In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Hannah Dittman sits down with Rogers Healy, Founder and CEO of Morrison Seger Venture Capital Partners—a consumer-focused venture firm backing some of the most iconic CPG brands of this generation. Rogers is a serial entrepreneur with over two decades of experience building and scaling businesses, including one of Texas's largest independently owned real estate firms. After years of investing on the side while running his real estate companies, Rogers made the leap to venture capital full time, founding Morrison Seger—named after his two favorite musicians, Van Morrison and Bob Seger—with a mandate rooted in personal conviction, family values, and gut instinct.
Morrison Seger operates through SPVs, writing checks from $500K to $10 million across all stages, with a particular love for beverage. Rogers brings a deeply personal lens to every deal—if he isn't a consumer of the product, his family is. His portfolio includes Waterloo Sparkling Water and Sanzo, among others, and he actively backs brands he believes can earn a place in people's everyday lives.
Hannah and Rogers dig into what it really takes to build a brand investors get excited about, how to navigate the founder-investor relationship, and what separates the deals Rogers jumps into from the ones he passes on. He also shares hard-won lessons from a long career in entrepreneurship—on communication, patience, staying true to your why, and betting on yourself even when the odds feel stacked against you.
Listen in as they cover:
- Rogers's path from real estate grinder to full-time venture capitalist—and why it took him until 41 to make the leap
- How Morrison Seger was founded, what the name really means, and the SPV model that powers it Investment criteria: personal consumption, family values, check size, and what gets Rogers excited
- Why branding has to pop immediately—and the difference between a brand with real pull and one that's trying too hard
- The stacking-by-stage strategy Rogers uses across verticals like sparkling water and pistachios
- What Rogers looks for in founders: communication, details, presence, and the ability to not act like they're doing you a favor
- Why the founder-investor relationship is like a marriage—and how to do your diligence before you're in too deep
- The questions founders should be asking investors before they sign
- What kills a deal during diligence—and why getting someone's name wrong is a red flag
- Lessons learned: trust your gut, burn the ships, and always ask how you can help
Episode Links:
- Morrison Seger Venture Capital Partners: https://www.morrisonseger.com
- Rogers Healy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rogershealy/
- Rogers Healy on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rogershealy/
- Morrison Seger on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/morrison-seger/
- Morrison Seger on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/morrisonseger/
- Rogers Healy Bio: https://www.morrisonseger.com/rogershealy
- Morrison Seger Portfolio: https://www.morrisonseger.com/portfolio
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Show Links:
- Transcripts of each episode are available on the Transistor platform that hosts our podcast here (click on the episode and toggle to “Transcript” at the top)
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- Questions or comments about the episode? Email Daniel at podcast@startupcpg.com
- Episode music by Super Fantastics
