Episode 43: Eugene Khabensky from Diageo on what level of detail you should present when pitching to investors, and which part of the pitch process is incredibly important, yet often overlooked.
Hey Hey Movers and Shakers, it’s your host April Wachtel, and today I’m excited to present a special episode on startup investing, and pitching your business.
Some of you may know, I am the Education Director for the Enthuse Foundation, and we work with women founders in food, beverage, and CPG. We’re currently accepting applications for our Second Annual Pitch Competition in November- first prize is $5000 dollars plus marketing services, and digital tools for your business, so for any interested founders, please check out enthusefoundationpitchcompetition.org for more info. We’re accepting applications until October 15th, so check it out!
Now onto the interview. Today’s guest is Eugene Khabensky, Director of Business Development and Ventures at Diageo. Eugene specializes in finance, strategy, commercial insights, and business development, so I was excited to pick his brain on how he evaluates businesses for potential investment. In his tenure at Diageo, he has worked on many exciting projects and acquisitions including Diageo’s acquisition of Casamigos Tequila. In his current role, Eugene oversees the Diageo relationship with the Distill Ventures program in North America where he brings a comprehensive cross functional view to unlocking brand acceleration and building successful plans for growth.
In this interview, Eugene gives some great insights on what Diageo is looking for in potential investments, what level of detail you should present depending on the stage of your business, and which part of the pitch process is incredibly important, yet often overlooked.
I’m appreciative for Eugene’s time, and hope this interview helps founders prepare for the competition in November.
Without further ado, please enjoy my conversation with Eugene Khabensky.
Find Eugene on LinkedIn
Find Distill Ventures
www.distillventures.com/
Find Movers and Shakers:
On Instagram as @moverssshakers
Find April:
