Ep#69: The VC Who Got Rejected by YC — Then Built a $300M Company. Rachel ten Brink

Rachel ten Brink spent two decades inside Fortune 500 companies — P&G, Estée Lauder, L’Oréal — before co-founding Scentbird and scaling it past $300M in revenue. She got rejected by YC three times. Today, Scentbird is in their top 2% by revenue. Now she’s a GP at Red Bike Capital, investing in vertical AI, fintech, and digital health.This conversation is about what changes when you’ve been the client, the founder, and the investor — and why that sequence matters more than most people admit.We cover:Why Fortune 500 experience is an underrated training ground for foundersWhat enterprise clients actually evaluate before they say yes — and it’s not your productHow Scentbird pivoted three times before hitting product-market fitThe real cost of fundraising too long — and what to do insteadHow Red Bike Capital helps founders land their first enterprise clientsIf you’re building toward your first enterprise deal, thinking about raising, or just want to understand how operators think differently — this one’s worth your time.Listen: Apple || Spotify || YouTubePresented by DeelIf you’re making your first or fiftieth hire — and doing it across borders — Deel is worth knowing. They’re supporting Startups Decoded this season for good reason. LEARN MORE.Subscribe nowRachel ten BrinkRachel ten Brink is General Partner and co-founder of Red Bike Capital, an early-stage VC fund investing in Vertical AI, Fintech, and Health & Wellness. Previously co-founder and CMO/CRO of Scentbird — a YC-backed subscription she scaled to $300M+ in revenue and top 2% of all YC companies — she spent two decades before that building billion-dollar brands at P&G, Estée Lauder, and L’Oréal.Andy Walsh2× exited founder, brand, growth, GTM, and host of Startups Decoded (500,000 downloads + Top 2% globally).The Studio ​Filmed on location at 28th&Park. A content & production studio for New York’s visionary Builders, Investors, Artists, Musicians, & Creators to amplify their voice & share bold stories. Use the code “Decoded” for 25% off your first booking.Access All AreasListen: Apple || Spotify || YouTubeSubscribe: SubstackConnect: LinkedInWeb: startupsdecoded.comSocials: TikTok || Instagram || XMusic Credit“Neptuno” – Phondupe (Album: Onykia)