Navigating Media's Evolution

This chapter chronicles an individual's journey through the media and entertainment landscape, highlighting pivotal moments from television sales to leading prominent movie studios. It addresses the challenges of traditional content businesses while emphasizing the transformative impact of new media and the necessity of understanding the creative process. Personal anecdotes and key leadership principles underscore the importance of relationship-building and meeting the needs of consumers and creators alike.

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My guest this week is Strauss Zelnick, the CEO of leading game publisher Take-Two Interactive. Maybe most well-known for its hugely successful Grand Theft Auto game, Take-Two is a sophisticated, top-tier developer, publisher, and marketer of interactive entertainment that owns Rockstar Games and 2K. Strauss’s passion for entertainment led him strong and fast into the industry as he worked his way from sales to CEO and transitioned from motion picture to gaming.

Today we cover his approach to staying on the cutting edge of media development, unlocking talent and potential in those around you, and becoming the leader you were meant to be. His intensity and his standard for excellence come through clearly. Please enjoy my conversation with Strauss Zelnick.

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Invest Like the Best is a property of Colossus, LLC. For more episodes of Invest Like the Best, visit joincolossus.com/episodes.

Past guests include Tobi Lutke, Kevin Systrom, Mike Krieger, John Collison, Kat Cole, Marc Andreessen, Matthew Ball, Bill Gurley, Anu Hariharan, Ben Thompson, and many more.

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Show Notes

(00:03:39) - (First question) - Why the entertainment media sector is so interesting

(00:05:08) - Key inflection points in the history of media

(00:09:17) - The role of pure content in businesses today

(00:10:32) - Requirements for being a successful media business operator

(00:12:03) - Strategies for working effectively with creatives

(00:16:13) - How to cultivate a conducive environment for creatives

(00:25:54) - The allure of collaborating with Take-Two

(00:30:09) - Strauss’ journey to becoming the chairman and CEO of Take-Two

(00:37:42) - Strategies for reducing costs in business

(00:41:16) - Embracing diversity in the video game industry

(00:43:41) - Identifying high-quality intellectual property (IP)