E410: How Relationships Built a $3.6B Venture Firm
Consumer startups may grab the headlines, but some of the most valuable companies are built by solving mission-critical problems for businesses. David sits down with Rick Heitzmann, Managing Director at FirstMark Capital, to discuss how he identifies high-growth technology-enabled business services, why sectors like data infrastructure, compliance, marketing technology, and information services continue to generate outsized opportunities, and what separates enduring enterprise businesses from short-lived trends.
Highlights:
- Why B2B investing remains one of venture's biggest opportunities.
- The characteristics of exceptional enterprise software companies.
- How data has become a competitive advantage.
- Why compliance is creating entirely new categories of startups.
- The evolution of marketing and advertising technology.
- What makes technology-enabled business services highly scalable.
- How recurring revenue creates durable businesses.
- Where Rick sees the next wave of venture-backed winners.
- The investment frameworks FirstMark uses when evaluating founders.
- Why solving critical business problems creates lasting enterprise value.
Guest Bio:
Rick Heitzmann is a Managing Director at FirstMark Capital, where he invests in high-growth emerging media and technology-enabled business services. His investment focus includes data and information management, compliance and risk mitigation, marketing and advertising technology, and business process outsourcing. Rick has built his career identifying scalable enterprise businesses that become critical infrastructure for their customers and benefit from long-term technology adoption.
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Sponsor:
AlphaSense is the AI-powered market intelligence platform trusted by 85% of the S&P 100, helping investment professionals make faster, more confident, data-driven decisions. Built for hedge funds, asset allocators, private venture capital firms, and investment bankers, AlphaSense uses advanced AI and powerful search across premium proprietary content to surface the insights that matter most—before the market moves. Elevate your research and stay ahead of the competition. Visit https://www.alpha-sense.com/howiinvest/ to learn more.
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X/Twitter: @dweisburd LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dweisburd/ Weisburd Pierce: https://www.weisburdcapital.com/
Stay Connected with Rick Heitzmann:
LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/rickheitzmann/
Questions or topics you want us to discuss on How I Invest? Email us at [email protected].
Disclaimer:
This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment, financial, legal, or tax advice. Nothing in this episode should be interpreted as an offer to buy or sell any securities or to participate in any investment strategy. All opinions expressed by the host and guests are their own and do not represent the views of Weisburd Pierce. Participants may hold positions or have financial interests in the companies, funds, or investments discussed. Any references to specific investments are for illustrative purposes only. Investing involves risk, including the potential loss of capital. Past performance is not indicative of future results, and any forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties. Any third-party data or opinions have not been independently verified. Listeners should conduct their own research and consult their own advisors before making any investment decisions.
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Transcript
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