E117: Kristina Chapple: 11 Tribes VC
From Female VC Lab by Barbara Bickham
September 19, 2025 · 18 min · Season 2 · Episode 116
About this episode
Kristina Chapple discusses her venture capital journey and the importance of founder well-being in business success.
In this episode of the Female VC Lab podcast, host Barbara Bickham sits down with Kristina Chapple, General Partner at 11 Tribes VC. Kristina shares her journey into venture capital, driven by a passion for supporting founders beyond just financial returns. She discusses 11 Tribes’ unique thesis: investing not only in business outcomes but also in founder well-being, allocating capital specifically for founder resilience initiatives such as coaching, therapy, and even marriage counseling. Kristina dives into why a founder’s personal health, relationships, and identity are crucial for long-term business success, and how 11 Tribes underwrites for sustainable, middle-market exits rather than chasing billion-dollar unicorns. The conversation touches on industry shifts, with founders raising less and pursuing earlier, impactful exits. Kristina also shares her current reading—Katherine Graham’s autobiography—and reflects on identity and confidence themes that resonate both with her work and personal growth. Tune in for an insightful look at how venture capital can evolve to truly put founders first, and why “founder outcome” might just be the next big metric in investment success.
People in this episode
Host: Barbara Bickham
Guest: Kristina Chapple
Topics covered
- venture capital
- founder well-being
- investment strategies
- personal health
- business success
- sustainable exits
Keywords
- venture capital
- founder resilience
- coaching
- therapy
- marriage counseling
- sustainable exits
- Katherine Graham
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: 11 Tribes VC
Books & works: Katherine Graham’s autobiography
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