Courtney Leimkuhler - Springbank.VC
Read her VC Uncovered profile here: https://www.vcuncovered.com/p/courtney-leimkuhler-springbankvc
Podcast Summary:
Drew Glover talks to Courtney Leimkuhler from Springbank Collective on investing in the overlooked backbone of our economy. Courtney breaks down Springbank's thesis of funding the critical infrastructure for how we work, live, and care—tackling massive, historically underfunded markets like childcare and elder care. She introduces the "Doritos versus daycare" paradox: while consumer goods have become cheap and abundant, essential services for families have become prohibitively expensive and difficult to access, creating a huge opportunity for innovation.
The conversation gets really interesting when Courtney shares how her deep background as an operator in "big finance," including running M&A for the New York Stock Exchange, gives her an edge. She explains how she uses her intuition not as a gut feeling to invest, but as a "veto power" to walk away from deals, especially when founder dynamics feel off or early customer wins seem unrepeatable, not just unscalable. She also offers sharp advice for founders in the care space, warning them to avoid the "me" trap of building for their own niche problem instead of solving for care as the massive economic infrastructure issue it truly is.
Sponsor:
This season is supported by SVB. Silicon Valley Bank, a division of First Citizens Bank. Member FDIC.
SVB is a trusted collaborator for the founders pushing boundaries and the investors who back them. We're proud to have them as our sponsor.
Please note, this podcast is for informational purposes and is not investment, financial, or legal advice. The views expressed are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the position of SVB.
