Sponsored by FotoLab Studio AI (Best AI Headshot Generator) and Signs and Mirrors (A-Frame Signs for retail businesses)—the companies I’m working on now. Jacob Mullins details his journey from founding consumer product startups to working at Microsoft, VentureBeat, and eventually joining Shasta Ventures. We discuss building a CPG startup, merging it via a “reverse IPO,” launching ExitRound for M&A deals under $100M, and being an early employee at VentureBeat.