Episode 71: A Wild Ride on Venture Capital and Mushrooms with Adam DeMartino
Synopsis
Episode 71. In this episode of the Lifetime at Work podcast, host Greg Martin interviews Adam DeMartino, co-founder of the once very hot venture capital backed mushroom startup called Smallhold.
DeMartino shares his entrepreneurial journey to get him to starting Smallhold, from discovering his love for early stage business, to the highs of raising significant venture capital and facing the challenges that led to the company's bankruptcy and restructuring.
They discuss the intricacies of mushroom farming, the impact of venture capital, and the values that drive DeMartino's work. This candid conversation offers insights and lessons for current and aspiring entrepreneurs as they question what it means to be successful and to fail.
00:00 Introduction to the Podcast
00:17 Meet Adam DiMartino
00:19 The Rise and Fall of Smallhold
01:34 Adam's Journey Before Smallhold
06:07 The Birth of Smallhold
06:16 Adam's Motorcycle Adventure
10:44 Entrepreneurial Spirit and Family Influence
12:56 Building the Mushroom Business
15:13 Scaling Up and Seeking Investment
26:25 Expanding to the Texas Market
26:49 Pandemic Accelerates Growth
27:08 Mushroom Kits: A Pandemic Success
29:06 Building Farms in Texas and New York
29:31 Facing Bankruptcy and Reorganization
32:42 Lessons from the Journey
38:09 The Importance of Fungi
43:24 Advice for Young Entrepreneurs
47:42 The Power of Mushrooms
49:04 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
Background and Key Links
Adam started his career in various places in the startup world, working primarily in marketing related roles including at a fashion and design publication, and marketing firm / consultancy.
In 2016 he became co-founder of Smallhold. He wrote a about this experience in a great article you can read here: You Can’t Eat Technology
Find Adam on Linked-In