Podcast appearances and mentions of dave lambert

Dave Lambert, founder and managing director of Right Side Capital Management, explains why early-stage companies are reaching revenue faster, operating with smaller teams, and potentially needing far less venture capital.Drawing on insights from more than 2,000 portfolio companies, Dave joins Ian Bergman to explore what investors now look for in AI startups and how founders can compete in a market where software is easier than ever to build.Key Topics

This week on Jazz After Dinner, Joe features Dave Lambert, Jon Hendricks, and Annie Ross from their 1989 Columbia Records recording, titled “Everybody's Boppin'”.  

Most founders think investors bet on ideas. They don't.Dave Lambert has funded over 2,000 companies through RightSide Capital, and he's seen this pattern play out thousands of times. Great product. No revenue traction. Wrong ask, wrong timing. Automatic no.In this episode of Startup Hustle, Matt sits down with Dave to break down how RightSide Capital evaluates startups differently than traditional VCs. No subjective analysis. No months of diligence. Just data, profiles, and a decision in about a week.They get into how AI is changing the startup game, not just for building products faster, but for every operational aspect of running an early-stage company. And why sales is still the one thing that isn't getting easier anytime soon.Plus, the real talk on founder-market fit, why being slightly delusional might actually help, and what it takes to walk away with a check from an investor who's seen everything.If you're a technical founder who knows how to build but has no idea how to sell, this episode is for you.⏱️ Episode Breakdown00:26 Introduction to Venture Capital and Startups03:36 The Importance of Sales and Marketing in Startups06:24 Data-Driven Investment Strategies09:23 The Impact of AI on Startup Opportunities12:23 Operational Efficiency and Cost Reduction through AI15:28 Sales and Marketing Challenges for Startups18:31 Support and Resources for Portfolio Companies21:25 Evaluating Founders and Market Fit24:28 The Role of Delusion in EntrepreneurshipLinks & ResourcesConnect with Dave Lambert on LinkedInWhat Smart CTOs Are Doing Differently With Offshore Teams in 2025Subscribe to the Global Talent SprintFull Scale – Build your dev team quickly and affordablyIf you're trying to get your team out of the basement and into real product ownership, this episode is your playbook. Stop being a ticket factory. Build teams that think, create, and lead.Follow the show, rate it, and send this to someone who's still trying to do “real Scrum.” They need it more than you do.Right Side Capital Management - https://www.rightsidecapital.com/

On this episode, Dave Lambert of Right Side Capital Management shares what thousands of early-stage investments reveal about how pre-VC companies actually grow. Get clarity on how to evaluate early traction, set realistic fundraising paths and use capital efficiency to extend runway long enough for product-market fit to emerge.Tune in to hear how founders can avoid common mistakes in defining their ICP, structure rounds that keep exit options open and use real market data to understand what later-stage investors are looking for. 

Sponsored by Auth0 for Startups → 1-year free https://auth0.com/startups/vip Auth0 is an adaptable authentication and authorization platform that helps you secure your apps and AI agents. It delivers convenience, privacy, and security so you can focus on building a great UX. VC PROFILE: Dave Lambert, Founder of Right Side Capital Management https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidlambert55/

Host Matt Cohen talks with Dave Lambert, founder and managing director of Right Side Capital Management. Founded in 2009, Right Side takes a quantitative, data-driven approach to early-stage investments, focusing on capital-efficient tech startups. It has funded over 2,000 companies, offering rapid investment decisions and fostering innovation in the fragmented seed-stage funding market.Dave explains how Right Side invests in very early-stage startups using data instead of gut feelings. He also discusses how technology, like AI, is changing startups and shares stories from his career.About Dave Lambert:Dave Lambert is the Founder and Managing Director of Right Side Capital Management, a pre-VC stage investment firm based in San Francisco. Before founding Right Side Capital, Dave was the CEO and Founder of WorkMetro Inc., a network of local online job boards operating across major U.S. metropolitan markets. He successfully expanded the company to over 20 markets before its acquisition by Jobing.com in 2008. Earlier in his career, he founded Acorn Computer, Inc., which provided IT solutions to businesses and institutions in the San Francisco Bay Area for over a decade.Dave earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Stanford University, specializing in Values, Technology, Science & Society with a focus on Artificial Intelligence.Topics* (01:15) Dave's background growing up in Denver, his entrepreneurial beginnings with a computer hardware company, and how those experiences led to founding Right Side Capital* (03:26) How The Black Swan by Nassim Taleb influenced the creation of Right Side Capital, focusing on “positive black swans” (startups with unexpected, outsized success)* (05:53) Understanding the Power Law in Venture Capital* (08:39) How Right Side makes investment decisions, often providing a “yes” or “no” within a week and why they focus on startups with small funding needs and clear metrics* (11:48) What Metrics Right Side Looks For* (16:11) TradingView: A Success Story* (21:08) Impact of AI on Startups* (25:56) Low-Headcount Companies Thriving* (28:37) Changing Founder mindsets toward profitability and capital efficiency rather than raising successive funding rounds* (29:04) Tax Benefits for Venture Investors* (33:26) The Role of Accelerators* (36:40) Challenges in VC Fundraising and Innovation* (40:00) Resilient Entrepreneurs* (43:10) Dave's Tech and Productivity SetupDave Lambert's Fast Favorites* Favorite Podcast: Slow Burn* Favorite Newsletter/Blog: Dave doesn't have a single favorite but enjoys reading a variety of blogs and newsletters, especially about tech, venture capital, and economics.* Favorite Tech Gadget: Golf simulators* Favorite New Trend: Entrepreneurs focusing on profitability as the main goal instead of just raising money* Favorite Book: Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin – A guide on leadership and accountability, teaching lessons from Navy SEALs.* Favorite Life Lesson: “Believe in yourself and trust your own judgment.”Follow Matt Cohen and Tank Talks here!Podcast production support provided by Agentbee.ai This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tanktalks.substack.com