riot, Ring, The Honest Company, Cue, and others. LA has what many other cities don’t, and that’s the best innovations in brand, content, media, and influence—all critical to the success of consumer technology companies, which have been growing like palm trees here. 
<img src="////images.ctfassets.net/vcjxvx0h1a5n/2naBlLG2TZpJpZ9k7J8BUS/abae7fb18ce51610e69f97f518b8bdfd/Divid_v1.png" style="width:25%;height:25%;"> 
 <img src="//images.ctfassets.net/vcjxvx0h1a5n/32e4A8RIHiB6jhwRNmejvy/421de8e12fa35cf071ffa4ed7778cf97/Christine_title_v4.png" alt="Christine Choi" style="width:25%;height:25%; float: left; margin-bottom:0px"> 
## Human capital—including investor-founder fit—will matter more than ever.
The venture capital industry has not been spared from the accelerated changes that hit all aspects of our before-times world. The influx of eye-watering rounds of financing has resulted in competition from nontraditional investors—and more opportunities for founders. While founders continue to build and raise, I’ve noticed a slight change in how they vet potential investors. Founders are starting to ask out loud questions that were previously mulled in private: “Are you my forever partner? Do I want to be in a long-term relationship with you?” 
I’m being a bit cheeky here but investor-founder fit is a real consideration—and good for the future of the industry. Founders are increasingly deliberating about the quality of relationship they’re about to enter. <DotBullet highlight="" text="How are you equipped to help me scale at this stage and beyond?" />
<DotBullet highlight="" text="Can I count on you for nonjudgmental support?" />
<DotBullet highlight="" text="When I’m stuck and can’t get up, are you my late-night call?" />
The founder journey remains unknowable to those who have not been there. It’s not enough to ask how you can help; like in other service industries, it’s about anticipating needs. Venture is increasingly evolving to a founder/operator-first model; with experience comes empathy, trust, proactive help, and prioritizing mental well-being. Helping founders avoid mistakes and see around corners is as appreciated as knowing what to share access to—strategy, networks, other founders, your time—and when. Founders have more choices than ever, and decisions are becoming not only about financial capital but [human capital](https://m13.co/article/human-capital-the-essential-guide-to-scaling-people-systems).
<img src="////images.ctfassets.net/vcjxvx0h1a5n/2naBlLG2TZpJpZ9k7J8BUS/abae7fb18ce51610e69f97f518b8bdfd/Divid_v1.png" style="width:25%;height:25%;"> 
 <img src="//images.ctfassets.net/vcjxvx0h1a5n/kBFJI1kbZeqdhZG56N2dg/2995b365f79729685418184679d78d9c/Brian_title_v1.png" alt="Brian Carroll" style="width:25%;height:25%; float: left; margin-bottom: 0px;"> 
## Alphabet’s technology will pioneer life-changing trends.
Voice transcription is getting increasingly powerful, with the new Android 12/Google Tensor chip adding on-device grammar and accent-capable punctuation and sentence structure. Soon composing emails will be faster with voice than with typing, and hesitant writers may find it easier to churn out novels while on their morning Peloton ride. 
Companies' Zoom chat transcriptions will also become accessible and searchable to those not "in the meeting," and corporate hierarchies will flatten as a result. Real-time translation of those transcripts will empower international teams and global remote work. 
Other interesting trends by Alphabet:
<DotBullet highlight="" text="YouTube is seeing more direct response advertising as video commerce continues to evolve." />
<DotBullet highlight="" text="AlphaFold’s publishing of 100 million known proteins is on par with the first mapping of the human genome." />

From the creator economy to the future of work, M13 partners share their top 10 industry predictions.

Partner Predictions, blog

VC Predictions 2022: 10 Industry Trends We’re Tracking

Partners at M13, a VC firm focused on consumer tech, share their 2022 business predictions on everything from the creator economy to the future of work.

M13 Partners

VC Predictions: 10 Industry Trends We're Tracking | M13

Partner Predictions

Carter co-founded M13 in 2016 with his brother Courtney. The duo co-founded and sold VEEV, the spirits brand, and co-authored the bestseller “Shortcut Your Startup.” A former...

M13SharePeople-CarterReum

Carter Reum | M13

courtney_reum.png

Courtney co-founded M13 in 2016 with his brother Carter. The duo also started and sold the spirits brand VeeV, and authored the bestselling book “Shortcut Your Startup.” A former Goldman Sachs investment banker, he serves on boards such as Lifeforce, Thrive Global as well as philanthropic endeavors like YPO, US Soccer Federation Foundation, the Los Angeles Mayor’s Office and LA Opera. 

Courtney Reum

Courtney co-founded M13 in 2016 with his brother Carter. The duo started and sold VEEV, the spirits brand, and co-authored the bestseller “Shortcut Your Startup.” A former...

M13SharePeople-CourneyReum

Courtney Reum | M13

It's simple: we invest in companies to help them execute better. We purposefully designed M13 to help entrepreneurs avoid spending their days recreating the wheel for their businesses, to be anticipatory, see around corners, and grow more efficiently through the support of our wide network of resources, knowledge, and operational expertise through our Propulsion Platform and vertically-focused propulsion partners. 
We built M13 to mitigate time and capital risk and to increase the likelihood and magnitude of success. Our model allows us to work hand in hand with founders to problem-solve and innovate and to create outsized returns for our partners. 
We began our careers as Goldman Sachs investment bankers where we worked with major consumer companies and helped take KKR public. We then became entrepreneurs who created and later sold a better-for-you spirits company. Because of the relationships we built during that time with fellow entrepreneurs, we became early-stage investors in their companies. 
The first company we seeded was Ring, and we continued by investing in companies such as Bonobos, Daily Harvest, ClassPass, FabFitFun, and [grew to a portfolio](http://www.m13.co/portfolio) of over 80 other companies, including Thrive Market, Lyft, Pinterest, Rothy's, Transfix, and the seeding of six direct-to-consumer unicorns (valuations over $1 billion) to date. 
<YoutubeVideo video="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjbbSvo8--k&feature=emb_logo"/>
<YoutubeVideo video="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9YnICSdFuo&feature=emb_logo"/> 
Our thesis at M13 is that just like technology was a vertical and is now considered a horizontal layer, consumer is now a horizontal layer. Technology allows companies to disintermediate traditional distribution models and go direct to the consumer, and we define consumer tech as any company that can have a direct relationship with the consumer. 
As we were meeting and investing in early-stage consumer tech companies, we saw three consistent themes evolving that led us to believe a new model was needed:
<NumberedBullet number="1" highlight="The world has never been more open source, more competitive, or more full of people going after any idea." text=" This certainly has changed over the past decade." />
<NumberedBullet number="2" highlight="Today, with abundant financial capital and democratizing technologies, it’s never been easier to start or harder to scale a company." text=" Innovative ideas have quickly become a dime a dozen." />
<NumberedBullet number="3" highlight="With technologies that connect companies to their end-customer and targeted ad technology, the difference between best and second best has also never been greater." text=" A 1% difference is now 1000x better because performing just a little better becomes magnified by technology." /> 
Amidst these changes and the increased competition, entrepreneurs were asked to be the best, recreate the wheel, and also to do something every day that they’ve likely never done before. 
Being a successful venture capital investor was no longer about just picking winners or sourcing: it’s about helping to make winners, and that’s helping companies execute better. The best companies we know are ones that make better day-to-day decisions, where those decisions compound over time, and that have some unfair advantages that create step-change growth. 
It has been our experience that every consumer technology company needs to focus on six pillars: brand, product, distribution, acquisition, operations, and talent. So M13 institutionalizes repeatable frameworks, processes, resources, tools, and techniques through a constantly updated and evolving tech-enabled platform over which we overlay our full-time vertically-focused Propulsion team organized around those same pillars. 
This is a flywheel model where we develop and refine the playbook by affecting the outcomes of the companies we invest in over hundreds of companies and billions of dollars. The more we invest and help companies, the more we institutionalize and the stronger our flywheel becomes. 
As Series A and Series B companies are under-resourced and don’t have access to world-class talent full-time, our Propulsion Platform partners provide best-in-class senior-level experts who have an average of 20 years of experience, including significant prior experience as operators who have shepherded startups through prior crises to successful outcomes and exits. As a result, our founding teams save time, make better decisions, and more importantly avoid bad decisions—which is so critical in the early days and ever more critical in today’s uncertain and rapidly changing macro environment. 
Our hands-on approach and bespoke support will have an even larger premium for our companies and for our investors, especially in this changing world where nothing will be quite as easy as it was the last few years. 
[When we raised M13 Fund II](https://www.m13.co/celebrating-fund-ii-with-mayor-eric-garcetti), we specifically targeted building an ecosystem of the world's best entrepreneurs as investors (including Richard Branson, Silas Chou, and Arianna Huffington, among many others). We have built our infrastructure to activate our ecosystem so that we can quickly connect the dots based on the needs of our companies using our NICO data system. 
M13 is a constellation of incredible innovators in a network that spans every part of the business ecosystem. We see venture as unique because of the big premium on brand and reputation that are necessary to secure the highest quality deals. We believe M13 has become a leading and sought-out brand and that founding teams trust us to be a partner that brings bespoke operational expertise. 
Nothing we do at M13 hasn’t been done before. We’ve just taken the best parts of the best models from the best firms out there and put them together to evolve the venture capital paradigm and thus create the next generation venture platform. We did this because in a world of abundant capital and ideas, it’s not enough anymore to pick winners—the best venture investors must help to make winners by providing operational and investment expertise.

The best venture investors can help make winners by providing operational and investment expertise.

M13: A Firm Built by Entrepreneurs, for Entrepreneurs

M13: A Firm Built by Entrepreneurs for Entrepreneurs

M13 Co-founders Carter and Courtney Reum explain how the best venture investors can help make winners by providing operational and investment expertise.

 M13: A Firm Built by Entrepreneurs for Entrepreneurs | M13

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A blank canvas presents the most opportunity to fill your mind. Finding ways to clear your head gives way to fresh ideas. In such a busy and bizarre world during COVID-19, it can be a challenge to shut off and just _think_. With everyone on their phones, news cycles moving at a mile a minute, and the subconscious anxiety that comes with a pandemic, when is there time to clear your head? 
These five ways to shut off will give you the time you need to recharge: 
## 1. Finding time to meditate
Adding meditation into your routine can benefit your creative process. Meditation gives you conscious time to sit alone and just _think_—or not think. 
Add some time to your day when distractions are eliminated. Meditation gives you the opportunity to sit alone with your thoughts. Clearing your head during meditation can open the door up to new trains of thought you may not have come across with continuous distractions. 
For insights on meditation from our conversation with Katie Couric, Deepak Chopra, and Sheryl Crow, [click here](https://www.m13.co/on-moving-forward-and-healing-with-katie-couric). 
## 2. Turning off notifications when needed
Emails, texts, calls, DMs: important communications for any entrepreneur. Have you ever been in the middle of a thought, only to completely forget what you’re doing because of a text? Consider hitting "Do Not Disturb" for a little while and let your thoughts collect without interruption. 
Carving out certain times of the day when you’re not just a quick text away sets healthy boundaries for yourself and for your peers. If others start to understand that your availability is not at their convenience, they start learning to set boundaries with your communications. 
## 3. “Dosing” your news cycle
During the COVID-19 pandemic, there is _always_ more news to consume. That doesn’t mean you need to read it right away. Overstimulating yourself with news is tempting in the middle of a pandemic, but that doesn’t make it the healthiest option. It’s important to stay informed, but _how_ you stay informed is up to you. 
“Dosing” your news cycle can help to eliminate subconscious anxieties that come with constantly reading headlines, especially when they’re primarily negative. Choose a specific time of day to catch up on the news, process that information, and continue on with your day. This will keep you from falling down any news cycle rabbit holes. 
## 4. Seeking fresh air (safely)
Sometimes the best way to clear your head is with a little fresh air. With the isolation and social distancing challenges that COVID-19 presents, it can be easy to forget to get some air. Safely seek fresh air while adhering to social distancing guidelines. Take a walk around your block without the distractions of your tech. 
## 5. Getting an early start
Waking up early has been No. 1 in the entrepreneur’s playbook for decades. The morning gives creative thinkers the opportunity to do what their mind does best: think. When you’re up early, distractions are eliminated. The family is still asleep, no crises have come up at work, and you’re left alone with your thoughts in the quietest hours. 
## Use this time to restructure your processes
We’re in the midst of a strange and unique time for entrepreneurs. Taking this opportunity to restructure how you think and work can allow for some peak innovative thinking. Take a look at your routine and see where you can incorporate ways to clear your head. Allow yourself to clear the whiteboard before filling it up with ideas again. 
[Take a look at some more of our founder resources](http://www.m13.co/community) to get you inspired.

From meditating to turning off notifications, take the time you need to recharge.

A woman enjoying a relaxing picnic while overlooking mountains.

5 Ways to Focus on Less and Think More header

5 Ways to Focus on Less and Think More

From meditating to turning off notifications, shutting off can give you the time you need to recharge, says M13 Partner Carter Reum.

5 Ways to Focus on Less and Think More | M13

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VeeV

Veev, formerly known as Dragonfly Group, was founded by technology entrepreneurs in 2008 to introduce an inventive spirit to real estate development. 

Goldman Sachs

Daily Harvest is on a mission to make nourishing, plant-based foods more accessible. 

Carter Reum

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