Riding Unicorns: Mike Jones, Founding Partner @ Science

In this episode we're joined by Mike Jones, Managing Partner at Science Inc., a trailblazing venture studio behind breakout brands like Dollar Shave Club, Liquid Death, and DogVacay (merged with Rover).

Mike is one of LA’s most prolific entrepreneurs and investors. From turning around MySpace to co-founding and investing in over 150 companies, his career is filled with pivotal lessons on operating, scaling, and backing iconic consumer brands.

We dive deep into:

• 🚀 How Mike transitioned from founder to turnaround CEO to VC

• 🧠 His three phases of leadership: micromanager, manager through people, and board-level strategist

• 🔍 What he looks for in early-stage consumer brands

• 💡 The signals that made Liquid Death and Dollar Shave Club stand out

• 🧪 Why he loves the studio model and how it works behind the scenes

• 📉 Hard lessons from ventures that didn’t go to plan — and how to know when to pivot

• 🛠️ The biggest distribution mistake consumer founders make

• 🧬 How AI is transforming the way he builds and backs companies

• 🧭 The trends he's most excited about — from AI legal to loneliness-driven consumer experiences

This is a masterclass in consumer investing, venture building, and founder psychology. 

Please forward this newsletter to friends and colleagues that you think might be interested in being kept up to date on the latest news in the world of tech, venture capital, business and high growth unicorns.

Have a great Wednesday,

The Riding Unicorns Team