Founder-First VC: Equity, Access & Real Signals

General Partner Christina Quinn (SSC Venture Partners) sits down with Adam W. Barney to move beyond the panel talk and into practice: which signals actually earn a second meeting, how to translate messy early traction into credible proof, and concrete ways funds and founders can widen the on-ramp for underrepresented builders...without performative theater.

In this episode:

• Signals VCs trust: customer pull, learning velocity, and the right kind of focus
• Noise to ignore: vanity metrics, bloated roadmaps, and “partnerships” that aren’t
• Equity → operations: process changes that expand access (deal flow, diligence, support)
• Deck clarity: the 6-slide path that respects everyone’s energy and still lands the point
• EnergyOS move: one weekly habit to protect momentum while fundraising

3 takeaways you can use today

1. Clarity > volume. Lead with one sharp problem, one real customer proof, one next milestone.
2. Access needs a system. Make inclusion a process, not a press release—change sourcing and the first-meeting gate.
3. Protect your energy. Schedule your recharge/review loop before you ship; it’s how you keep signal high for the long game.

Guest

• Christina Quinn, General Partner - SSC Venture Partners

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinamquinn/

• Firm: https://sscventurepartners.com/

• Email: christina@sscventurepartners.com

Host

Adam W. Barney - Transition Leadership Coach & host of Is Anything Real?, the Reality-First Leadership show for builders who optimize for proof over theater.

👉 Book a 20-min Foundation Call: https://calendly.com/adamwbarney/foundation-call-20min

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Chapters

00:00 Why founder-first still wins

02:11 Real signals vs. theater

07:08 Equity into operations

12:45 Turning early traction into proof

18:10 Deck clarity and decision hygiene

23:40 EnergyOS habit for momentum

26:55 Next steps for founders