Brad Feld: Startup Boards and Lessons from Four Decades in VC

Brad Feld: Startup Boards and Lessons from Four Decades in VC

Author: Evan Epstein October 1, 2025 Duration: 56:23
Brad Feld is a veteran venture capital investor, co-founder of Foundry and Techstars, and the co-author of Startup Boards, among many other books. We discuss his personal journey, from his early life and entry into VC during the internet boom, to co-founding Techstars and helping build hundreds of startups and their boards. Brad shares insights from Startup Boards and reflects on the importance of board dynamics, effective composition, and the evolving expectations of independent directors.

Ever wonder what really happens behind the closed doors of a corporate board meeting? Boardroom Governance with Evan Epstein pulls up a chair to that table. Each episode is built around a substantive, long-form conversation with a leading voice from the world of corporate oversight-founders who have navigated IPOs, seasoned board directors, institutional investors, legal scholars, and top executives. Evan Epstein guides these discussions beyond the headlines and dry policy to uncover the human dynamics and strategic decisions that define modern governance. You’ll hear firsthand about the evolving pressures on boards, from activist investors and regulatory shifts to technology disruptions and crises of leadership. More than just analysis, this podcast delves into the personal journeys and hard-won insights of the individuals shaping these critical conversations. It’s for anyone curious about the architecture of power, responsibility, and strategy at the highest levels of business. Tune in for a rare, nuanced look at the principles and people steering today’s most influential companies.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Boardroom Governance with Evan Epstein
Podcast Episodes
Leah Solivan: The Entrepreneur's Journey to the Boardroom. [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:14
Leah Solivan is a General Partner at Fuel Capital, a venture capital firm. Prior to that, she was the founder, CEO and Executive Chair at TaskRabbit. Leah scaled the company to 44 cities and raised more than $50 million.…
Amy Banse: On Board Dynamics and Listening Through Company Stages. [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:15
Amy Banse is a Venture Partner at Mosaic General Partnership, a VC firm based in SF Bay Area. She has over 30 years of experience starting, investing in, and building businesses at Comcast and as a board member on numero…
Teresa Johnson: On ESG, Boardroom Diversity, and Truth to Power. [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:35
Terry Johnson is a partner at Arnold & Porter and the current President of the Bar Association of San Francisco and its Justice and Diversity Center. In this episode, we talk about the book on ESG that she co-edited for…