Consumer products: We invest in early-stage consumer businesses. Seed investors: We aim to provide companies' first institutional capital. Minority investors: We typically acquire large minority stakes. Talent pools: We focus on talent-rich geographies in the US, UK and India. Operational partners: We invest our time in addition to our capital.
Selection Criteria
We love working with founders who have a strong thesis on what, why, and how their companies are trying to execute, yet who are receptive to our talent-focused playbook. We value clear vision, adaptability, thirst for knowledge, and ability to attract and retain high-performance talent
We prioritize business models that can rapidly scale in a capital efficient manner and win with data over code. We respect businesses with long-term customers and high margins. Our consumer investments favor customer acquisition through performance marketing and smart inventory models
We believe in businesses bringing industry leading solutions to large addressable markets. In general, we prefer markets that are not “winner takes all.” Categories in which we have recently invested include interior design, men’s grooming, women’s health, everyday apparel, and functional beverages
We are excited by businesses with demonstrated revenue and high sequential growth. For companies yet to generate revenue, we look for other indicators of positive momentum, such as usage and customer satisfaction
Playbook
Our team of executive search specialists provides founders with access to high-performing talent from top management consulting, investment banking and private equity firms
Our team of expert practitioners uses data science and process expertise to help founders build a data- driven culture
Our team of designers, developers and marketing experts provides founders with branding, marketing, and website development services
Our team of business analysts and chartered accountants provides founders with bookkeeping, reporting, business intelligence and financial modelling services
People
Chairman and Founding Partner, Miami
Before founding Guild Capital in 2009, Iain was a venture capitalist with Technology Crossover Ventures, where he undertook investments spanning consumer internet, business process outsourcing, and software. Prior to venture capital, Iain was a management consultant with Bain & Company. Iain hails from Glasgow, Scotland.
Iain holds an M.A. in International Business from the University of Edinburgh (Scotland)
Chief Operating Officer, Los Angeles
Before joining Guild, Max was an Associate Partner at McKinsey & Company and held leadership positions in early-stage startups. He coordinates Guild’s identification of investment opportunities, provides strategic assistance to portfolio company management teams, and oversees Guild's platform support functions.
Max holds an M.B.A. from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, where he was a Palmer Scholar, and a B.A. in Business Administration from the University of St. Gallen (Switzerland)
Chief Financial Officer, Los Angeles
Before joining Guild, Harrison was a project leader at the Boston Consulting Group. He oversees Guild's finance, IR, and legal functions, coordinates investment due diligence, and provides strategic assistance to portfolio company management teams.
Harrison holds a J.D. from Harvard Law School and an A.B. in mathematical economics from Brown University. He is a member of the State Bar of California and a CFA® charterholder
Vice President, Los Angeles
Before joining Guild, Eric was a Vice President at TELEO Capital, an operationally focused middle market private equity firm and investment banking Associate at J.P. Morgan. He specializes in identifying investment opportunities and provides strategic assistance to portfolio company management teams.
Eric holds an M.B.A. from Columbia Business School and a B.A. in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania. He is a CFA® charterholder
Chief of Staff, New York
Before joining Guild, Ben was a management consultant at McKinsey & Company and a rotational fellow at McKinsey's think tank on business and economics research (McKinsey Global Institute - MGI). He specializes in identifying investment opportunities, provides strategic assistance to portfolio company management teams, and serves as Chief of Staff to Guild’s Chairman.
Ben holds a First Class Degree in Economics (Hons) and Mathematics from the University of Melbourne (Australia)
Head of People & Talent, Los Angeles
Before joining Guild, Alex was an executive search specialist at True Search and GOAT Group after spending time as a management consultant at Bain & Company, and as an Analyst within Creative Artists Agency (CAA)'s Venture Capital fund. Alex oversees Argyle, Guild’s team of executive search specialists.
Alex holds an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School and a B.A. in Econ-Accounting and Psychology from Claremont McKenna College
People
Senior Vice President, Mumbai
Before joining Guild, Mrinalini was a Private Equity investor at Partner’s Group, a founder of an edtech startup, and an investment banker at Merrill Lynch. She coordinates Guild’s identification of investment opportunities in India and provides strategic assistance to portfolio company management teams.
Mrinalini holds an M.B.A. from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, where she was a Palmer Scholar, and a B.A. in Business Administration from the University of Southern California, where she was an Emma Bovard Scholar
Senior Vice President, Mumbai
Before joining Guild, Ram was a Senior Director at Optum Global Solutions (Part of UnitedHealth Group) and an Engagement Manager at McKinsey & Company. He specializes in identifying investment opportunities and provides strategic assistance to portfolio company management teams.
Ram holds an M.B.A in Finance and Economics from the Indian Institute of Management (India) and a B.Com. in Banking and Finance from the University of Rajasthan (India). He is a Chartered Accountant
Vice President, Mumbai
Before joining Guild, Chirag was an Associate Director at the edtech startup Byju, and a management consultant at the Boston Consulting Group. He specializes in identifying investment opportunities and provides strategic assistance to portfolio company management teams.
Chirag holds an M.B.A from The Kelley School of Business of Indiana University and a B.E. in Mechanical Engineering from Thapar University (India)
Vice President, Bangalore
Before joining Guild, Samiksha was a General Manager at Swiggy, a management consultant at the Boston Consulting Group, and an Analyst at the IFC and J.P. Morgan. She specializes in the operationalization of Guild's data-driven playbook across the portfolio.
Samiksha holds an M.B.A from the Indian School of Business (India) and a B.Tech. in Manufacturing Science and Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (India).
Vice President, Bangalore
Before joining Guild, Kushal was a Senior Manager at Allen Digital, BYJU’s US business, and a management consultant at Bain & Company. He specializes in the operationalization of Guild's data-driven playbook across the portfolio.
Kushal holds an M.B.A. from the Indian Institute of Management (India) and a B.Tech. in Mechanical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (India).
Vice President, Bangalore
Before joining Guild, Ayushi was an Engagement Manager at McKinsey & Company and an Associate Consultant at ZS. She specializes in the operationalization of Guild's data-driven playbook across the portfolio.
Ayushi holds an M.B.A from the Indian School of Business (India) and a B.Eng. in Computer Engineering from Mumbai University (India).
Chief Design Officer, Mumbai
Before joining Guild, Shreya led design at Upstox and was a graphic designer at Trip and Channel V. She oversees design thinking at Guild and is defining development & design principles at Houndstooth by Atidiv, an award-winning creative studio.
Shreya holds a B.Des in Visual Communication from MIT Institute of Design in Pune (India)
