“We’re a new breed of VC, having emerged from the creative class.” Introducing Pay Close Attention

Talk to Jay Kossifos for a while, and it becomes clear that he likes to build things. His venture studio, Pay Close Attention (PCA), is a testament to that drive. At PCA, Kossifos works with brand, strategy and investment to shake-up established brands and bring new ones to life. PCA is neither just a brand studio nor just a venture capital firm – instead, it’s a considered blend of the two that was born as a response to the gaps Kossifos saw in how brands were being built, scaled and funded. “I knew there was a smarter, faster, and more culture-driven way to build and scale brands,” Kossifos tells us. Here, in this conversation, he takes us back to the founding of the studio. Along the way, he also unpacks what sets PCA apart, the biggest mistakes founders make, and why cultural relevance isn’t about chasing trends, but about defining them. RB: Hi, Jay! How have things been at your end?