Strength, wit and efficiency. Here are three elements that Kind Snacks founder Daniel Lubetzky looks for when investing in founders.
Lubetzky, who sold Kind Snacks for $5 billion in 2020, is now the company’s founder and CEO Camino PartnersAND $350 million fund began in January 2023 and focused on first investments consumer-facing brands. Camino means “journey” in Spanish; The fund’s name reflects its focus on corporations that positively impact consumers’ lives.
In an interview with EntrepreneurLubetzky revealed exactly what he expects from the founders he invests in.
“I’m looking for good people [who] have good values [and] take care of each other,” Lubetzky said. “When things don’t turn out the way they expected, you’ll be happy to support them through thick and thin, because there are ups and downs in every entrepreneur’s life. . There will be downfalls.”
Daniel Lubecki. Source: Christopher Willard/ABC via Getty Images
Lubetzky said he looks for three key traits: grit (the ability to persevere despite challenges), wit (creativity in coming up with latest solutions) and fit (does the founder align with Lubetzky’s values and does the company fit into the current market).
“When the lows come, you want to make sure you’re in alignment with people and your values,” he said.
Despite this, the market “perfectly” shows that it wants the solution proposed by the entrepreneur, Lubetzky added.
Lubetzky has the following advice for entrepreneurs who are just at the stage of ideating their business: ask yourself what you care about, find that goal and persist with it.
“It gives you the fuel to be strong,” Lubetzky said. “When you start a business, you are [going to] They have so many challenges.”
Lubetzky will join ABC’s “Shark Tank” as regular forged member for season 16, which premieres on Friday.
He has already made several significant investments as a guest Shark in previous seasons, including a $1 million investment in hand-woven hammock company Yellow Leaf Hammocks.