Ed Zimmerman | Source | Member, Board of Trustees at Harvey Mudd College

We’ve worked with co-founders Amanda Hesser and Merrill Stubbs on Food52 for years and were delighted to help with this private equity transaction as what once was a fledgling New York-based startup has become a thriving growth company at scale. The founders had star power from their best-selling cookbooks, James Beard Award, and from Amanda’s stint as Food Editor of the New York Times Magazine, but it took true entrepreneurial skill and grit to grow this startup, so they’ve really proven their versatility!

We have companies where the founder is the brand, and trust and credibility are core to the business. If you are investing in a company because you think the founder is amazing.