While brett Thomas, cofounder and dealing with an associate of CAVU ventures. Left hedge fund scout capital to lower back client packaged goods manufacturers in 2009.
brett thomas knew he had to discover a manner to quickly stand out in a space crowded with the aid of traders with more industry revel in and insider connections.
“developing up, i used to spend hours strolling the aisles at kmart and goal searching at packaging and experimenting with new products,” says thomas. “He cherished seeking to apprehend what makes a brand paintings and what doesn’t.”
after months spent assemblage founders and listening to pitches, suggestion struck.
Maximum of the meals and beverage startups he’d encounter have been still in the nascent degrees of improvement, stymied through constrained resources and funding.
Get admission to to mainstream advertising channels can be a recreation-changer, he notion.
On the time, his father-in-regulation, richard schaps, changed into the ceo of van wagner media. One among the largest non-public billboard businesses within the u.S. Thomas knew a positive percentage of his billboard stock could move unused each month. And in that, he saw an possibility for a trade.
During his next pitch assembly with san diego, california-based totally juice corporation suja. He proposed that he take an fairness stake in trade for billboards. Throughout ny town ahead of its east coast complete meals release. It labored.
Similarly to strolling away with a stake inside the company, Thomas says. “We have been capable of help smaller groups grow faster than they would normally be able to at that level the idea changed into to assist accelerate their boom.”
He used this equal play, imparting proprietary media offers in change for a seat on the desk. To get into among the freshest offers of the 2010s, namely, lyft, bai, and deep eddy vodka.
As those brands gained recognition from purchasers, thomas stuck the eye of industry veteran rohan oz.
The former cmo of glaceau, the parent organization of vitaminwater and smartwater. Two brands he built earlier than their 2007 sale to coke for $4.1 billion.
They met while co-making an investment in bai, and understanding. Their precise cost-upload wasn’t effortlessly replicated, joined forces to cofound cavu assignment companions.
In january 2016, they released their first fund to “democratize healthy dwelling” for the hundreds with $156 million raised in just under six months.
“while brett approached me 5 years in the past about starting. A new kind of challenge fund, it didn’t take me very long to mention yes,” says ounces.