![[Venture Capital Series] How Venture Capital Really Works Beyond the Myths With Mike Collins @podcaststrategy](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/OKPTw73LZSg/maxresdefault.jpg)
Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Mike Collins is the Founder and CEO of Alumni Ventures, a leading venture capital firm that enables individual accredited investors to access diversified venture portfolios and co-invest alongside top-tier VCs. He is a serial entrepreneur and experienced venture capitalist who has founded multiple companies, including Kid Galaxy, Big Idea Group, and RDM. He also launched Green D Ventures, Alumni Ventures’ first alumni fund, where he oversaw the portfolio as Managing Partner. Mike has spent his career helping investors and entrepreneurs build innovative, high-growth businesses, and holds degrees from Dartmouth College and Harvard Business School.
In this episode… What does it really take to succeed in venture capital, where uncertainty is constant, and failure is often part of the process? What separates investors who consistently build strong portfolios from those who don’t?
For Mike Collins, a seasoned venture capitalist and serial entrepreneur, success in venture capital comes from focusing on people over pure ideas and building disciplined, diversified portfolios to manage inevitable risk. He highlights that early-stage investing is less about certainty and more about judgment, trust, and pattern recognition developed over time. A key takeaway is that long-term success stems from striking a balance between conviction and humility and accepting that many investments will fail while a few yield outsized returns. He also emphasizes the value of co-investing and leveraging a global investor community to expand access and insight.
In this episode of the Inspired Insider Podcast, host Dr. Jeremy Weisz sits down with Mike Collins, Founder and CEO of Alumni Ventures, to discuss venture capital, portfolio building, and entrepreneurial lessons. They talk about betting on people over ideas, managing risk through diversification, and lessons from sports and investing. Mike also shares insights on co-investing strategies and democratizing access to venture capital.
Mike Collins is the Founder and CEO of Alumni Ventures, a leading venture capital firm that enables individual accredited investors to access diversified venture portfolios and co-invest alongside top-tier VCs. He is a serial entrepreneur and experienced venture capitalist who has founded multiple companies, including Kid Galaxy, Big Idea Group, and RDM. He also launched Green D Ventures, Alumni Ventures’ first alumni fund, where he oversaw the portfolio as Managing Partner. Mike has spent his career helping investors and entrepreneurs build innovative, high-growth businesses, and holds degrees from Dartmouth College and Harvard Business School.
In this episode… What does it really take to succeed in venture capital, where uncertainty is constant, and failure is often part of the process? What separates investors who consistently build strong portfolios from those who don’t?
For Mike Collins, a seasoned venture capitalist and serial entrepreneur, success in venture capital comes from focusing on people over pure ideas and building disciplined, diversified portfolios to manage inevitable risk. He highlights that early-stage investing is less about certainty and more about judgment, trust, and pattern recognition developed over time. A key takeaway is that long-term success stems from striking a balance between conviction and humility and accepting that many investments will fail while a few yield outsized returns. He also emphasizes the value of co-investing and leveraging a global investor community to expand access and insight.
In this episode of the Inspired Insider Podcast, host Dr. Jeremy Weisz sits down with Mike Collins, Founder and CEO of Alumni Ventures, to discuss venture capital, portfolio building, and entrepreneurial lessons. They talk about betting on people over ideas, managing risk through diversification, and lessons from sports and investing. Mike also shares insights on co-investing strategies and democratizing access to venture capital.
![[Venture Capital Series] How Venture Capital Really Works Beyond the Myths With Mike Collins](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/OKPTw73LZSg/mqdefault.jpg "[Venture Capital Series] How Venture Capital Really Works Beyond the Myths With Mike Collins
Mike Collins is the Founder and CEO of Alumni Ventures, a leading venture capital firm that enables individual accredited investors to access diversified venture portfolios and co-invest alongside top-tier VCs. He is a serial entrepreneur and experienced venture capitalist who has founded multiple companies, including Kid Galaxy, Big Idea Group, and RDM. He also launched Green D Ventures, Alumni Ventures’ first alumni fund, where he oversaw the portfolio as Managing Partner. Mike has spent his career helping investors and entrepreneurs build innovative, high-growth businesses, and holds degrees from Dartmouth College and Harvard Business School.
In this episode… What does it really take to succeed in venture capital, where uncertainty is constant, and failure is often part of the process? What separates investors who consistently build strong portfolios from those who don’t?
For Mike Collins, a seasoned venture capitalist and serial entrepreneur, success in venture capital comes from focusing on people over pure ideas and building disciplined, diversified portfolios to manage inevitable risk. He highlights that early-stage investing is less about certainty and more about judgment, trust, and pattern recognition developed over time. A key takeaway is that long-term success stems from striking a balance between conviction and humility and accepting that many investments will fail while a few yield outsized returns. He also emphasizes the value of co-investing and leveraging a global investor community to expand access and insight.
In this episode of the Inspired Insider Podcast, host Dr. Jeremy Weisz sits down with Mike Collins, Founder and CEO of Alumni Ventures, to discuss venture capital, portfolio building, and entrepreneurial lessons. They talk about betting on people over ideas, managing risk through diversification, and lessons from sports and investing. Mike also shares insights on co-investing strategies and democratizing access to venture capital.")
![[Swim Series] Custom Swim Goggles Powered by Innovation With Rasmus Barfred](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/OnWsrf3XkAg/mqdefault.jpg "[Swim Series] Custom Swim Goggles Powered by Innovation With Rasmus Barfred
Rasmus Barfred is the Co-founder of THEMAGIC5, a company redefining athletic gear through custom-fit products powered by 3D scanning and robotic technology. He has helped grow the company into a global brand, securing investment on Shark Tank and expanding its reach worldwide. Building on this technology, he also helped launch Vayu Sleep, which applies custom-fit solutions to CPAP masks for sleep apnea patients. With a background in entrepreneurship, he focuses on scaling innovation across sports and healthcare.
In this episode… What happens when a simple, everyday frustration turns into an opportunity to rethink an entire industry? How do you go from solving one small problem to building technology that reshapes how products are designed and delivered? And what does it take to turn customization into a true competitive advantage?
According to Rasmus Barfred, a visionary entrepreneur and product innovator, solving the issue of poor-fitting swim goggles meant reimagining the entire process through facial scanning and advanced technology. He highlights how starting with a Kickstarter campaign opened the door to diverse user insights, which helped refine both product and software through continuous feedback loops and AI-driven improvements. This approach transformed a niche idea into a scalable system that serves everyone from casual swimmers to elite athletes. He also shares how positioning the business as a tech platform unlocked new growth opportunities and credibility.
In this episode of the Inspired Insider Podcast, host Dr. Jeremy Weisz sits down with Rasmus Barfred to discuss building a tech-driven brand in sports gear. They explore scaling through hardware and software integration, using AI to enhance customer experience, and leveraging partnerships for growth. Rasmus also shares insights on expanding their technology into new industries.")
![[Top Agency Series] Mastering White Label SEO Success With Mark Herre](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/OyTQQ4VtjDE/mqdefault.jpg "[Top Agency Series] Mastering White Label SEO Success With Mark Herre
[Top Agency Series] Mastering White Label SEO Success With Mark Herre")
![[SaaS Series] Human Wisdom in an AI-Driven World With Henry Park](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/P9JNcrj-4oM/mqdefault.jpg "[SaaS Series] Human Wisdom in an AI-Driven World With Henry Park
Henry Park is the Co-founder and CEO of Pandoblox, a Platform-as-a-Service company unifying data, IT & security to make mid-market companies AI-ready. A serial tech entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience, he has navigated major shifts like VoIP, cloud, and blockchain. He is also the Founder of Guerilla Community Movement, a nonprofit supporting at-risk youth through mentorship and rite of passage programs. Henry holds a degree in economics from UC Irvine, with a background in psychology, and an executive MBA from Tuck University.
In this episode… Sometimes the most important question about AI is not what it can do, but what it should never replace. As businesses race to automate decisions, workflows, and data operations, how do leaders keep human wisdom at the center?
For Henry Park, the answer starts with building AI around people, not the other way around. He explains that his journey led him to build solutions focused on outcomes, not just tools, introducing a “service as software” model that removes complexity for growing businesses. He highlights how listening closely to customers and adapting through major tech shifts enabled long-term relevance. This approach helps companies leverage data and AI without heavy internal resources. He also emphasizes the role of mentorship in shaping both individuals and organizations, creating ripple effects beyond business.
In this episode of the Inspired Insider Podcast, host Dr. Jeremy Weisz sits down with Henry Park, Co-founder and CEO of Pandoblox, to discuss human-centered AI for mid-market growth. They explore how to adapt to tech shifts, solve mid-market SaaS challenges, and build outcome-driven platforms. Henry also shares insights on mentorship, leadership, and creating impact beyond business.")
![[Top Author Series] The Science of Belief and Lasting Behavior Change With Nir Eyal](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/PlljPt2Ev4c/mqdefault.jpg "[Top Author Series] The Science of Belief and Lasting Behavior Change With Nir Eyal
Book a Complimentary B2B Podcast Strategy Call:
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Nir Eyal is a bestselling author, behavioral science expert, and keynote speaker who helps individuals and organizations understand how psychology and technology shape human behavior. He is the author of the bestselling books Hooked, Indistractable, and Beyond Belief, which have sold over one million copies, been translated into over 30 languages, and earned recognition from The New York Times, Amazon, Audible, and The Globe and Mail.
A former Stanford Graduate School of Business lecturer, Nir has worked with organizations, including JPMorgan Chase and the US Air Force and invested in companies including Canva and Kahoot. He helps people build better habits, improve focus, and reach their full potential.
Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:
• [0:00] Intro
• [4:23] Nir Eyal discusses why he wrote Beyond Belief
• [9:35] How your beliefs shape what you see, think, and achieve
• [14:45] Serena Williams, confidence, and the power of liberating beliefs
• [18:20] The three qualities every impactful book should have: useful, true, and novel
• [20:53] Why popular psychology studies and personality tests can be misleading
• [25:39] A simple technique to reframe relationship challenges and improve communication
• [36:13] How the turnaround method helps transform limiting beliefs into empowering ones
• [41:59] Third-person self-talk as a tool for confidence and psychological distance
In this episode…
Why do some people turn knowledge into lasting change while others remain stuck in the same patterns? We have access to more books, podcasts, and expert advice than ever before, yet lasting transformation often feels out of reach. If information isnt the problem, what is the missing piece that drives real change?
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