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Jillian Manus

130 statements across 67 episodes · 60 bullish · 36 bearish · 22 people on the record · first statement Aug 30, 2023 by Jillian Manus · said 6 times in 1 episodes since 2025 · across every show →

On the record as a speaker too: Jillian Manus's record, appearances and statements → this page counts the times other people say the name.

Mentions by year

brought up most by Josh Muccio (6)

tap a year for its mentions
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2025 6 mentions in 1 episode

every mention, scene by scene, with the transcript →

Everything said about Jillian Manus, oldest first

Aug 30, 2023 negative
Disclosure
Manus: Five of Her Six African Startup Investments Have Failed
“And the reason I am is I've actually invested in six companies in Africa. Ok? Five went belly up. I am worried because I have scars because I've invested in Africa and just didn't know what the hell I was doing, right?”
Jillian Manus Aug 30, 2023 ▶ 14:02 "The $2.2 Billion Opportunity: African Consumer Insights Driving Tech Hubs in Africa"
Oct 18, 2023 negative
Disclosure
Jillian Manus refuses to invest in Ride IQ above a $6M valuation
“I'm not gonna do it if it's not six.”
Jillian Manus Oct 18, 2023 ▶ 18:43 1. "This Startup Pitch for Equestrian Tech Just Changed the Game for Horse Training Technology!"
Oct 18, 2023 bullish
Disclosure
Jillian Manus commits to investing $50,000 in Ride IQ
“I'm in for 50 K.”
Jillian Manus Oct 18, 2023 ▶ 15:45 1. "This Startup Pitch for Equestrian Tech Just Changed the Game for Horse Training Technology!"
Nov 1, 2023 bearish
Opinion
Manus: Outlines is overly complicated trying to do manufacturing and recycling
“I think that this is overly complicated. So you are designing, you're manufacturing, you're recovering, you're replenishing, you're recycling. It's a lot. And I would love to see you focus on one thing, or even build almost a SaaS product that's logistics for …”
Jillian Manus Nov 1, 2023 ▶ 12:40 "VCs Debate: Is This Recyclable Shower Curtain the Future of Circular Economy Home Products?"
Nov 1, 2023
Assertion Not checkable as stated
Young: 88% of Outlines customers return their shower curtains for recycling
“So our trailing full participation in responsible replenishment, we call that, is 88%.”
Luke Barkley Young Nov 1, 2023 ▶ 6:09 "VCs Debate: Is This Recyclable Shower Curtain the Future of Circular Economy Home Products?"
Apr 10, 2024 bullish
Disclosure
Manus: Commits $50k to ChurchSpace subject to further evaluation
“I'm right now, in for 50, ok. I could go up from there, truthfully, but my heart is saying come into this, and so right now my heart is leading the way, but then my head will follow on.”
Jillian Manus Apr 10, 2024 ▶ 20:55 $1.2M at Stake! Will This Food Entrepreneurs Startup Dominate the Peer-to-Peer Space Rental Market?
Apr 10, 2024
Disclosure
Manus confirms Peerspace is one of her portfolio companies
“Okay, that's one of our companies.”
Jillian Manus Apr 10, 2024 ▶ 2:11 $1.2M at Stake! Will This Food Entrepreneurs Startup Dominate the Peer-to-Peer Space Rental Market?
Apr 10, 2024 neutral
Assertion Not checkable as stated
Jillian Manus backs out of ChurchSpace deal over Peerspace conflict
“At the first meeting, they had full attendance, but after checking with Peerspace, her portfolio company, Jillian had to back out of the deal.”
Josh Muccio Apr 10, 2024 ▶ 24:24 $1.2M at Stake! Will This Food Entrepreneurs Startup Dominate the Peer-to-Peer Space Rental Market?
Apr 24, 2024 neutral
Disclosure
Manus: Jillian Manus avoids investing at valuations above $15M
“You know, nothing above 15 is kind of my thing.”
Jillian Manus Apr 24, 2024 ▶ 20:31 $4M at Stake! Will This Franchise Business Opportunity Transform Alternative Asset Investing?
Apr 24, 2024 bearish
Assertion Not checkable as stated
Rose: Jillian Manus passed on FranShares after the show over valuation
“And at the end, she said she was out because of the valuation.”
Kenny Rose Apr 24, 2024 ▶ 30:24 $4M at Stake! Will This Franchise Business Opportunity Transform Alternative Asset Investing?
Apr 24, 2024 bullish
Disclosure
Jillian Manus commits $100K to FranShares
“Ok, I love fintech too, but I love franchises, and I have no idea why. Me, my last life. So I'm in for a hundred.”
Jillian Manus Apr 24, 2024 ▶ 20:51 $4M at Stake! Will This Franchise Business Opportunity Transform Alternative Asset Investing?
Mar 3, 2025
Disclosure
Segura: Babyscripts held off Jillian Manus's check chasing higher valuation
“On our end, we decided to not take her money, because we were talking to two other investors that had been signaling that they would give us better terms.”
Juan Pablo Segura Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 26:50 #1 Babyscripts
Mar 3, 2025 bullish
Disclosure
Jillian Manus commits $500,000 to Babyscripts for Structure Capital
“So what I'd like to do is I'd like to do 500,000. And what I'd like to do with that is, and just to be clear I have a venture fund which is structure capital. I have my own. So I would like to bring this to them To either do all of the 500,000 or to break this…”
Jillian Manus Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 19:47 #1 Babyscripts
Mar 3, 2025 neutral
Disclosure
Manus: Holds Investments in Las Vegas, US, and International Hotels
“I've invested into, and I have investments into Las Vegas hotels, A. B. I have hotels all over the country and in fact two overseas.”
Jillian Manus Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 19:01 #2 iMirror
Mar 3, 2025 bearish
Disclosure
Manus: Passes on iMirror due to hotel pivot away from retail
“So I would love to see this more really dive deeply into retail rather than divert your attention and your dollars to hotel. And that's the reason why I won't, I'm gonna pass.”
Jillian Manus Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 20:04 #2 iMirror
Mar 3, 2025
Insight
Manus: Hearing feedback three times turns opinions into actionable consensus
“What I say about opinions are, if you hear opinion once, it's still an opinion. If you hear opinion twice, it's still opinion. If you hear an opinion three times, that's a consensus, and that's something, then you do something about it.”
Jillian Manus Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 21:55 #2 iMirror
Mar 3, 2025 negative
Opinion
Bokoff: Jillian Manus Dominated the Room and Led Investor Pushback
“I'm not sure that it was five people telling me the same thing aggressively as much as I did feel there was a stronger voice in the room and she and I may not have hit it off directly, so.”
Peter Bokoff Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 26:52 #2 iMirror
Mar 3, 2025 positive
Insight
Manus: The most ridiculous startup ideas often become the best businesses
“You know, one person said to me that the businesses that you roll your eyes at, right, are the ones that ultimately are the best. The people that have the most ridiculous ideas are the ones that you should pay attention to the most.”
Jillian Manus Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 5:03 #91 “If We Don’t Get the Money by Friday …”
Mar 3, 2025 bullish
Disclosure
Manus commits to invest $100,000 in luggage storage startup Bounce
“I, I'm gonna go in for a 100,000.”
Jillian Manus Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 5:34 #91 “If We Don’t Get the Money by Friday …”
Mar 3, 2025
Assertion Supported
Bounce raised over $1M in seed funding by late 2018
“He invested 50 K on top of the hundred K from Jillian. And by the end of 2018, Cody and his co-founder Alex had raised over a million dollars.”
Josh Muccio Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 5:52 #91 “If We Don’t Get the Money by Friday …”
Mar 3, 2025 negative
Insight
Manus: Pitching founders must arrive early because tardiness signals disrespect
“When something's really important to me, and I'm asking for money from people, I make sure I'm 10 minutes early. And if I have to make sure I'm half an hour early and sit and wait, I do, because it's, it creates a little, like, it's disrespectful.”
Jillian Manus Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 21:20 #3 Industrial Organic
Mar 3, 2025
Assertion Contradicted
Manus: There Are More Concussions in Soccer Than Football
“There are more concussions in soccer than there are in football.”
Jillian Manus Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 6:54 #5 FITGuard
Mar 3, 2025 negative
Opinion
Manus: Branding around bridge rounds boxes a VC fund into a corner
“I think putting yourself in a bridge is really actually boxing yourself in. To a corner that I don't think you guys need to be there.”
Jillian Manus Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 11:28 #100 When Investors Take the Hot Seat
Mar 3, 2025 bearish
Opinion
Manus: Waiting until right before Series A prevents access to top deals
“I don't think you're going to get into really any of the good companies by just waiting that late right before the A to any of the companies.”
Jillian Manus Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 12:48 #100 When Investors Take the Hot Seat
Mar 3, 2025 bullish
Disclosure
Manus commits $25k to Hykso at a $3M valuation cap
“Fine, Jillian's gonna be at 25.”
Jillian Manus Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 25:21 #8 FightCamp (formerly Hykso)
Mar 3, 2025 neutral
Assertion Not checkable as stated
Zahar: Jillian Manus withdrew from Hykso deal over portfolio conflict
“Jillian actually discovered that she had a conflict of interest with one of her portfolio companies. So unfortunately she had to pull out.”
Khalil Zahar Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 28:39 #8 FightCamp (formerly Hykso)
Mar 3, 2025 negative
Disclosure
Manus: I never invest in hardware devices or wearables
“It's because I don't invest into devices. I don't do wearables or anything like that. I don't know anything really about this, and so I never invest in something I don't know anything about.”
Jillian Manus Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 22:28 #8 FightCamp (formerly Hykso)
Mar 3, 2025 positive
Insight
Manus: Gym-first adoption beats direct-to-consumer for fitness hardware
“I think they're doing it the right way, where they have the gym marketing dollars behind them, and the adoption will be in the gym, and then they can expand it into at home.”
Jillian Manus Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 21:32 #8 FightCamp (formerly Hykso)
Mar 3, 2025 neutral
Insight
Manus: Startups must nail one core offering before expanding into secondary features
“Hit one thing, do it well, and then expand from there. Don't try to educate everybody, don't try to create a game, don't try to do this, try anything like that. Focus in what is the most viable way to be able to deliver the healthiest meal.”
Jillian Manus Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 22:16 #9 Tuckrbox
Mar 3, 2025 negative
Opinion
Manus: Cut food loses nutrition without heavy salt preservatives
“The nutritional value actually minimizes after something is cut, something is, you know, so unless these are heavy prepared foods with a lot of salt to preserve them, I worry about the actual nutritional value.”
Jillian Manus Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 7:09 #9 Tuckrbox
Mar 3, 2025 neutral
Assertion Contradicted
Meghan Carreau: Childhood obesity has nothing to do with socioeconomic status
“That's actually a common misconception, though, because there are lots of kids, you know, one out of three kids and one out of five developing OPC-related disease actually has nothing to do with socioeconomic.”
Meghan Carreau Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 14:51 #9 Tuckrbox
Mar 3, 2025 negative
Disclosure
Manus passes: A $100K check lacks sufficient equity for her involvement
“When I get involved with a company, ok, and especially one that has such a bold brand, and that is where I want to direct my energy to, but I just for a 100,000 dollars, it's not, I can't say it's not worth my time, but in a lot of ways, I would need much more…”
Jillian Manus Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 20:50 #10 Sudden Coffee
Mar 3, 2025 neutral
Insight
Manus: Coffee shop communities form around the destination, not the coffee
“There's community formed in coffee shops organically, but I think, and I might be wrong, that's really not around the coffee, but it's around just the place, the destination.”
Jillian Manus Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 12:29 #10 Sudden Coffee
Mar 3, 2025 bearish
Opinion
Manus: Without a patent, Sudden Coffee lacks real defensibility
“There's no patent around it. There's no defensibility, really.”
Jillian Manus Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 6:11 #10 Sudden Coffee
Mar 3, 2025 positive
Disclosure
Manus: My investment structure philosophy specifically targets two-founder startup teams
“One of the things I look for is I always look for two founders. I mean, I invest in more companies with two founders, and that's kind of a philosophy of structure, is that we definitely look for two founders.”
Jillian Manus Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 21:52 #10 Sudden Coffee
Mar 3, 2025 neutral
Opinion
Manus: Sudden Coffee is a marketing play, not amazing coffee
“What I see this as is not the best It's a, actually a marketing play. I don't see anybody going around saying, this is the best cup of instant coffee I've ever had. But I have, I, but it's getting people to accept it as the best instant coffee they've ever had…”
Jillian Manus Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 13:10 #10 Sudden Coffee
Mar 3, 2025 positive
Opinion
Manus: Market would support Tesloop charging at least $50 to $75
“Why, why would you only price this to cover your costs when I think the market would bear you charging at least 50, at least 50 on the low side and 75 on the high side?”
Jillian Manus Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 12:57 #11 Tesloop
Mar 3, 2025 bullish
Disclosure
Manus: Commits $100,000 at $15M valuation cap to Teamable with caveat
“I'm gonna give you a 100,000 at 15. Okay. Hold on. Okay. There's a caveat here. Okay. If after me, after sitting down with me and having a larger conversation, okay, you feel that I add more value than you expected me to, then you will consider lowering the va…”
Jillian Manus Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 22:19 #12 "I Don't Need Your Money" Teamable
Mar 3, 2025
Assertion Not checkable as stated
Bilizarian: Jillian Manus invested $300K total into Teamable
“I think she committed a hundred K invested personally from her fund whose name I love is called broad strategy. So Jillian, and she also invested 200 K from her fund structure.”
Laura Bilizarian Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 28:24 #12 "I Don't Need Your Money" Teamable
Mar 3, 2025
Assertion Not checkable as stated
Jillian Manus slept on the floor of 16 shelters before rebuilding
“I had a blanket, and I slept on the floor in 16 shelters, so I know it's like to be broken open and have to rebuild yourself”
Jillian Manus Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 3:45 #13 Meet the Investors
Mar 3, 2025 negative
Disclosure
Manus: Passed on Tushy because founder dismissed investor feedback
“And that's the reason I passed, because she kept saying, you're wrong. And after that, I thought, you know what, I know nothing. About this. So there is nothing I'm going to be able to add.”
Jillian Manus Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 24:11 #14 The Ghost of Startups Past: Tushy
Mar 3, 2025 bullish
Disclosure
Manus Commits $100,000 of Her Own Capital During Shift's Pitch
“And I'm gonna put a 100,000 of my money right now.”
Jillian Manus Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 7:45 #15 A Veteran Starts a Startup: Shift
Mar 3, 2025 bullish
Disclosure
Slagh: Structure VC Increased Their Shift Investment to $350,000 After Diligence
“So much so that, that they came up to 350,000 dollars.”
Mike Slagh Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 30:24 #15 A Veteran Starts a Startup: Shift
Mar 3, 2025
Assertion Contradicted
Manus: 30% of Shelter Residents Are Veterans and Veteran Families
“30% of the people in shelters, the families, are vet families and vets themselves.”
Jillian Manus Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 6:52 #15 A Veteran Starts a Startup: Shift
Mar 3, 2025 positive
Assertion Not checkable as stated
Jillian Manus later gave significant money to salon workers who helped her
“And years later, and when I came back into society and I reconnected and I started all over again I actually gave the women a tremendous amount of money.”
Jillian Manus Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 13:33 #17 Investor Spotlight: Jillian Manus
Mar 3, 2025 neutral
Insight
Jillian Manus argues business is built on relationships, not product quality
“I don't care how good your product is. Because that's not what business is built on. Business is built on relationships. That's what business is built on.”
Jillian Manus Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 18:02 #17 Investor Spotlight: Jillian Manus
Mar 3, 2025
Disclosure
Jillian Manus rebuilt her career working as an MTV roller-skating waitress
“So I literally was a roller skating waitress for MTV. I was a switchboard operator on a graveyard chef. I did everything I could to put money together.”
Jillian Manus Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 15:25 #17 Investor Spotlight: Jillian Manus
Mar 3, 2025 positive
Disclosure
Smith: Structure Capital Evaluates Sandbox Commerce's Bridge or Priced Round
“The discussion we're actively having with a structure is You know, do we come in in this round, potentially, or do we come in in your price round in in the first quarter of 2018? And so that's and it's, so that's a, and they've been incredibly responsive. We'v…”
Sterling Smith Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 34:25 #19 Sandbox
Mar 3, 2025 bullish
Disclosure
Altucher Offers to Fill $150k Bridge Round for a Board Seat
“I'd be willing to fill up your round, which I think you said is about, there's about a hundred or a 150 left. So I'd be willing to fill up that round or work with Jillian on filling up that round. And I would require a board seat with some significant voting r…”
James Altucher Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 24:14 #19 Sandbox
Mar 3, 2025 positive
What-if
Manus: All investors would have backed Lunar Wireless at lower valuation
“If you had stayed at 14 or whatever it was we all actually would have gone in.”
Jillian Manus Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 22:48 #22 Investor FOMO: Lunar Wireless
Mar 3, 2025
Assertion Supported
Nadel, Hudson, and Manus finalize $125K investment in Lunar Wireless
“All of the investors have come through. They did their diligence and all of them have written checks. I'm so happy that they were able to do that. Really excited to be able to work with them. Yeah. Yeah. So, 25 from Phil, 50 from Charles, and 50 from Jillian.”
Hunter Rosenblum Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 28:38 #22 Investor FOMO: Lunar Wireless
Mar 3, 2025 bearish
Opinion
Manus: unGlue's product can be replicated quickly by competitors
“See he, it took him, ah, two years to build this, but the fact is, is that he has a small team, and I think this can be replicated pretty fast.”
Jillian Manus Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 19:34 #24 unGlue
Mar 3, 2025 bullish
Disclosure
Jillian Manus commits $100K of personal capital to Rex Animal Health
“I want to commit to this round. Okay. I'm going to say just of my personal money. All right. I'm going to commit a 100,000.”
Jillian Manus Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 19:59 #25 Rex
Mar 3, 2025
Assertion Not checkable as stated
Amado Galoi says Jillian Manus dropped out of the Rex deal
“What was surprising was just a few weeks ago, you know, near the start of the year after, as I was kind of working on closing things with Charles and Phil. I'm like, Hey Jillian, you know, happy new year, blah, blah, blah. Like, you know, are you still interes…”
Amado Guloy Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 23:24 #25 Rex
Mar 3, 2025
Assertion Not checkable as stated
Jillian Manus reveals she was paralyzed from the waist down
“I was paralyzed from my waist down about five years ago. I fell down a flight of stairs, and they didn't think I was going to be able to walk.”
Jillian Manus Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 4:50 #26 Dynofit
Mar 3, 2025 bearish
Disclosure
Manus passes on Dynofit citing lack of software defensibility
“So I'm going to say I'm going to pass for now because I have invested in medical devices and there, and this one seems, even though it's first, as you're saying, it seems it would be easy to replicate which is why I wanted the software component to it, not onl…”
Jillian Manus Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 15:50 #26 Dynofit
Mar 3, 2025 bullish
Disclosure
Jillian Manus personally commits $100,000 and plans firm pitch
“I'm going to come in personally at a 100,000. But what I also am going to do is I'm going to bring this to structure capital because this is so much.”
Jillian Manus Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 20:25 #29 Could This Be the Next Airbnb?
Mar 3, 2025 bullish
Disclosure
Structure Capital offers $250,000 seed investment to ShearShare
“That said we'd like to put 250,000 into your company.”
Jillian Manus Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 31:14 #29 Could This Be the Next Airbnb?
Mar 3, 2025 positive
Opinion
Manus: Xiao Wang checks every box for an early-stage founder
“If you take apart a founder, right, and you take apart a product at the very early stages he checks every single box. And then some.”
Jillian Manus Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 18:54 #32 Is Immigration the Next Venture-Scale Business?
Mar 3, 2025
Insight
Manus: Data shows female founders consistently ask for less venture funding
“But I also, it's very interesting, and this is data, this is not me, this is not my opinion, But interestingly enough, women always ask for less. Women founders always ask for less. It's not a lack of confidence. It is something else, and we're all trying to d…”
Jillian Manus Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 11:27 #34 Can Storytime Become Big Business?
Mar 3, 2025 positive
Insight
Manus: Working mothers are more efficient because parenting forces strict time management
“I think, I actually think people who have children use their time more wisely, women who do, because they really have to. They don't have a choice. And so I really find that time management, interesting enough, for working mothers is Is more efficient. They wo…”
Jillian Manus Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 13:18 #36 When Two Startups Love Each Other Very Much ...
Mar 3, 2025 bearish
Opinion
Jillian Manus: Crowded organic cosmetics market requires standout marketing angle
“Everybody is coming out with an organic makeup, and even though you know it's not organic, the perception of the consumer is one that it's all natural, and there's so many all natural products out there that I'm worried that this cannot rise and to the top wit…”
Jillian Manus Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 16:16 #38 A Beauty Industry Veteran Goes Rogue
Mar 3, 2025 negative
Disclosure
Jillian Manus Reveals She Lost Personal Money Investing in Juicero
“The only time I ever didn't do tech, I, well, it was tech, but it wasn't. It was a company called Juicero. And I invested a lot of my personal money in, and it blew up in my face.”
Jillian Manus Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 18:43 #39 This Pitch is Damn Near Perfect
Mar 3, 2025 bullish
Disclosure
Jillian Manus Commits $50,000 in Personal Capital to Bluffworks
“I'd like to put just 50,000, My own money in, just as a vote of confidence, because I think you're gonna do this and if there's anything in my ecosystem, my own community I can sort of pull in to help you, I will, but in all honesty, but with that 50,000, I wa…”
Jillian Manus Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 19:33 #39 This Pitch is Damn Near Perfect
Mar 3, 2025 neutral
Assertion Supported
Stefan Lobel Reveals That Pitch Investors Dropped Out After Due Diligence
“Michael, Nicole, and Jillian are out, and Charles, I had, we had a difficult time connecting.”
Stefan Lobel Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 35:09 #39 This Pitch is Damn Near Perfect
Mar 3, 2025 bullish
Disclosure
Manus: Commits $150,000 to Shipsi on the show
“I'm going to go in for a 150.”
Jillian Manus Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 17:38 #41 Can This Startup Help Retailers Take on Amazon?
Mar 3, 2025 positive
Assertion Not checkable as stated
Candee: Jillian Manus committed $100K on air but wired $75K
“Jillian said she was in for a 100,000. We did a close on Friday, and The Wire with her name came in for 75 K.”
Cody Candee Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 27:24 #42 How Much Do You Trust Your Barista?
Mar 3, 2025 neutral
Prediction Not checkable as stated
Manus: Candee will abandon Bounce's delivery vision once storage scales
“I think that if he sees that there's a scalable business in just this first part of it, he's going to come to that place himself, but I'm also going to make that part of this conversation.”
Jillian Manus Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 23:03 #42 How Much Do You Trust Your Barista?
Mar 3, 2025 positive
Disclosure
Manus: Reverses her initial pass to invest $100,000 in Bounce
“I'm gonna reverse, because everything we've brought up, everything we've hit you with, you're, you've seen all these different issues, I'm gonna go in for a 100,000.”
Jillian Manus Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 20:04 #42 How Much Do You Trust Your Barista?
Mar 3, 2025 positive
Assertion Not checkable as stated
Candee: Airbnb's General Counsel joins Bounce's funding round
“And, ah, one note there that I'm really excited about actually is Jillian put me in touch with The general counsel of Airbnb. he's actually joining our round, and he put me in touch with the head of insurance.”
Cody Candee Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 25:56 #42 How Much Do You Trust Your Barista?
Mar 3, 2025 bearish
Disclosure
Manus passes on PartySlate over valuation, burn rate, and low revenue
“But I think for the same reason, the valuation's too high the burn is too high, and the revenues are really, really They're too low. High, high, low.”
Jillian Manus Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 17:18 #43 Get This Party Startup in Here
Mar 3, 2025 bearish
Opinion
Manus: Playven's revenue does not justify an $8M valuation
“No, you shouldn't have because your revenue and this does not, ah, represent an eight million dollar valuation.”
Jillian Manus Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 12:53 #44 Is This Sports App the Next OpenTable?
Mar 3, 2025 bearish
Opinion
Manus: Topias Soininen lacks capacity to build a cross-sport platform
“But also, I don't think he has the capacity to build out a platform for all sports across, right, all venues.”
Jillian Manus Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 22:20 #44 Is This Sports App the Next OpenTable?
Mar 3, 2025 positive
What-if
Manus would invest in Playven at a $4M to $4.5M valuation
“If this was at four million, I would definitely come into this, or 4.5.”
Jillian Manus Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 20:14 #44 Is This Sports App the Next OpenTable?
Mar 3, 2025 bullish
Prediction Didn’t hold up
Soininen expects to raise at a valuation above $4M in the fall
“I think you know, we, I believe we can raise money at a bigger valuation than four at this point. We just, you know, need to clarify that focus a little bit and that's what we're doing. So I think, you know, once we show that we'll be able to raise at a bigger…”
Topias Soininen Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 23:19 #44 Is This Sports App the Next OpenTable?
Mar 3, 2025 positive
Assertion Not checkable as stated
Manus: AR is seeing strong industrial adoption, not just entertainment
“And there is a lot being used in industry and AR, not just entertainment manufacturing we're seeing a lot.”
Jillian Manus Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 18:49 #45 Whatever Happened to Virtual Reality?
Mar 3, 2025 neutral
Disclosure
Clark: Jillian Manus declined investing in Atomos after the pitch
“Yeah, so unfortunately, I think Gillian got cold feet even before we had a follow-up call, and so really a week later she sent a very lovely email saying that she just couldn't wrap her head around the industry we're in and that she didn't think that she would…”
Vanessa Clark Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 29:00 #48 Will This Space Startup Make It off the Ground?
Mar 3, 2025 bearish
Insight
Manus: Ticketmaster is hard to integrate with and has long sales cycles
“Just so you know, I've worked with TickMaster a lot. This is not an easy left. Just so you know, it's hard to integrate into their system. It's hard to get in their trust. It's a long sales cycle. It's a long integration cycle. It's a long, it's, there's a lot…”
Jillian Manus Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 14:39 #50 Ticket Scalpers, Beware! Blockchain Is Coming for You.
Mar 3, 2025 bullish
Disclosure
Manus retracts her pass on Cushion and offers to join syndicate
“But I would like to see the lead. So I'm going to hop on the fill on the mic, and maybe it's even the Howie wagon, which is, I'm not going to pass because I've learned so much more, and I've learned that you don't pass prematurely when some of the key parts, w…”
Jillian Manus Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 21:52 #51 This Bot Can Fight Your ATM Fees
Mar 3, 2025 bearish
Disclosure
Manus: Passes on Cushion over early scalability concerns
“So I'm gonna, I'm out. And it's just because I think it's too early for me to really understand how this is going to scale.”
Jillian Manus Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 11:33 #51 This Bot Can Fight Your ATM Fees
Mar 3, 2025 negative
Opinion
Manus: Lack of a patent means no defensibility
“There's no defensibility, really.”
Jillian Manus Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 5:24 After the Pitch: Sudden Coffee
Mar 3, 2025 neutral
Disclosure
Manus: A $100K check cannot justify dedicating full attention to a startup
“When I get involved with a company, ok, and especially one that has such a bold brand, and that is where I want to direct my energy to, but I just for a 100,000 dollars, it's not, I can't say it's not worth my time, but in a lot of ways, I would need much more…”
Jillian Manus Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 17:56 After the Pitch: Sudden Coffee
Mar 3, 2025
Disclosure
Manus: Always looks to invest in two-founder teams
“One of the things I look for is I always look for two founders. Exactly the composition you have here.”
Jillian Manus Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 18:57 After the Pitch: Sudden Coffee
Mar 3, 2025 positive
Insight
Manus: Company names must be easy to spell, pronounce, remember, and translate
“Here's the other tip, that if you can't, your name of your company should be easy to spell, easy to remember, easy to pronounce, preferably easy to translate into another language, and has a personality trait.”
Jillian Manus Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 35:48 #53 Investors Get Feisty at Our Philly Pitch-off
Mar 3, 2025 negative
Insight
Manus: Arriving late when pitching investors is perceived as disrespectful
“When something's really important to me, and I'm asking for money from people, I make sure I'm 10 minutes early. And if I have to make sure I'm half an hour early and sit and wait, I do, because it's, it creates a little, like, it's disrespectful.”
Jillian Manus Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 22:01 ‘It Was a Disaster’
Mar 3, 2025 bullish
Disclosure
Manus: Commits $150,000 personal investment to DogSpot
“I'm going to come in. So I'm thinking for me right now, 150,000.”
Jillian Manus Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 16:50 #58 Park Your Pooch Here
Mar 3, 2025 positive
Assertion Supported
Structure Capital ultimately invested $350K in Shift alongside Phil Nadel's $100K
“Her 100,000 dollar commitment turned into a 350,000 dollar check from Structure Capital, and Phil put in a hundred K as well.”
Josh Muccio Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 20:21 From Startup Novice to Veteran
Mar 3, 2025 positive
Assertion Not publicly verifiable
Structure Capital invested nearly $1M into Shift's subsequent $4M seed round
“In fact, her fund, Structure Capital, put in almost a million dollars in that four million dollar seed round, and that's on top of the 350 K they'd already put in.”
Josh Muccio Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 29:33 From Startup Novice to Veteran
Mar 3, 2025 bullish
Disclosure
Jillian Manus commits $100,000 of her personal capital to Shift
“And I'm gonna put a 100,000 of my money right now.”
Jillian Manus Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 8:03 From Startup Novice to Veteran
Mar 3, 2025 positive
Assertion Not checkable as stated
Ben Walters says frequent price changes increase app engagement without hurting conversion
“What's been so cool is, so what we've seen is in our app, the more times we actually change prices, the more people check into the app to see what prices are. And so it actually increases engagement, and we see conversion rates stay pretty flat, and so when yo…”
Ben Walters Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 13:36 #62 Pivot or Die
Mar 3, 2025 bullish
Disclosure
Jillian Manus offers to invest $100,000 in Feedback
“So, with that, I would like to invest a 100,000, and I know that you're gonna make this huge.”
Jillian Manus Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 21:39 #62 Pivot or Die
Mar 3, 2025 positive
Assertion Not publicly verifiable
Samaritan raised $500,000 of its $1M goal, including $25,000 from Jillian Manus
“He ended up raising 500,000 dollars of the one million he was seeking on our show. 25 K of which came from Jillian.”
Josh Muccio Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 28:14 #63 Can A Startup Solve Homelessness?
Mar 3, 2025 positive
Opinion
Jillian Manus sees no ethical conflict in profiting from homelessness solutions
“I don't see any ethical questions in this case. I see this as investing in hopefully a sustainable business That will provide paths to self-sufficiency and to salvation in many cases for people who've been marginalized and literally passed over, you know, ever…”
Jillian Manus Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 21:55 #63 Can A Startup Solve Homelessness?
Mar 3, 2025 bullish
Disclosure
Manus: Agrees to invest $25K in Hykso syndicate
“Fine, Jillian's gonna be at 25.”
Jillian Manus Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 25:48 FightCamp: A Name Change, A Game Change
Mar 3, 2025 negative
Assertion Not checkable as stated
Jillian Manus passes on User Interviews due to the $15M valuation
“Jillian ended up getting back to me and saying that the price was a little too high for them to participate.”
Dennis Meng Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 27:21 #66 Does Anyone Really Want Your Product?
Mar 3, 2025 bullish
Disclosure
Jillian Manus commits $100,000 angel investment to User Interviews
“So I'd like to commit right now a 100,000 of my own money as an angel.”
Jillian Manus Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 20:11 #66 Does Anyone Really Want Your Product?
Mar 3, 2025 positive
Insight
Manus: Working mothers manage time more efficiently out of necessity
“I think, I actually think people who have children use their time more wisely, women who do, because they really have to, they don't have a, because they don't have a choice.”
Jillian Manus Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 12:03 Fighting the 24/7 Startup Grind
Mar 3, 2025 bullish
Disclosure
Manus commits $100,000 of personal capital to Rex Animal Health
“I want to commit to this round. Okay. I'm going to say just of my personal money. All right. I'm going to commit a 100,000.”
Jillian Manus Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 17:03 I’ve Looked Death in the Eye
Mar 3, 2025 bullish
Disclosure
Jillian Manus offers to invest in Boundless
“I do want to come in, and I want to help you get this done, and I would be honored, actually, to invest in a company that would create a An easier path to fortify the foundation of this country with immigrants, not without immigrants.”
Jillian Manus Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 14:54 When You Grow Too Fast
Mar 3, 2025 negative
Assertion Supported
Muccio: Investors stalled and Phil Nadel passed on Earbuds
“Charles, Michael, and Jillian, they still haven't actually given Jason any money. And Phil, well, he already told Jason he's out.”
Josh Muccio Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 23:29 #70 What Is Michael Phelps Jamming to Right Now?
Mar 3, 2025 positive
Assertion Supported
Manus: LP True Capital represents around 400 top professional athletes
“One of our investors in our fund is called True Capital, and they represent something like 400 of the top professional athletes”
Jillian Manus Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 15:10 #70 What Is Michael Phelps Jamming to Right Now?
Mar 3, 2025 positive
What-if
Jillian Manus would have invested in Tot Squad at lower valuation
“If she had come in, I think we probably would, well, I would have been in, I would have been in, but I think she did not understand, and I'm trying to understand who advised her.”
Jillian Manus Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 18:27 #71 Raising Kids Is Hard. So Is Raising a Startup.
Mar 3, 2025 bearish
Assertion Supported
Jillian Manus Ultimately Passes on Snapshift After Due Diligence
“After the pitch, Jillian and Thor went through due diligence, and she ultimately decided to pass on the deal.”
Josh Muccio Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 22:03 #81 Jillian to the Rescue
Mar 3, 2025 bullish
Disclosure
Jillian Manus Commits to Due Diligence for a SnapShyft Investment
“But with the caveat is, I actually really want to invest. I'd like to do due diligence. I'd like to start down that path. And based on that, it would be what I'd be able to commit as well.”
Jillian Manus Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 17:30 #81 Jillian to the Rescue
Mar 3, 2025 positive
Assertion Not checkable as stated
Ezeugwu: Jillian Manus reaffirmed $25,000 commitment after Berkadia meeting
“Post that meeting with Bercadia, We were in the green, right? Like she was reaffirming that she was committing the 25 K.”
Ofo Ezeugwu Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 26:27 #85 Will Coronavirus Kill This Deal?
Mar 3, 2025 bullish
Disclosure
Manus offers $25,000 of personal capital to Who's Your Landlord
“So I'm going to put 25,000 in. Ok, awesome. Ok, of my own.”
Jillian Manus Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 21:37 #85 Will Coronavirus Kill This Deal?
Mar 3, 2025 positive
Insight
Manus: Startups benefit from a halo anchor partner to build their product
“I often think that if you can have one sort of halo anchor partner, right, to help you build the product, that, that we look for in most of our companies.”
Jillian Manus Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 14:01 #85 Will Coronavirus Kill This Deal?
Mar 3, 2025 negative
Insight
Manus: Platforms must either be completely free or charge a considerable fee
“Sometimes that middle point is the worst point. One dollar, maybe, I mean, one dollar seems ridiculous. It's just not right. You either do free, or you do something considerable.”
Jillian Manus Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 16:50 #85 Will Coronavirus Kill This Deal?
Mar 3, 2025 negative
Opinion
Manus: Who's Your Landlord still lacks clarity on its core product
“I think that the business is yet to understand what it wants to be. I think that Ofo is trying to serve both sides here, and I don't feel that we understand the big product yet.”
Jillian Manus Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 29:27 #85 Will Coronavirus Kill This Deal?
Mar 3, 2025
Insight
Manus: VC investing requires reverse engineering startups from their three-year capacity
“Because I'm starting, with all these businesses, you really invest into the finish line. Right, and so what I'm trying to see when I invest in a business is what it's, has the capacity to be in three years. What it looks like, and then I work backwards from th…”
Jillian Manus Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 29:43 #85 Will Coronavirus Kill This Deal?
Mar 3, 2025 positive
Insight
Manus: Startups building alongside an anchor partner often get acquired by them
“A lot of these companies, I have two right now, they have an anchor, they're building it out, and that anchor's going to buy them.”
Jillian Manus Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 22:51 #85 Will Coronavirus Kill This Deal?
Mar 3, 2025 bullish
Disclosure
Manus Commits $25,000 of Personal Capital to Spot On
“I'm just going to put 25,000 in of my own right now.”
Jillian Manus Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 16:31 #87 Uber for Pets
Mar 3, 2025 neutral
Assertion Not checkable as stated
Manus Dropped $25K Investment Over Legal Conflict of Interest
“She said, I'm going to invest. I want to put in 25,000. So everything was all set. I was just waiting for her to sign the documents. She said she was sending it to her legal team so they can review it really quick. We were all thinking, yay, it's a green light…”
Aparna Srinivasan Mar 3, 2025 ▶ 27:01 #87 Uber for Pets
Mar 4, 2025 positive
Disclosure
The Pitch raised $110K from Jillian Manus, Rob Chesnut, and Elizabeth Yin
“And we raised a 110,000 dollars almost immediately from Jillian Maness, her husband Rob Chestnut, and Elizabeth Yin.”
Josh Muccio Mar 4, 2025 ▶ 6:28 #101 Josh Pitches The Pitch
Mar 4, 2025 bullish
Disclosure
Manus commits $25,000 to Tether's pre-seed round
“I'm going to put 25 in.”
Jillian Manus Mar 4, 2025 ▶ 16:51 #102 Tether: Bodyguard of the Grid
Mar 4, 2025 bullish
Disclosure
Manus offers a $50,000 investment in DotCal
“I might go bigger than this, but right now I'm looking at just investing 50 K.”
Jillian Manus Mar 4, 2025 ▶ 26:56 #106 Dotcal: The Calendar Wars
Mar 4, 2025 positive
Insight
Manus: Terrascope's real value is B2B data licensing, not consumer search
“I think licensing this to industries that are trying to assess these rural properties. From liabilities in terms of, for fire liabilities, right, for building road infrastructure, for urban planning, for, I mean, there are just so many different applications f…”
Jillian Manus Mar 4, 2025 ▶ 18:20 #107 Terrascope: A Computer Vision Tale
Mar 4, 2025 bearish
Opinion
Manus: HandsDown's business model is bouncing around like a pinball machine
“I think the business model is still going through a pinball machine. So I am out.”
Jillian Manus Mar 4, 2025 ▶ 14:28 #110 HandsDown: The Accelerator Pitch
Mar 4, 2025 bearish
Opinion
Jillian Manus: Stigma's $9 million pre-money valuation is very frothy
“I think that nine pre is very, very frothy.”
Jillian Manus Mar 4, 2025 ▶ 16:33 #111 Stigma: Whose Business Is It Anyway?
Mar 4, 2025 bearish
Opinion
Jillian Manus: The era of frothy startup valuations is over
“Especially with capital being so constrained right now, you know, that those days of Frothy valuations are kind of over.”
Jillian Manus Mar 4, 2025 ▶ 19:17 #111 Stigma: Whose Business Is It Anyway?
Mar 4, 2025
Insight
Jillian Manus: Founders should stay silent if they don't know an answer
“Every founder should know, don't say anything. If you don't know something, don't say anything.”
Jillian Manus Mar 4, 2025 ▶ 19:42 #111 Stigma: Whose Business Is It Anyway?
Mar 4, 2025 neutral
Disclosure
Manus: Passing on Natrion Due to Stage and Domain Competency
“This is just too early for me as an angel, and for the fun, given the fact that this is not an area that we feel we have complete competency in. So I am going to pass.”
Jillian Manus Mar 4, 2025 ▶ 23:27 #112 Natrion: The Holy Grail of Battery Tech
Mar 4, 2025 bullish
Disclosure
Jillian Manus Commits $100K to Natrion Alongside Mark Phillips
“I'm gonna take a hundred of your 300.”
Jillian Manus Mar 4, 2025 ▶ 15:00 #112 Natrion: The Holy Grail of Battery Tech
Mar 4, 2025 negative
Disclosure
Manus says five of her six African startup investments failed
“I've actually invested in six companies in Africa. Ok? Five went belly up.”
Jillian Manus Mar 4, 2025 ▶ 14:22 #116 Kimoyo: Is This African Startup Venture Backable?
Mar 4, 2025 positive
Insight
Jillian Manus: Startups with fanatical markets can sell customers anything
“If you have a fanatical market, you could sell them anything.”
Jillian Manus Mar 4, 2025 ▶ 18:19 #121 Ride iQ: Peloton for Horses
Mar 4, 2025 bullish
Disclosure
Jillian Manus initially commits a $50,000 investment in Ride iQ
“I'm in for 50 K.”
Jillian Manus Mar 4, 2025 ▶ 15:47 #121 Ride iQ: Peloton for Horses
Mar 4, 2025 bearish
Disclosure
Jillian Manus passes on Ride iQ, citing a lack of defensibility
“So I'm not gonna invest right now. I feel there's a lack of defensibility here, and I'm not quite sure how you're going to win.”
Jillian Manus Mar 4, 2025 ▶ 23:14 #121 Ride iQ: Peloton for Horses
Mar 4, 2025 neutral
Disclosure
Jillian Manus: Ride iQ deal is off unless valuation cap is $6M
“I'm not gonna do it if it's not six.”
Jillian Manus Mar 4, 2025 ▶ 18:45 #121 Ride iQ: Peloton for Horses
Mar 4, 2025 negative
Opinion
Jillian Manus: Outlines is overly complicated across manufacturing, recovery, and recycling
“I think that this is overly complicated. You are designing, you're manufacturing, you're recovering, you're replenishing, you're recycling. It's a lot. And I would love to see you focus on one thing, or even build almost a SaaS product that's logistics for rep…”
Jillian Manus Mar 4, 2025 ▶ 12:50 #123 Outlines: A Venture-Backed Shower Curtain?
Mar 4, 2025 neutral
Disclosure
Manus Passes on Locker Due to Lack of Domain Expertise
“So I'm out and I'll tell you why. I don't have a grasp of this category in order to add any value or be able to assess it properly.”
Jillian Manus Mar 4, 2025 ▶ 13:01 #125 Locker: The Future of Online Shopping
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