Providing platform services used to be a nice-to-have at VC firms. Now it’s a must-have strategic edge.

In this episode of The Venture Variety Show, I talk with Cherae Robinson, Head of Platform and Marketing at Flybridge, about what founders actually want from their investors and how platform roles are shifting to meet that need.

Cherae brings a unique perspective. She’s a former founder in the Flybridge portfolio, having bootstrapped a Travel startup that raised a seed round before shutting down during the pandemic. Now, she supports 400+ founders across Flybridge’s investments and helps shape the firm’s brand, community and go-to-market support.

One of her standout comments was when she said:

“You’re starting to see [venture] firms specifically hire people for things like go-to-market… The generalist was more popular earlier on, but now you’re seeing really specific roles, and they’re leaning on operators who are Experts in that space.”

We also talk about how she built trust with founders from day one, the value of platform work inside VC firms, and what it means to have an “earned secret” as a founder in today’s market.

Topics covered include:

🔶 How platform became a core function in VC firms
🔶 What founders expect beyond the check
🔶 Why go-to-market roles are on the rise
🔶 How Cherae used her founder lens to build trust
🔶 What to measure when you want to show platform ROI
🔶 Music, community, and a rooftop DJ set at Founders Week
🔶 Why platform leaders are the “unsung heroes” of venture

Whether you’re inside a firm or building your own, this one includes plenty of lessons.

🎧 Click the player above to play the full episode. You can also follow The Venture Variety Show on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube.

Have thoughts or guest suggestions?

Drop them in the comments. I’d Love to hear from you.

And if you got something useful out of this episode, share it with a founder, investor or platform lead who’d also appreciate it.

If you want more like this, you can also check out my other podcast on YouTube, The AI Cognitive Shift, which I co-host with AiNews.com, exploring how AI is impacting society and the future of work.

Thanks for tuning in!

Alastair Goldfisher Independent Journalist

I’m an independent journalist and podcaster focused on startup and venture capital trends, as well as storytelling and how AI is reshaping business and work. I host "The Venture Variety Show" and "The AI Cognitive Shift" podcasts, and I write "The Venture Lens" newsletter on Substack and Medium. I’ve spent 30 years in business journalism, covering Silicon Valley and beyond for outlets like Venture Capital Journal, Reuters, PEHub and Silicon Valley Business Journal. Today, I also help founders and investors sharpen their stories through media training and content consulting. I live in the San Francisco Bay Area, stay curious about tech and people, and I always welcome a good conversation.