Bloomberg Audio Studios, Podcasts, Radio News.

Bloomberg Audio Studios, Podcasts, Radio News.

Hi, I'm Jason Kelly. I'm Alex Rodriguez, and welcome to the deal. Coming up today, Josh Richards. Alex, you're pretty influential. I would argue this guy is more influential millions and millions of followers on social media. He's going to talk to us all about how to build an audience.

Hi, I'm Jason Kelly. I'm Alex Rodriguez, and welcome to the deal. Coming up today, Josh Richards. Alex, you're pretty influential. I would argue this guy is more influential millions and millions of followers on social media. He's going to talk to us all about how to build an audience.

It's incredible.

It's incredible.

I mean you talk about not only is he more influential, he's probably like seven eight times more.

I mean you talk about not only is he more influential, he's probably like seven eight times more.

This is how the new stars are going to look like.

This is how the new stars are going to look like.

And I would not be surprised if NFL and will be based ball NBA hires someone like Josh to help them understand what the audience wants.

And I would not be surprised if NFL and will be based ball NBA hires someone like Josh to help them understand what the audience wants.

He knows it as well as anyone.

He knows it as well as anyone.

He's been incredibly aggressive as an entrepreneur and as a partner. He's partnered with Dave Portnoy, He's partner with Mark Wahlberg. He, like you, has gone out and found incredible mentors. He's going to tell us how he is building an empire.

He's been incredibly aggressive as an entrepreneur and as a partner. He's partnered with Dave Portnoy, He's partner with Mark Wahlberg. He, like you, has gone out and found incredible mentors. He's going to tell us how he is building an empire.

Can't wait?

Can't wait?

All right, coming up, Josh Richards. All right, so introduce yourself and tell us what you do.

All right, coming up, Josh Richards. All right, so introduce yourself and tell us what you do.

Yeah, my name is Josh Richards. And I do social media, and I'm also an entrepreneur.

Yeah, my name is Josh Richards. And I do social media, and I'm also an entrepreneur.

That undersells it, grossly undersells it. You're highly influential, you know. We like to talk about signature deals on this show. A lot of people know you through your Barstool podcast. Let's start there, because that is a deal that, at least for a lot of us, kind of comes out of nowhere. I think we have a little bit of knowledge of the backstory. You got to share that with us.

That undersells it, grossly undersells it. You're highly influential, you know. We like to talk about signature deals on this show. A lot of people know you through your Barstool podcast. Let's start there, because that is a deal that, at least for a lot of us, kind of comes out of nowhere. I think we have a little bit of knowledge of the backstory. You got to share that with us.

Yeah, yeah, So that really started when I had made a disc track on past friend of mine on social media, so we were just playing fun, made this song and it accumulated like one hundred million streams across platforms. Blew up was treading on Twitter, and that was the first time Dave Portnoy had seen TikTokers on social media. So he tweets out and he goes, why these wiggled showing up on my feet and so instantly, being a fan of Dave previously, like growing up watching his content and watching Barstool, I was like, Okay, I got to get into contact with this guy, like I know he'll like keep going with it if like I can get him on a live or do something so we end up getting in contact with him. We go live on Instagram. We end up having I want to say, ninety to one hundred thousand concurrens watching this stream of me and Dave because just like you guys said, it's like this is out of nowhere. Why is Josh Richards and Dave Portnoy making content together? And we did that live. I explained all the drama to him, and me and him were going back and forth, cracking jokes. We were charismatic, we were able to flow with each other. We were able to go back and forth. And we started getting hit up by different companies about putting on a show, and Snapchat was one that reached out and they were like, oh, would you and Dave want to do like a segmented show every single week? So I get on a call with Dave.

Yeah, yeah, So that really started when I had made a disc track on past friend of mine on social media, so we were just playing fun, made this song and it accumulated like one hundred million streams across platforms. Blew up was treading on Twitter, and that was the first time Dave Portnoy had seen TikTokers on social media. So he tweets out and he goes, why these wiggled showing up on my feet and so instantly, being a fan of Dave previously, like growing up watching his content and watching Barstool, I was like, Okay, I got to get into contact with this guy, like I know he'll like keep going with it if like I can get him on a live or do something so we end up getting in contact with him. We go live on Instagram. We end up having I want to say, ninety to one hundred thousand concurrens watching this stream of me and Dave because just like you guys said, it's like this is out of nowhere. Why is Josh Richards and Dave Portnoy making content together? And we did that live. I explained all the drama to him, and me and him were going back and forth, cracking jokes. We were charismatic, we were able to flow with each other. We were able to go back and forth. And we started getting hit up by different companies about putting on a show, and Snapchat was one that reached out and they were like, oh, would you and Dave want to do like a segmented show every single week? So I get on a call with Dave.

We have.

We have.

An hour call scheduled. I believe we're about two minutes into this call, and I've pitched on, oh, Snapchat wants to do show, and he's like, all right, I don't want to do a show with Snapchat. We're like, okay, well, we got fifty eight minutes left here. And the whole pitch of this call is already toast, right, so we kind of start just spitballing random ideas and we're like, all right. I had a show at the time called Tea Talk where on my YouTube I would go through all the drama that was online and I'd kind of like poke light at it and make fun of it. So I thought, why not just kind of take what we did with the live stream and combine that with the Tea Talk, and let's just make a podcast where we talk about all the drama going on in gen z and social media and I'll explain it to you. It'll be this really cool co viewing opportunity where kids can watch with their parents. Right, kids are always trying to explain what's going on social media their parents. Their parents aren't quite getting it. They get to watch Dave and be like, I relate to that guy, and then people that are my age and younger you get to watch me and Brie and be like, oh, well, I relate to them. So it created this really cool experience and it made a lot of people say like, what, why are these two together? And I think that's a reaction that myself and my company have really looked at as that means you're doing something right when people are asking why, when people are starting to get intrigued. I mean that means you're on the forefront of something really special.

An hour call scheduled. I believe we're about two minutes into this call, and I've pitched on, oh, Snapchat wants to do show, and he's like, all right, I don't want to do a show with Snapchat. We're like, okay, well, we got fifty eight minutes left here. And the whole pitch of this call is already toast, right, so we kind of start just spitballing random ideas and we're like, all right. I had a show at the time called Tea Talk where on my YouTube I would go through all the drama that was online and I'd kind of like poke light at it and make fun of it. So I thought, why not just kind of take what we did with the live stream and combine that with the Tea Talk, and let's just make a podcast where we talk about all the drama going on in gen z and social media and I'll explain it to you. It'll be this really cool co viewing opportunity where kids can watch with their parents. Right, kids are always trying to explain what's going on social media their parents. Their parents aren't quite getting it. They get to watch Dave and be like, I relate to that guy, and then people that are my age and younger you get to watch me and Brie and be like, oh, well, I relate to them. So it created this really cool experience and it made a lot of people say like, what, why are these two together? And I think that's a reaction that myself and my company have really looked at as that means you're doing something right when people are asking why, when people are starting to get intrigued. I mean that means you're on the forefront of something really special.

I think so and you and Brie remind us who Brie is? How you guys got together?

I think so and you and Brie remind us who Brie is? How you guys got together?

Yes, so Breed Chicken Fry. She is the other host of the podcast, and we had come across her. She was already an employee at Barstool. She had been doing her own podcast, and we had felt like me and Dave had a good dynamic, but there was something missing. We needed another point of view. We needed someone else. I was gonna kind of bringing an imposing side because a lot of times me and Dave would agree with each other. So we cycled through a couple of the people at Barstool, trying out different talent, seeing who would work out, and when Breed came on, it just fit. I think having that female perspective is huge, especially because a lot of my audience is female. I think having someone that was quick and witty and was able to, you know, hang with us at the same time. She was really the perfect fit. And I think that's what truly made BFFs a really, really good show, is having all of us four years in.

Yes, so Breed Chicken Fry. She is the other host of the podcast, and we had come across her. She was already an employee at Barstool. She had been doing her own podcast, and we had felt like me and Dave had a good dynamic, but there was something missing. We needed another point of view. We needed someone else. I was gonna kind of bringing an imposing side because a lot of times me and Dave would agree with each other. So we cycled through a couple of the people at Barstool, trying out different talent, seeing who would work out, and when Breed came on, it just fit. I think having that female perspective is huge, especially because a lot of my audience is female. I think having someone that was quick and witty and was able to, you know, hang with us at the same time. She was really the perfect fit. And I think that's what truly made BFFs a really, really good show, is having all of us four years in.

That's amazing four years in. Yeah. Did you say her name is Breed Chicken Fry.

That's amazing four years in. Yeah. Did you say her name is Breed Chicken Fry.

Yeah, so it's great man. Yeah, she had liked the chicken fry snacks, so she had called her usally Breonna Chicken Fry. And it's kind of just there you go. Yeah, it stuck, all right.

Yeah, so it's great man. Yeah, she had liked the chicken fry snacks, so she had called her usally Breonna Chicken Fry. And it's kind of just there you go. Yeah, it stuck, all right.

So let's go back even further because before you get to BFFs, as you mentioned, you're creating highly successful YouTube channel, you're also building an empire from a pretty early age.

So let's go back even further because before you get to BFFs, as you mentioned, you're creating highly successful YouTube channel, you're also building an empire from a pretty early age.

Why.

Why.

Yeah, Yeah, I've said this a little bit before, but I've been touched on a lot. Ever since I was really young. I had always had this like calling or feeling where I was like, I know the name Josh Richards will be known, and I used to pray about it before I would go to bed every single night. And you know, when I was three or four, I thought I was going to be a superhero. I thought I was gonna be Ben ten Right. That same notion of like the name Josh Richers will we know never left me. Went from that to being oh, I'm gonna be a pro hockey player. I'm gonna be an NHL player, and then oh, I'm going to be a professional across player and then oh, I'm going to use my love for hockey and create a hockey shirt company and I'll have the biggest apparel brand in hockey and that will bring my name, Josh Richards around, And it just kind of kept going and going and going into one day, my sister had asked me to go in a video with her on this app called Musically, and so she has this little like dance rou team we're gonna do and I was like, okay, cool, let's do this. And I'm thirteen, I just finished my eighth grade of school and she's twelve, and so we do this little video into us. It blows up, running around the house, We're yelling and screaming. It got like fifty likes, I think, but to us that was viue. We were like, oh my goodness, we don't even know fifty people. So we go and I look at the comments and there's like two or three of the comments that are like, hey, what's his username? And they're from girls, and I'm like kind of feeling myself now, I'm like, all right, I got to make myself one of these accounts. So I make one and very quickly kind of go about it in an entrepreneurial spirit. I had started a couple different brands in my neighborhood. If that was like a lacrosse brand where I would string sticks and dye the mesh and wax coate it so is waterproof and when you were playing in the rain, your pocket consistency stayed the same. Or I had a hockey shirt company with different slogans where we'd go to tournaments. So right away I was like, oh, is there a way to make money off this? Like how can I turn this into a business? And so me and my sister found the live component of the app where you could go live, and much like Twitch today, that's like one of the biggest platforms. You'll go live and people will subscribe or send donos. And not only were they able to do that on this platform when I was going live as well, but there was actually a list that showed you the top two hundred spending customers every single day, so the people that were donating the most. So I was sitting there at thirteen, like, well this is silly, Like why do I need ten million followers when I can have the top two hundred spenders every single day, just kind of go direct to consumer. So I had my sister bring out the iPad. She'd sit beside me, and I put on our fifteen percent commission based salary, and she'd sit beside me and she'd go through that list of two hundred people logged into my account, follow every single one of them, like fifteen other videos. They'd get sixteen notifications from a random Josh Richard's kid. They'd see him live because my profile would be blinking. They'd be like, oh, all right, let me go check it out. They'd come into the live. I'd know it was one of them because their user names were highlighted and read because I just followed them, so I would give him actual attention, be like, Yo, what's up.

Yeah, Yeah, I've said this a little bit before, but I've been touched on a lot. Ever since I was really young. I had always had this like calling or feeling where I was like, I know the name Josh Richards will be known, and I used to pray about it before I would go to bed every single night. And you know, when I was three or four, I thought I was going to be a superhero. I thought I was gonna be Ben ten Right. That same notion of like the name Josh Richers will we know never left me. Went from that to being oh, I'm gonna be a pro hockey player. I'm gonna be an NHL player, and then oh, I'm going to be a professional across player and then oh, I'm going to use my love for hockey and create a hockey shirt company and I'll have the biggest apparel brand in hockey and that will bring my name, Josh Richards around, And it just kind of kept going and going and going into one day, my sister had asked me to go in a video with her on this app called Musically, and so she has this little like dance rou team we're gonna do and I was like, okay, cool, let's do this. And I'm thirteen, I just finished my eighth grade of school and she's twelve, and so we do this little video into us. It blows up, running around the house, We're yelling and screaming. It got like fifty likes, I think, but to us that was viue. We were like, oh my goodness, we don't even know fifty people. So we go and I look at the comments and there's like two or three of the comments that are like, hey, what's his username? And they're from girls, and I'm like kind of feeling myself now, I'm like, all right, I got to make myself one of these accounts. So I make one and very quickly kind of go about it in an entrepreneurial spirit. I had started a couple different brands in my neighborhood. If that was like a lacrosse brand where I would string sticks and dye the mesh and wax coate it so is waterproof and when you were playing in the rain, your pocket consistency stayed the same. Or I had a hockey shirt company with different slogans where we'd go to tournaments. So right away I was like, oh, is there a way to make money off this? Like how can I turn this into a business? And so me and my sister found the live component of the app where you could go live, and much like Twitch today, that's like one of the biggest platforms. You'll go live and people will subscribe or send donos. And not only were they able to do that on this platform when I was going live as well, but there was actually a list that showed you the top two hundred spending customers every single day, so the people that were donating the most. So I was sitting there at thirteen, like, well this is silly, Like why do I need ten million followers when I can have the top two hundred spenders every single day, just kind of go direct to consumer. So I had my sister bring out the iPad. She'd sit beside me, and I put on our fifteen percent commission based salary, and she'd sit beside me and she'd go through that list of two hundred people logged into my account, follow every single one of them, like fifteen other videos. They'd get sixteen notifications from a random Josh Richard's kid. They'd see him live because my profile would be blinking. They'd be like, oh, all right, let me go check it out. They'd come into the live. I'd know it was one of them because their user names were highlighted and read because I just followed them, so I would give him actual attention, be like, Yo, what's up.

What's up.

What's up.

They'd end up sending gifts and me and myself would be like nice, got him. And so then we kept doing that, and we like did that in my parents' basement for a year or two years, just starting to make like really good money and.

They'd end up sending gifts and me and myself would be like nice, got him. And so then we kept doing that, and we like did that in my parents' basement for a year or two years, just starting to make like really good money and.

What's real money.

What's real money.

We were at probably after the first month, we were doing like six hundred dollars a week. I'm like thirteen years old, right, So we were sitting there like Wow, we're we are raking it in. We're set for life, like we were blown away. And I remember my dad comes to me one day because all this money is going from the app, threw his PayPal into my bank account, so he's getting a notification every time, and you know, it happens a couple of times. I think it was probably the third week we're doing it, and he comes up and he's like, all right, I get it, you're in high school, but drugs and selling drugs, that's just not the end. I'm like that, no, no, no, no, that's not what it is. That's not what it is. So I have to explain him what social media is and going live and he's like, all right, I'm not sure I really understand, but they're making great money, so keep it up, you know. And so then he started diving deep into social media. And I always credit my parents because I wouldn't be here without them. They were my biggest supporters through everything from the early companies I tried to do. They would, you know, buy the blank T shirts and give me one hundred yard mess school for the cross thing. And then as soon as I started doing social media, my dad was and mom We're both like, all right, we need to know everything we can about this. We need to learn as much as we can. Oh, I'll take a day off of work, Josh to fly you to this event in Washington so that you can go and collab with other creators. And there were all these little things that you know, they didn't really have to do, but they were just the most supportive parents in the world and allowed me to follow the stream at a young age and go to the United States, go to different countries when I was younger and should be in school. Like they believed in me and believed in what I was doing. So yeah, really really huge props.

We were at probably after the first month, we were doing like six hundred dollars a week. I'm like thirteen years old, right, So we were sitting there like Wow, we're we are raking it in. We're set for life, like we were blown away. And I remember my dad comes to me one day because all this money is going from the app, threw his PayPal into my bank account, so he's getting a notification every time, and you know, it happens a couple of times. I think it was probably the third week we're doing it, and he comes up and he's like, all right, I get it, you're in high school, but drugs and selling drugs, that's just not the end. I'm like that, no, no, no, no, that's not what it is. That's not what it is. So I have to explain him what social media is and going live and he's like, all right, I'm not sure I really understand, but they're making great money, so keep it up, you know. And so then he started diving deep into social media. And I always credit my parents because I wouldn't be here without them. They were my biggest supporters through everything from the early companies I tried to do. They would, you know, buy the blank T shirts and give me one hundred yard mess school for the cross thing. And then as soon as I started doing social media, my dad was and mom We're both like, all right, we need to know everything we can about this. We need to learn as much as we can. Oh, I'll take a day off of work, Josh to fly you to this event in Washington so that you can go and collab with other creators. And there were all these little things that you know, they didn't really have to do, but they were just the most supportive parents in the world and allowed me to follow the stream at a young age and go to the United States, go to different countries when I was younger and should be in school. Like they believed in me and believed in what I was doing. So yeah, really really huge props.

So then how soon into that journey are you like, Okay, I'm in it. This is going to be my life. I am devoting myself to this. I am following candidly a pretty well tried path, like I'm moving to LA like I'm doing it. Like when did it sort of flip for you?

So then how soon into that journey are you like, Okay, I'm in it. This is going to be my life. I am devoting myself to this. I am following candidly a pretty well tried path, like I'm moving to LA like I'm doing it. Like when did it sort of flip for you?

Yeah?

Yeah?

After two years of being on social media is really when I think I decided like, no, I can. I could turn this into something full time. I could really turn this into a media empire, build companies off of this and continue to grow and grow in my own social as well. So after those two years I started to make some friends in the social media world. We decided we were going to go on a tour, so we had gotten altogether, had this person that was repping the tour and kind of managing it. We did I believe, thirty cities across the United States, and that was the moment I think I was first able to see you know, I come from a small town fifteen thousand and sixteen thousand people, and everyone already knew me before I did social media, So there wasn't this like rise to fame I felt or anything like that in my town. If anything, it was the opposite, because I was doing something different and new, right. It was more like, oh, this loser doing social media. So that was the first time I'd ever seen faces to these people commenting and liking my content. And that's really when I was like, holy cow, there's really something here.

After two years of being on social media is really when I think I decided like, no, I can. I could turn this into something full time. I could really turn this into a media empire, build companies off of this and continue to grow and grow in my own social as well. So after those two years I started to make some friends in the social media world. We decided we were going to go on a tour, so we had gotten altogether, had this person that was repping the tour and kind of managing it. We did I believe, thirty cities across the United States, and that was the moment I think I was first able to see you know, I come from a small town fifteen thousand and sixteen thousand people, and everyone already knew me before I did social media, So there wasn't this like rise to fame I felt or anything like that in my town. If anything, it was the opposite, because I was doing something different and new, right. It was more like, oh, this loser doing social media. So that was the first time I'd ever seen faces to these people commenting and liking my content. And that's really when I was like, holy cow, there's really something here.

Yeah.

Yeah.

So we finished the tour. We end up in a pretty tough situation where us as kids, we hadn't signed anything. We had kind of done all these handshake deals with these people running the tour, and we all get screwed out of a bunch of money. The tour did really well for them. We were doing like two thousand people, sold out shows every single place we went. On top of that, we do dinners and VIP things and all these different things where people would select to their favorite fans or their favorite person to see what was So you were supposed to get that cut and I think I got seven hundred dollars by the end of it. Like it was like it didn't even cover the hotels, you know what I mean, like or the food that we had to go and get. So it was a tough situation and it was a learning one that I you know, I'm glad happened early, because right then I was like, all right, this is a wild West. Social media is new. No one's paying attention, like in the sense of protecting the creator. There's no at this point, there's no w MECAA. They're not coming to sign kids yet. They they're not even like looking at what TikTok could be.

So we finished the tour. We end up in a pretty tough situation where us as kids, we hadn't signed anything. We had kind of done all these handshake deals with these people running the tour, and we all get screwed out of a bunch of money. The tour did really well for them. We were doing like two thousand people, sold out shows every single place we went. On top of that, we do dinners and VIP things and all these different things where people would select to their favorite fans or their favorite person to see what was So you were supposed to get that cut and I think I got seven hundred dollars by the end of it. Like it was like it didn't even cover the hotels, you know what I mean, like or the food that we had to go and get. So it was a tough situation and it was a learning one that I you know, I'm glad happened early, because right then I was like, all right, this is a wild West. Social media is new. No one's paying attention, like in the sense of protecting the creator. There's no at this point, there's no w MECAA. They're not coming to sign kids yet. They they're not even like looking at what TikTok could be.

And this is only what four or five years ago?

And this is only what four or five years ago?

Yeah, this is twenty nineteen, ye like, so it's not that long ago, right, And that was the moment where I was like, Okay, I need to start something that's going to be by the creator for the creator. So I started a management company. That's when I moved to LA That's when me and all my friends start the Sway House. That's when I get looped in with Chris Sautel is my business partner now with Crosscheck. He was at ICM. We had to sign to an agency, our management company because we didn't have a license so for them to be repped like we needed that. So we went and met with ICM. Chris had started the digital division over there, so that was a person we were put in contact with and we worked out a deal with them, started working with them. Chris became also my manager at the time or my agent, and then as time moves forward, I ended up leaving Talent X sell my shares there and that's when I was like, all right, I want to make a production company. I want to start being able to bring together the worlds of social and traditional media, start bridging those as they are getting closer and closer together. And we all see our favorite actors and athletes now doing social media, and now we see social media influencers stepping into music and movies, and as these worlds are colliding, like, how can I be at the forefront of that and producing all that content. So started Crosscheck. Chris was sitting in his comfy job at ICM, and I was like, why don't you just listen to me, this nineteen year old kid, and leave your job and come and work with me, and we'll start crosscheck together. So after a few months of you know, continuously knocking on Chris's door and asking him, I convince uh, and so he listened to me, came over, and then we started cross Check and we've been doing that for the last three years now.

Yeah, this is twenty nineteen, ye like, so it's not that long ago, right, And that was the moment where I was like, Okay, I need to start something that's going to be by the creator for the creator. So I started a management company. That's when I moved to LA That's when me and all my friends start the Sway House. That's when I get looped in with Chris Sautel is my business partner now with Crosscheck. He was at ICM. We had to sign to an agency, our management company because we didn't have a license so for them to be repped like we needed that. So we went and met with ICM. Chris had started the digital division over there, so that was a person we were put in contact with and we worked out a deal with them, started working with them. Chris became also my manager at the time or my agent, and then as time moves forward, I ended up leaving Talent X sell my shares there and that's when I was like, all right, I want to make a production company. I want to start being able to bring together the worlds of social and traditional media, start bridging those as they are getting closer and closer together. And we all see our favorite actors and athletes now doing social media, and now we see social media influencers stepping into music and movies, and as these worlds are colliding, like, how can I be at the forefront of that and producing all that content. So started Crosscheck. Chris was sitting in his comfy job at ICM, and I was like, why don't you just listen to me, this nineteen year old kid, and leave your job and come and work with me, and we'll start crosscheck together. So after a few months of you know, continuously knocking on Chris's door and asking him, I convince uh, and so he listened to me, came over, and then we started cross Check and we've been doing that for the last three years now.

When it comes to like two middle aged dudes like Jason and I, right, what content can we learn from you that actually performs the best and which content performs the worst?

When it comes to like two middle aged dudes like Jason and I, right, what content can we learn from you that actually performs the best and which content performs the worst?

I mean content that performs the best versus worse. I think that's very dependent on the creator and all the person that's creating the content, right, because you already have a built an audience. You know your audience. You're you've been from the world of sports. You know anytime you're gonna be talking about sports, that's gonna play to your audience.

I mean content that performs the best versus worse. I think that's very dependent on the creator and all the person that's creating the content, right, because you already have a built an audience. You know your audience. You're you've been from the world of sports. You know anytime you're gonna be talking about sports, that's gonna play to your audience.

Right.

Right.

So I think more about like knowing what content's going to do bad or knowing what content's going to do good, It's about knowing your audience because that's gonna lead you to the right path. So I know, for example, my audience and my demographic. If I go on my TikTok, it's gonna be seventy seventy five percent women, twenty twenty five percent men, right. And I also know that the age demo there is going to really range from sixteen to probably twenty four, is really where my age demo sits. So I go and think, Okay, what are people in that age group gonna like? What content are this gonna be fun for them? Okay, what's something relatable that we're all doing?

So I think more about like knowing what content's going to do bad or knowing what content's going to do good, It's about knowing your audience because that's gonna lead you to the right path. So I know, for example, my audience and my demographic. If I go on my TikTok, it's gonna be seventy seventy five percent women, twenty twenty five percent men, right. And I also know that the age demo there is going to really range from sixteen to probably twenty four, is really where my age demo sits. So I go and think, Okay, what are people in that age group gonna like? What content are this gonna be fun for them? Okay, what's something relatable that we're all doing?

All right?

All right?

Everyone's dating at that age, right, So how do I bring in a really funny conversation or debate that me and my girlfriend are going through? And I bring that to TikTok and we're able to share it. And now all these kids that are sixteen or twenty four are sending you to their boyfriends, are sending me to their girlfriends, and they're like, we literally had the exact same argument. Oh my god, this is so crazy. My favorite creator is going That is to me, what builds good content when you're able to show to your audience that you know you're going through the same things they're going through. You're able to play that relatable card with them that not only is gonna make good content, but continue your building community.

Everyone's dating at that age, right, So how do I bring in a really funny conversation or debate that me and my girlfriend are going through? And I bring that to TikTok and we're able to share it. And now all these kids that are sixteen or twenty four are sending you to their boyfriends, are sending me to their girlfriends, and they're like, we literally had the exact same argument. Oh my god, this is so crazy. My favorite creator is going That is to me, what builds good content when you're able to show to your audience that you know you're going through the same things they're going through. You're able to play that relatable card with them that not only is gonna make good content, but continue your building community.

You know, one of the things you have been so successful at and you've demonstrated even in the past few minutes, is identifying and cultivating an audience. So you know you've talked about sort of the creator side. How do you essentially make a business out of those insights? Because it feels like, I mean, if we're looking at your business ventures, that's your I mean, this is an overuse term, that's your superpower is understanding the audience. You're clearly an entrepreneur as well. So how do you build something that leverages those insights?

You know, one of the things you have been so successful at and you've demonstrated even in the past few minutes, is identifying and cultivating an audience. So you know you've talked about sort of the creator side. How do you essentially make a business out of those insights? Because it feels like, I mean, if we're looking at your business ventures, that's your I mean, this is an overuse term, that's your superpower is understanding the audience. You're clearly an entrepreneur as well. So how do you build something that leverages those insights?

Yeah?

Yeah?

Yeah, I mean today every company is trying to find a way to communicate with gen Z. How can I help a company by investing or if I really enjoy this brand and I want to be a part of it, how can I leverage myself who knows how to communicate to gen Z, who knows what they're interested in, knows what they're likes and dislikes are. How can I leverage that for this company? So I think that's really how I look at like my following in and I'm able to turn it into a business because the cable TV commercials, they're not where these companies are wanting to go anymore. They're wanting to go to social How can we bring our stuff to TikTok unless it's like a Super Bowl commercial, It makes way more sense to go on social. So I think it's just about leveraging my knowledge and my ability of knowing how to grow on social media and knowing how to bring those companies and their products to a younger audience.

Yeah, I mean today every company is trying to find a way to communicate with gen Z. How can I help a company by investing or if I really enjoy this brand and I want to be a part of it, how can I leverage myself who knows how to communicate to gen Z, who knows what they're interested in, knows what they're likes and dislikes are. How can I leverage that for this company? So I think that's really how I look at like my following in and I'm able to turn it into a business because the cable TV commercials, they're not where these companies are wanting to go anymore. They're wanting to go to social How can we bring our stuff to TikTok unless it's like a Super Bowl commercial, It makes way more sense to go on social. So I think it's just about leveraging my knowledge and my ability of knowing how to grow on social media and knowing how to bring those companies and their products to a younger audience.

So, Josh, when you think about you and your partner Chris, when you think about engaging businesses, are you guys sitting back on your heels and waiting for these great companies to reach out to you or do you proactively go out and engage with them?

So, Josh, when you think about you and your partner Chris, when you think about engaging businesses, are you guys sitting back on your heels and waiting for these great companies to reach out to you or do you proactively go out and engage with them?

Yeah? And how do you do it?

Yeah? And how do you do it?

Yeah? No, we're very proactive. One of the first things I learned from coming out to LA was how often agencies and agents are in the get called business. Instead of making calls, right, they kind of sit there and they kind of wait around and if one of their ten fifteen clients is someone that's getting a lot of inbound and people are all They're like, perfect, I can do this. I can answer the phone all day and say yeah, sure, we'll take your money. Like me and Chris will have these weekly meetings where we talk to each other and I'm telling him about different brands I'm enjoying right now, or different campaigns I see brands doing that I'm really interested in. Or oh I see this company kind of rising. Maybe there's an investment player equity play there, and we talk about that and then we'll go out and reach out to the company. This I think shows a company. Okay, this is an authentic relationship. This is the creator who is actually reaching out to us. They really must enjoy our brand. This is something they want more than just oh, we're gonna offer them a paycheck and they want the money. So for us being proactive, it gives us more ability to do what we want with the campaign because we're usually able to not only come with them with hey, we're really interested in working with you guys. But here's three different tiers of what the deal could look like. Here's you know that tier one that's going to cost a little bit more, but look at all these really cool different videos we can do, or high production valued stuff we can do like we did with Fallout where we made a whole trailer and people were like, holy is Josh in the Fallout show coming on probaty?

Yeah? No, we're very proactive. One of the first things I learned from coming out to LA was how often agencies and agents are in the get called business. Instead of making calls, right, they kind of sit there and they kind of wait around and if one of their ten fifteen clients is someone that's getting a lot of inbound and people are all They're like, perfect, I can do this. I can answer the phone all day and say yeah, sure, we'll take your money. Like me and Chris will have these weekly meetings where we talk to each other and I'm telling him about different brands I'm enjoying right now, or different campaigns I see brands doing that I'm really interested in. Or oh I see this company kind of rising. Maybe there's an investment player equity play there, and we talk about that and then we'll go out and reach out to the company. This I think shows a company. Okay, this is an authentic relationship. This is the creator who is actually reaching out to us. They really must enjoy our brand. This is something they want more than just oh, we're gonna offer them a paycheck and they want the money. So for us being proactive, it gives us more ability to do what we want with the campaign because we're usually able to not only come with them with hey, we're really interested in working with you guys. But here's three different tiers of what the deal could look like. Here's you know that tier one that's going to cost a little bit more, but look at all these really cool different videos we can do, or high production valued stuff we can do like we did with Fallout where we made a whole trailer and people were like, holy is Josh in the Fallout show coming on probaty?

Right?

Right?

So, then like you can have these different tiered things and that allows us to feel like we get more of that creative control, which my audience is going to enjoy that more doesn't feel like a billboard. They watch that ad and they actually consume it and they enjoy it. They're like, this is how ads shouldn't be done. This is instead of a Okay, here's another brand post.

So, then like you can have these different tiered things and that allows us to feel like we get more of that creative control, which my audience is going to enjoy that more doesn't feel like a billboard. They watch that ad and they actually consume it and they enjoy it. They're like, this is how ads shouldn't be done. This is instead of a Okay, here's another brand post.

Right.

Right.

So, and Josh, is that through like social media, text email or do you and Chris try to set up a zoom or a meeting in person?

So, and Josh, is that through like social media, text email or do you and Chris try to set up a zoom or a meeting in person?

Yeah? So it typically starts off with an email. I think people really undervalue the cold email. That's what I did, even when I was like seventeen eighteen, just to meet people. It was Hey, I'm really interested in just getting to pick your ear for thirty minutes. Would you like to hop on a call? And that's how I was able to make a lot of connections in the venture world, and that's how I was able to meet people like Mark Wahlberg when we started the production company, who helped a ton Like, I think the cold email is so valuable. So we'll start off typically with that.

Yeah? So it typically starts off with an email. I think people really undervalue the cold email. That's what I did, even when I was like seventeen eighteen, just to meet people. It was Hey, I'm really interested in just getting to pick your ear for thirty minutes. Would you like to hop on a call? And that's how I was able to make a lot of connections in the venture world, and that's how I was able to meet people like Mark Wahlberg when we started the production company, who helped a ton Like, I think the cold email is so valuable. So we'll start off typically with that.

So what do you say in that email?

So what do you say in that email?

Yeah, I mean it varies depending on you know, who I'm talking to.

Yeah, I mean it varies depending on you know, who I'm talking to.

But the Mark Wahlberg, Yeah, Mark Wahlberg.

But the Mark Wahlberg, Yeah, Mark Wahlberg.

I mean, for Mark, I'd looked up to him when I was younger. I had always looked at him as somebody that was able to transition from career to career really really seamlessly, and well, you know, starts off and he's Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch, right, And I'd always thought like that is pretty similar to the social media creator, the person that makes like it's like a one hit wonder kind of vibe. Today, you never know how long that lifespan is going to be. If they don't keep making really good content, they're going to disappear, right the same way like musicians back then, they make one good song, a couple of good songs, if that was it, then they like fell off and no one really heard from them again. So he was able to transition and then go into acting and start doing his acting and then he you know, becomes an entrepreneur and is opening up different companies. It's like he might have done steps in a different way, but I always had looked at that and been like, oh, that's really inspiring. I kind of want to follow those footsteps. So I pretty much said that in the email, right, I looked up to you. I've seen how you've had an ability to transition from career to career. I'm someone that really aspires to do that and wants my career to kind of follow in your footsteps. And I'm starting this production company, so I would love to be able to pick your ear on just advice and how I can navigate Hollywood. So I sent that email. It ended up getting received by the head of his production company, Archie Gibbs, got on the phone with him, talked with him for a while. He was like, you really do remind me of Mark. Let me get you in contact with Mark. And then I got in contact with Mark and that's when we started the joint venture for the production company. So that's where my production company was for the first year with his unscripted company, and he was able to, you know, do the whole parade me around Hollywood and be able to introduce me to certain people, and that really helped kind of get us going at the beginning and allow me to sit in rooms as a nineteen eighteen year old and have people take me seriously because Mark had said, no, I trust them.

I mean, for Mark, I'd looked up to him when I was younger. I had always looked at him as somebody that was able to transition from career to career really really seamlessly, and well, you know, starts off and he's Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch, right, And I'd always thought like that is pretty similar to the social media creator, the person that makes like it's like a one hit wonder kind of vibe. Today, you never know how long that lifespan is going to be. If they don't keep making really good content, they're going to disappear, right the same way like musicians back then, they make one good song, a couple of good songs, if that was it, then they like fell off and no one really heard from them again. So he was able to transition and then go into acting and start doing his acting and then he you know, becomes an entrepreneur and is opening up different companies. It's like he might have done steps in a different way, but I always had looked at that and been like, oh, that's really inspiring. I kind of want to follow those footsteps. So I pretty much said that in the email, right, I looked up to you. I've seen how you've had an ability to transition from career to career. I'm someone that really aspires to do that and wants my career to kind of follow in your footsteps. And I'm starting this production company, so I would love to be able to pick your ear on just advice and how I can navigate Hollywood. So I sent that email. It ended up getting received by the head of his production company, Archie Gibbs, got on the phone with him, talked with him for a while. He was like, you really do remind me of Mark. Let me get you in contact with Mark. And then I got in contact with Mark and that's when we started the joint venture for the production company. So that's where my production company was for the first year with his unscripted company, and he was able to, you know, do the whole parade me around Hollywood and be able to introduce me to certain people, and that really helped kind of get us going at the beginning and allow me to sit in rooms as a nineteen eighteen year old and have people take me seriously because Mark had said, no, I trust them.

When you're approaching different deals, whether it's a brand, whether it's a company. You've hit on something that Alex talks about a lot, and we've talked about a lot on this show, which is moving from sort of asset to principle, and a lot of what is embedded in that is getting a stake, getting equity. How much do you think about sort of the ownership piece, because clearly the entrepreneurial side of you wants to be an owner. It sounds like is that fair?

When you're approaching different deals, whether it's a brand, whether it's a company. You've hit on something that Alex talks about a lot, and we've talked about a lot on this show, which is moving from sort of asset to principle, and a lot of what is embedded in that is getting a stake, getting equity. How much do you think about sort of the ownership piece, because clearly the entrepreneurial side of you wants to be an owner. It sounds like is that fair?

Yeah? Yeah, I mean I think I'm always thinking about that, if that's from when I'm working with a brand or a company, or even when I'm creating my own IP as content, because you're building a library, right and that can then go and sell and day. I mean, I think it's something I always think about, especially because I always want to be able to be a part of the present in the future and keep my finger on that pulse. And I think there's no better way than investing in a company that's going to be massive in the next five to seven years. Right, That allows me in five to seven years to still be a part of the conversation. So for me, it's something that's really important. It's something that has been given to me as advice when talking to people like Ashton Kutcher, and he said, you know, if I had taken equity in every single one of the deals that I had done for commercials when I was younger, and instead of the paycheck, even if I cut the paycheck in half and took it as equity instead, I would be one hundred extracher than I am today. So there's just been a lot of people that you know, from me doing those calls and cold emails, like that's the lessons that have been taught to me and those people have been through it. And I always like to pride myself from knowing what I know and knowing what I don't. So I'm going to listen to the people that do know it and hopefully make the right decisions.

Yeah? Yeah, I mean I think I'm always thinking about that, if that's from when I'm working with a brand or a company, or even when I'm creating my own IP as content, because you're building a library, right and that can then go and sell and day. I mean, I think it's something I always think about, especially because I always want to be able to be a part of the present in the future and keep my finger on that pulse. And I think there's no better way than investing in a company that's going to be massive in the next five to seven years. Right, That allows me in five to seven years to still be a part of the conversation. So for me, it's something that's really important. It's something that has been given to me as advice when talking to people like Ashton Kutcher, and he said, you know, if I had taken equity in every single one of the deals that I had done for commercials when I was younger, and instead of the paycheck, even if I cut the paycheck in half and took it as equity instead, I would be one hundred extracher than I am today. So there's just been a lot of people that you know, from me doing those calls and cold emails, like that's the lessons that have been taught to me and those people have been through it. And I always like to pride myself from knowing what I know and knowing what I don't. So I'm going to listen to the people that do know it and hopefully make the right decisions.

I mean, it's interesting too. I mean, just to proud to you a little bit. There are a lot I mean, you talk about the echoes and the similarities with Mark Wahlberg, And you said it earlier, Josh, there are a lot of similarities between what's happened with athletes and what's happened with creators. Don't you think I mean this whole notion of not just endorsing a brand, but being I mean, this is something you've talked about a lot also from your early days as a player.

I mean, it's interesting too. I mean, just to proud to you a little bit. There are a lot I mean, you talk about the echoes and the similarities with Mark Wahlberg, And you said it earlier, Josh, there are a lot of similarities between what's happened with athletes and what's happened with creators. Don't you think I mean this whole notion of not just endorsing a brand, but being I mean, this is something you've talked about a lot also from your early days as a player.

Yeah.

Yeah.

And look, I think that the real power is in the talent, right and I think we've seen this in college sports. We've seen this on entrepreneurship where at one point, probably Mark Wahlberg and I started, a talent was just a talent. You get a fee and you stay in your corner. Today the pendulum is shifting anile with the actual players and the students have more power than the NC DOUBLEA. I guess for me, you know, I entered the Big Leads at eighteen years old, and I was an All Star at nineteen years old. So by nature, the power came to me because I was able to make an impact. And I think the same is. You know for you guys, companies where there's AREMANI new balance. Whoever you work with they want you to bring, you know, enterprise value to them revenue, eyeballs, and you're doing that as well as anybody. Do you do you see that as well?

And look, I think that the real power is in the talent, right and I think we've seen this in college sports. We've seen this on entrepreneurship where at one point, probably Mark Wahlberg and I started, a talent was just a talent. You get a fee and you stay in your corner. Today the pendulum is shifting anile with the actual players and the students have more power than the NC DOUBLEA. I guess for me, you know, I entered the Big Leads at eighteen years old, and I was an All Star at nineteen years old. So by nature, the power came to me because I was able to make an impact. And I think the same is. You know for you guys, companies where there's AREMANI new balance. Whoever you work with they want you to bring, you know, enterprise value to them revenue, eyeballs, and you're doing that as well as anybody. Do you do you see that as well?

Yeah? No, I mean for sure, I think that's what they look at when they're deciding who they want to align with. Who do we want to have back our brand, Who do we want to have be the modern day? You know, you don't put the brand logo up on a billboard anymore. You can stick it on someone's back and they can walk around and wear it, right, So I think that's exactly what they're.

Yeah? No, I mean for sure, I think that's what they look at when they're deciding who they want to align with. Who do we want to have back our brand, Who do we want to have be the modern day? You know, you don't put the brand logo up on a billboard anymore. You can stick it on someone's back and they can walk around and wear it, right, So I think that's exactly what they're.

Looking at all. Right.

Looking at all. Right.

So, Josh, if you were a part owner of the Minnesota Timbules and the Links, two or three things that you would be thinking about to position those brands ahead of the rest of the other teams.

So, Josh, if you were a part owner of the Minnesota Timbules and the Links, two or three things that you would be thinking about to position those brands ahead of the rest of the other teams.

Yeah, yeah, I mean I think one thing that I've noticed a couple teams step in and really start focusing on is, you know, their social play, and I think that does build a massive community. Like when I I'm a big Buffalo Bills fan, and I think they are one of the teams that I've noticed through sports that are doing an incredible job from their social side, Like when you look at their TikTok, when you look at the videos they're posting and how much they're posting. Their social team is in on every single trend that's going on as soon it's as it's happening, and they're getting their players to get involved in it every single week when they're in practice and you know, coming off of practice or going in to start like, they're always getting these really cool clips, and I think that does going back to like building community, it does really get the fan to get to know more about the you know, their favorite quarterback Josh Allen Right, to get to know more about the new wide receiver coming into the team, Keon Coleman. It's the same thing we've almost seen with the people getting obsessed with watching the Hard Knocks stuff and then all of a sudden, people are like, oh, well they're one of my new favorite teams now just because they've just gotten this Hard Knocks and you really get to see, you know, how much these guys are putting into this. It's not just oh, we're going out and we're playing a fun sport today. This is their lives and they are putting every single ounce of like blood, sweat and tears into it every single day, and you get to start to have that same feeling like transcend through you by watching the content. So for me, I think social obviously is a massive play to get the fans just to ride even more and more for your team. But I mean with Minnesota, you got some new guys coming in this year, so getting to film that dynamic and how you guys are building off of, you know, a great year last year, Anthony Edwards absolutely ball and out in the playoffs. Like getting to film this journey as this new team comes together with a huge trade, to me, that's something I would really want to watch, and I think separates like there's not people doing their own videos of these big trades and how this new dynamic is coming into work together and how these two superstars are gonna blend and mesh. Like that's something as a fan of just sports, I'd want to see all the time and I would consume.

Yeah, yeah, I mean I think one thing that I've noticed a couple teams step in and really start focusing on is, you know, their social play, and I think that does build a massive community. Like when I I'm a big Buffalo Bills fan, and I think they are one of the teams that I've noticed through sports that are doing an incredible job from their social side, Like when you look at their TikTok, when you look at the videos they're posting and how much they're posting. Their social team is in on every single trend that's going on as soon it's as it's happening, and they're getting their players to get involved in it every single week when they're in practice and you know, coming off of practice or going in to start like, they're always getting these really cool clips, and I think that does going back to like building community, it does really get the fan to get to know more about the you know, their favorite quarterback Josh Allen Right, to get to know more about the new wide receiver coming into the team, Keon Coleman. It's the same thing we've almost seen with the people getting obsessed with watching the Hard Knocks stuff and then all of a sudden, people are like, oh, well they're one of my new favorite teams now just because they've just gotten this Hard Knocks and you really get to see, you know, how much these guys are putting into this. It's not just oh, we're going out and we're playing a fun sport today. This is their lives and they are putting every single ounce of like blood, sweat and tears into it every single day, and you get to start to have that same feeling like transcend through you by watching the content. So for me, I think social obviously is a massive play to get the fans just to ride even more and more for your team. But I mean with Minnesota, you got some new guys coming in this year, so getting to film that dynamic and how you guys are building off of, you know, a great year last year, Anthony Edwards absolutely ball and out in the playoffs. Like getting to film this journey as this new team comes together with a huge trade, to me, that's something I would really want to watch, and I think separates like there's not people doing their own videos of these big trades and how this new dynamic is coming into work together and how these two superstars are gonna blend and mesh. Like that's something as a fan of just sports, I'd want to see all the time and I would consume.

So let's stick with sports if we can, because you know, one of the things you're clearly a passionate fan. It is fascinating. Just as an aside that the Buffalo Bills, with all apologies to Bill's Mafi, is the most forward thing when you think Buffalo, you.

So let's stick with sports if we can, because you know, one of the things you're clearly a passionate fan. It is fascinating. Just as an aside that the Buffalo Bills, with all apologies to Bill's Mafi, is the most forward thing when you think Buffalo, you.

Know, the way you would think yeah, fascinating.

Know, the way you would think yeah, fascinating.

But as you look across the sports world, like from a league or from a sports perspective, like who understands their audience the best. I mean, you've done some work with the NHL, I know, like who is sort of getting it out there.

But as you look across the sports world, like from a league or from a sports perspective, like who understands their audience the best. I mean, you've done some work with the NHL, I know, like who is sort of getting it out there.

I do think that NFL is probably at the top. I would say, I think the NBA is doing really cool things as well. Like I think a lot of people were quick to hate on like the play in tournament, but I think it gave us incredible basketball. Yeah, Like, I just think that the NFL has done a good job of not only knowing their audience but knowing how to expand their audience as well. And even the stuff with you know, Taylor Swift, like them playing into that. There was a lot of people at the beginning that were like kind of getting mad about it, but when you look at the growth and how many you know, guys, girlfriends now aren't just you know, Oh, I cheer for the Kansas City Chiefs because of Taylor Swift. They actually have become fans of the game. It's it's done something that that wouldn't have happened if they didn't start showing Taylor Swift at those games, right like that, that type of community wouldn't have been as big into football if that didn't happen. So I think they saw that and they ran with it, and that was a really smart play. I think, I don't know if i'd necessarily call this the league doing it. I think Caitlyn Clark is doing it for the WNBA and being like the biggest talked about athlete this past year and bringing such a massive audience. Me personally, I never watched WNBA really before I watched Kaitlyn Clark in the WNBA, and I had watched you know, girls college March Madness a bunch, but I'd never been in to the WNBA and she and Angel Reese had come together and they have absolutely blown that thing up. So for me, I think, you know, those are the three leagues that I look at that like get their fans. I think the NHL has a long way to go. I think that, you know, they still in a lot of ways are an old or like elder states Men kind of ran league and they don't think about changing it and they kind of want to stay traditional. It seems so for me, I think they're one that I would love to see start to make some changes because I love hockey and yeah, is a sport that I want to have grown. And I know it's a hard barrier to entry because it's expensive to get the equipment and the ice and there's things that you need to pay for that's harder than you know, basketball, you can just go get a ball and play in a park. So you got to make the barrier to entry easier.

I do think that NFL is probably at the top. I would say, I think the NBA is doing really cool things as well. Like I think a lot of people were quick to hate on like the play in tournament, but I think it gave us incredible basketball. Yeah, Like, I just think that the NFL has done a good job of not only knowing their audience but knowing how to expand their audience as well. And even the stuff with you know, Taylor Swift, like them playing into that. There was a lot of people at the beginning that were like kind of getting mad about it, but when you look at the growth and how many you know, guys, girlfriends now aren't just you know, Oh, I cheer for the Kansas City Chiefs because of Taylor Swift. They actually have become fans of the game. It's it's done something that that wouldn't have happened if they didn't start showing Taylor Swift at those games, right like that, that type of community wouldn't have been as big into football if that didn't happen. So I think they saw that and they ran with it, and that was a really smart play. I think, I don't know if i'd necessarily call this the league doing it. I think Caitlyn Clark is doing it for the WNBA and being like the biggest talked about athlete this past year and bringing such a massive audience. Me personally, I never watched WNBA really before I watched Kaitlyn Clark in the WNBA, and I had watched you know, girls college March Madness a bunch, but I'd never been in to the WNBA and she and Angel Reese had come together and they have absolutely blown that thing up. So for me, I think, you know, those are the three leagues that I look at that like get their fans. I think the NHL has a long way to go. I think that, you know, they still in a lot of ways are an old or like elder states Men kind of ran league and they don't think about changing it and they kind of want to stay traditional. It seems so for me, I think they're one that I would love to see start to make some changes because I love hockey and yeah, is a sport that I want to have grown. And I know it's a hard barrier to entry because it's expensive to get the equipment and the ice and there's things that you need to pay for that's harder than you know, basketball, you can just go get a ball and play in a park. So you got to make the barrier to entry easier.

So, Josh, I want to shift a little bit and talk about your investment thesis because you know, you start a venture capital firm. I believe what's the idea behind it? I mean clearly from the beginning. You know you talked about even the tour that you went on, you know, sort of gathering these you know, like minded creators around you to help sort of create sort of a super friends. Yeah, model talk to us about investments. How do you suss them out? How do they come to you? What's the process?

So, Josh, I want to shift a little bit and talk about your investment thesis because you know, you start a venture capital firm. I believe what's the idea behind it? I mean clearly from the beginning. You know you talked about even the tour that you went on, you know, sort of gathering these you know, like minded creators around you to help sort of create sort of a super friends. Yeah, model talk to us about investments. How do you suss them out? How do they come to you? What's the process?

Yeah? Yeah, So for me, when I'm looking at a company or I'm looking to invest, I think there's a couple of things I go down.

Yeah? Yeah, So for me, when I'm looking at a company or I'm looking to invest, I think there's a couple of things I go down.

First.

First.

It's always looking at the founder, right, like what is their history? What have they done before? Because if I believe in a founder then I'm going to invest in them, right more than the company. Oh great founders going to find a way to make it work, if that's pivoting their company, if that's you know, figuring out how do they go from here to doing something else? Like I a lot of the time love to invest in the founder themselves. Past that, it's looking at how can I Josh Richards as a talent or I Josh Richards as you know, the owner of cross check, Like, how can I actually help this company? What am I going to be able to provide?

It's always looking at the founder, right, like what is their history? What have they done before? Because if I believe in a founder then I'm going to invest in them, right more than the company. Oh great founders going to find a way to make it work, if that's pivoting their company, if that's you know, figuring out how do they go from here to doing something else? Like I a lot of the time love to invest in the founder themselves. Past that, it's looking at how can I Josh Richards as a talent or I Josh Richards as you know, the owner of cross check, Like, how can I actually help this company? What am I going to be able to provide?

How am I going to be able to boost them?

How am I going to be able to boost them?

So a little bit to what we were talking about earlier is are they somebody that needs to get into the conversation with gen Z? Is that an audience that they want to acquire? Well, you know, I'm somebody that has grown an audience of forty million plus online, so I know how to do that. I can help them with acquiring that audience, with getting to gen Z. So for me, I think those are like the two things that I look at most when investing is you know, what am I going to be able to provide to them to be a good partner? And then as a founder themselves, how much do I actruly believe in that founder because I love being able to invest in the founder more than the company a lot at the time.

So a little bit to what we were talking about earlier is are they somebody that needs to get into the conversation with gen Z? Is that an audience that they want to acquire? Well, you know, I'm somebody that has grown an audience of forty million plus online, so I know how to do that. I can help them with acquiring that audience, with getting to gen Z. So for me, I think those are like the two things that I look at most when investing is you know, what am I going to be able to provide to them to be a good partner? And then as a founder themselves, how much do I actruly believe in that founder because I love being able to invest in the founder more than the company a lot at the time.

So, Josh, I'm sure one of the challenges and part of the gift and curse of being so young as you think about raising capital outside capital limited partners, whether it's institution or family offices, walk us through if Jason is a founder of a company and you like it and you want to make a big bet or a medium sized bet, are you thinking about it from your balance sheet? Are you thinking about it from investors? And how do you think about raising capital?

So, Josh, I'm sure one of the challenges and part of the gift and curse of being so young as you think about raising capital outside capital limited partners, whether it's institution or family offices, walk us through if Jason is a founder of a company and you like it and you want to make a big bet or a medium sized bet, are you thinking about it from your balance sheet? Are you thinking about it from investors? And how do you think about raising capital?

So when we raise capital for Animal Capital, we really were trying to make a splash in the space with the people that were attached to it, right, So the people that we were bringing it was all about when we're going to go to a company and we're talking about investing, look at all the people that are also under this list that are willing to also you know, help in some way.

So when we raise capital for Animal Capital, we really were trying to make a splash in the space with the people that were attached to it, right, So the people that we were bringing it was all about when we're going to go to a company and we're talking about investing, look at all the people that are also under this list that are willing to also you know, help in some way.

So for us, remind us who those people are.

So for us, remind us who those people are.

Yeah, So for us, it was you know, getting people in like Thomas Tull who absolute killer, getting in people like the Winkleboss Twins, getting in people like Mark Wahlberg getting in those people that have leverage and have built in audience as well in a plethor of different spaces, right, Like, those people are all coming from different areas of entertainment and this industry, so we're able to get advice from many different lanes and people that have dealt with different companies before in different lanes. So that's kind of like how we were going to raise. We were going to have the max amount of partners we could and really try to make us splash. This was also something that I was doing at a young age, and I wanted people to be able to look past the fact that I was just you know, nineteen twenty years old when I was starting this. So then going to you know, make this bet. I'm always looking at it as other people's money, you know, this is this isn't something where I can go and have fun. It's not gambling. I'm not out here like playing with my own money. It's a very serious responsibility when you're you know, investing other people's money. And I always hold it in that faster than in that light. I always think about it that way because I want to be able to go and raise fun too and have all those people want to come back in and invest again when we go and raise you know, thirty, So it's it's yeah.

Yeah, So for us, it was you know, getting people in like Thomas Tull who absolute killer, getting in people like the Winkleboss Twins, getting in people like Mark Wahlberg getting in those people that have leverage and have built in audience as well in a plethor of different spaces, right, Like, those people are all coming from different areas of entertainment and this industry, so we're able to get advice from many different lanes and people that have dealt with different companies before in different lanes. So that's kind of like how we were going to raise. We were going to have the max amount of partners we could and really try to make us splash. This was also something that I was doing at a young age, and I wanted people to be able to look past the fact that I was just you know, nineteen twenty years old when I was starting this. So then going to you know, make this bet. I'm always looking at it as other people's money, you know, this is this isn't something where I can go and have fun. It's not gambling. I'm not out here like playing with my own money. It's a very serious responsibility when you're you know, investing other people's money. And I always hold it in that faster than in that light. I always think about it that way because I want to be able to go and raise fun too and have all those people want to come back in and invest again when we go and raise you know, thirty, So it's it's yeah.

And Josh, you talked about founders and the key of it. I always refer to investing the jockey at the horse. So what are some of those qualities that you're looking for specifically that you turn to Chris and say, you know what, we have to back this guy, Jason, He's really got it.

And Josh, you talked about founders and the key of it. I always refer to investing the jockey at the horse. So what are some of those qualities that you're looking for specifically that you turn to Chris and say, you know what, we have to back this guy, Jason, He's really got it.

What are those things look like?

What are those things look like?

One that's always the easiest is like looking at the person's like track record, right, being able to see things that they've done in the past. Is this their second or third time doing something? What have their other companies look like? And then it's also the team around them and how the team I think acts with that founder. Like I like being able to see how the team around the founder it feels. How are they like on the call when I'm having a meeting with all of them, are they people that seem like they want to ride and die for this founder? Like? Is this a place where people are going to, you know, go to the trenches for each other or is it a place that you can see, man, you guys are like just holding together here? You know what I mean, Like one small little separation or one off put comment and this whole thing can come crumbling down. Right, So I think it's really important to go and look past not only how the founder cares about, you know, business or when they're looking at you know, what school do they go to or anything, but how are they interacting with the employees and their partners and the people that they're working with. Because the last thing you want is to invest into a company that ends up having a partner feud and you don't want to be in that. So I think that's really important to me. But yeah, I think those are those are the ones that I feel like I find myself looking at the most when I'm in those meetings.