Studios vs. Startups

Startup = Growth. No company can grow forever with just one product. The best startups launch, buy, and grow many products. Xerox → PARC Google → X Amazon → Grand Challenge Google → Alphabet Facebook → Meta Keeping their startups in perpetual studio mode is key to staying relevant for another generation. Running an indieContinue reading “Studios vs. Startups”

Founders vs. VCs

If you’re really ambitious in startups, there’s only ever been two paths: founder vs. VC. Founders go deep on one company. VCs get to build a broad portfolio. So they’re incentivized to keep founders locked up in their original startups. They don’t want founders to diversify. VCs want a portfolio for themselves but not forContinue reading “Founders vs. VCs”

Utopic Studio

Indie = 100% Ownership I’m prioritizing independence in this phase of my career. Individual startups in my portfolio can and will raise outside capital when they’re ready to be independent. But Utopic LLC, the original parent company, will always stay 100% mine. Startup = Anything I Want to Create Any funding: Bootstrapped → VC/PE AnyContinue reading “Utopic Studio”

360 Deals for Founders

In the music industry, a 360 deal is where a record label provides an artist with financial, marketing, and distribution support in exchange for a percentage of future revenue streams. Help founders create their own startup studios. This gives founders the freedom to think big and quickly take multiple shots on goal. Motown Records’ 360 dealsContinue reading “360 Deals for Founders”