Daouda Leonard

At the age of 18, he started the “The Twenty Minute VC” podcast to talk about startups, a subject he fell in love with after watching the film "The Social Network". He began the journey with an investment of just $50 to buy a microphone, without any contacts in the venture capital industry. He says he started the podcast with the idea of working on something that interested him, but more specifically to make some money. His mother has multiple sclerosis, and she was having issues paying for her healthcare. He is Harry Stebbings. The first interview was with Guy Kawasaki, released on January 10, 2015. His secret sauce for scoring big names as guests? Leveraging referrals and making every interviewee suggest three more contacts! The podcast stems from a calculation made by Stebbings. He knew that the typical commute in London was around 30 minutes, and decided that 20 minutes was a reasonable amount of time to expect someone to listen regularly (now longer). In 9 years, he has recorded over 2700 episodes, by interviewing people like Sam Altman (OpenAI), Cliff Obrecht (Canva), Adam Mosseri (Instagram), and more recently, Luca Ferrari (Bending Spoons). He managed to get Marc Benioff, the founder of Salesforce, on his show after sending 53 cold emails. Impressive!! After launching a small $8.3 million fund in April 2020, he has raised another $140 million fund to invest in startups. What I appreciate most about him is his relentless enthusiasm.  His energy is overpowering! 🤩 The podcast has exceeded 100 million downloads, and it has been anything but an overnight success. Extraordinary persistence, that has paid off. Bravo Harry! 👏 Follow me to satisfy your curiosity with (I hope) interesting content: Nicolò #HarryStebbings #20VC #Podcast #Startup

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Ever wondered what the secret sauce to successful entrepreneurship is? It's not just about hard work and dedication; it's about integrity, authenticity, and a relentless passion for your purpose. The music industry, much like any other field, requires you to stay true to your values while navigating the demanding landscape of showbiz. Your failures aren’t setbacks but lessons that shape your resilience. Embrace them, cherish them, and most importantly, learn from them. Lead with empathy and gratitude, because in this journey, kindness always leaves a lasting impression. Remember: Live fully, love freely, and fearlessly chase your dreams. Your authenticity will inspire others more than? I'd love to hear about it in the comments below. If I can help, let me know. 👍🏽 What do you think? ♻️ Please reshare if you got some value out of this _____________________ P.S. If you like real talk (like this) then my newsletter is for you. A brief email every Wednesday morning with thoughts on life, being an entrepreneur/solopreneur, happiness, gratitude and more. Newsletter: https://lnkd.in/gyrGSFQY

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Hot Ones is for Sale for $70,000,000 But there are some key reasons that it hasn't been picked up (yet). We sat down to discuss our POV on the deal in this weeks episode of the Show. Take a listen and give us your take: https://lnkd.in/gBWYxwfp #CreatorEconomy #Creators

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Rice Rocket Declares San Francisco "New Tech Hollywood™" Capital for Comic Book Creators, Music Artists & YouTubers Rice Rocket, a Silicon Valley digital media company founded by video game industry veteran Ludon Lee, has officially declared San Francisco as the "New Tech Hollywood™" capital for comic book creators, music artists, and YouTubers. With the establishment of five new studios in the SOMA district, Rice Rocket aims to disrupt the independent film industry with its innovative business model. Lee, a Chinatown native, has always been passionate about supporting and promoting creative talents. With Rice Rocket, he aims to bridge the gap between technology and entertainment by providing an investment platform on YouTube with non-accredited investors for comic book creators, music artists, and YouTubers to develop their projects into films, video games, and merchandise. This unique approach has earned San Francisco the title of "New Tech Hollywood," as it combines the best of both worlds - technology and entertainment. The "New Tech Hollywood™" model is not just limited to the big players in the industry. Anyone can invest in projects through Rice Rocket and share in the profits. This opens up opportunities for independent creators to bring their ideas to life and reach a wider audience. With the five new studios in SOMA, Rice Rocket is creating a hub for creative minds to collaborate and produce high-quality content. Lee believes that this new model will not only benefit the creators but also the audience. "We want to give the power back to the people and let them be a part of the investment process. With Rice Rocket, we are creating a community where everyone can have a stake in the success of a project," he says. The global digital media entertainment market is expected to reach $1 trillion by 2030. 

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The visions and opportunities that God is not only bringing to me…but also showing me how to bring those to others. These are life changing moments. When you hear about this one…🥹🤯🙏🏾 As mentioned…at this point, you can’t afford not to work with me. But also…yesterday’s price…you know the rest. 🤣 Let’s go! #sync #levelup #synclicensing #musicbusiness #networking #musicmarketing #custommusic

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BET's Chessboard: From Black Entertainment King to Auction Block Pawn Are we witnessing the Renaissance or the final act of BET? In the 90's, BET was the beacon of Black entertainment. Pitted nicely against the backdrop of a tremendous run of Black scripted television on broadcast TV, BET was the unscripted Black titan on cable, diving into Black music, news, politics, and culture. This, of course, made BET an acquisition target in 2000, when everyone was looking to aggregate cable channels as it was clear "the bundle" would be the media's next cash cow. Post-acquisition by Viacom (which is now Paramount), BET would have a few more years as Black America's voice, but as the years and decades passed, BET's cultural relevance faded in the face of online communities, music videos on YouTube, and original content coming to cable—all things BET did not invest heavily in for the better part of the two decades following its acquisition and the rise of the internet. It wouldn't be until Tyler Perry arrived in 2019 that BET would finally start to kick off a future in streaming. More recently, BET was polished up for sale in 2023 in an exercise thought to unlock both strategic value for BET and cash for Paramount. Ultimately, it turned out to be a desperate attempt by Redstone to exit Paramount altogether, which she finally appears to have done with the announcement of her deal to sell her shares and merge Paramount with Skydance. And now, the potential new owners of Paramount essentially said they'd be happy to see BET sold. Thus, BET is back on the block here in 2024. And with the 'For Sale' sign swinging over BET's head again, it's crucial to ask: What really is the strategic and business standing of this long treasured, once zenith, slowly re-rising cultural entity? In the aftermath of last summer's failed sale, I delved deep into BET’s current standing and strategic options: 1. Cultural Currency: Despite waning influence, BET still holds a unique place in cultural dialogue. But can it leverage this cultural capital to reinvent itself once more? 2. Digital Dexterity: BET's digital transformation is sluggish at best. How critical is digital innovation to BET's revival in the streaming age? 3. Content Conundrum: Original content is king, yet BET's offerings have been hit or miss. What moves must BET make to become a content powerhouse again? 4. Partnership Power: Partnerships like the one with Tyler Perry have been lifelines. Could strategic collaborations, like BET Studios, be the key to sustained relevance? 5. Financial Fortitude: Financial pressures are mounting in the shadow of potential sales. How will BET's financial position shape its future in a turbulent media landscape? For the answers to these questions and more, dive deeper into the strategic underpinnings and future scenarios for BET. [Link in comments]

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Fading Silver Screen: Will Hollywood Exploit Black Audiences Again for Its Next Bailout? In the past decade, streaming giants like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, and Hulu have profoundly transformed the entertainment landscape, posing an existential threat to Hollywood's traditional movie theatre business. These platforms have adeptly capitalized on the evolving viewing habits of audiences; offering unprecedented convenience, diverse talent and content, and instant access that the old Hollywood studio system, clinging to its antiquated business model, struggles to compete against. However, beneath the fading lenses, lies a troubling trend - a recurring reliance on African American audiences as a financial lifeline. Is Hollywood’s slight shift towards diversity simply another exploitative act in times of trouble? How are these changes affecting the industry and is the recurring pattern of Hollywood exploiting African American audiences in times of financial struggle still a reliably bankable strategy? Read the rest at: https://lnkd.in/gDybPGDT

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How to get prospective investors to fall in love with the product over the numbers? Happy CEO, Craig Dubitsky speaks at the 2024 Hollywood & Mind Summit on this very subject and his response is great! 🪄🔮 #fundraising #entrepreneurship #advice

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Generative artificial intelligence (AI) is gaining popularity, but it also raises ethical and legal concerns. AI models need to be trained with original content, which can lead to issues when creators are not compensated or their work is used without permission. In December 2023, the New York Times sued OpenAI and Microsoft for using their articles to train chatbots without compensation. Comedian Sarah Silverman and other authors also sued OpenAI for copyright infringement. It is clear that AI companies need to appropriately compensate creators for their work. The legal community should also develop new tools and regulations to address these concerns. The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) has taken a step in the right direction by introducing rules for consent and compensation when actors' voices are used in AI-assisted advertising. AI companies must also consider the real-world implications, such as voice impersonation for fraudulent purposes. A recent class action lawsuit against Lovo.ai serves as a reminder that there are legal consequences for stealing original content. #AI #Ethics #Copyright

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"Watch the cash flow, that is the main reason small businesses fail." This was one of my father Ugur Ozmen's first advice when I started my production company in Los Angeles. This have guided me through my entrepreneurial and producing career. Cash flow is the lifeline of any business. For Producer/Owners and Operators, it’s not just about the profits from a production, that you will receive in 30 or more days, it's about maintaining enough liquidity to cover expenses until the next payday. Manage your cash wisely.

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The real issue behind the downfall of many media conglomerates lies in their lack of offering value, innovation and quality storytelling in their content. If you look at the films that the relatively new A24 studios produce for example (founded in 2012), while they are not necessarily in comparison to Disney in their family appeal, they certainly push the creative envelope of film making and keep producing very innovative content. They never do remakes or sequels, and always come up with fresh stories and ideas, which non of the other well established studios dare to do. For Disney, focusing on theme parks is a vary safe strategy which steers them even further away from fresh and innovative storytelling and visual pioneering, as they keep milking their pre-existing content and recycling it. Family entertainment has so much room for new, innovative and fresh story telling, but as long as they are run by individuals who lack this mindset and spark of creativity and pioneering, nothing will change unfortunately. To me, sktusios like A24 are one beacon of hope in the true art of storytelling. Hope they will also venture into the animation genre. #filmmaking #a24 #entertainment #hollywood #innovation #storytelling

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In the fast-paced world of the music industry, anxiety and failure can often feel like insurmountable obstacles. Yet, they are integral parts of our journey. As Demi Lovato once said, “Your imperfections make you beautiful, they make you who you are.” Navigating through these challenges requires resilience and a shift in perspective. Failure isn’t the end; it’s a stepping stone to success. Embracing our vulnerabilities can lead to profound growth and unexpected opportunities. Let’s continue to support each other in our professional journeys, acknowledging that every setback is a setup for a comeback. What strategies do you find effective in managing anxiety and learning from failure? Share your thoughts and let’s foster a community of support and growth. #MusicIndustry #Anxiety #Failure #Resilience #GrowthMindset #Support

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Last year, I had a crazy idea: What if we enlisted a creator renowned for their SpongeBob builds to construct a 25-foot tall SpongeBob to kick off the 25th anniversary? Twelve-and-a-half months later, it happened. Matthew Beem developed, built, and assembled it in less than four weeks. But that wasn’t all—we also had three other creators craft physical SpongeBob tributes. We celebrated with a creator pre-party and unveiled these incredible creations to kick off the campaign (and Kids' Choice Awards weekend). We set them up as photo moments for other influencers and celebrities knowing people would post them. And guess what? They did. But we didn’t stop there. We developed an on-air bumper campaign featuring creators making SpongeBob content in their unique styles, including those who built the physical tributes. And of course, we shared it all on social. And the creators are posting videos of the entire process on their channels in the next two weeks. The best influencer marketing doesn’t develop the strategy first and then add influencers later. It thinks about influencers first and develops the strategy around them.

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🎙️ Coming soon! Get ready for an enlightening conversation with Danny Goldberg, former entrepreneur turned keynote speaker. 🌟 Join us tomorrow as we delve into the power of humor in business with insights on building authentic connections and bridging cultural gaps. Don't miss out on this episode full of laughter and valuable lessons! Stay tuned! 😊 #HumorInBusiness #AuthenticConnections #PositiveWorkEnvironment

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