How to Raise Venture Money for Community and Content Businesses

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There was a lot of community and content businesses that raised venture money in the past five to seven years. It's not necessarily aligned with you to raise venture in a way that would take a certain outcome off the table, he says. "Venture isn't necessarily the best path for all communities or content businesses" He asks: Is there any way to get venture-like returns on the investor side for investing in indie makers?

Erik Torenberg sits down with Greg Isenberg, CEO of Late Checkout, and co-host of Where It Happens. He's spent the last 15 years building venture-backed businesses at WeWork, Islands and WallStreetSurvivor, as well as advising the teams behind Reddit and TikTok. Riverside.fm is a presenting sponsor of Media Empires. Go to https://creators.riverside.fm/MediaEmpires + use code MEDIAEMPIRES for 20% off individual plans.

In this episode, Greg and Erik discuss personal holding companies, the unbundling of Reddit and how subreddits can help identify product opportunities, and how Greg is strategizing his own PHC, content, and projects in 2023.

Media Empires is part of the Turpentine podcast network. To learn more: www.turpentine.co

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We're hiring across the board at Turpentine and for Erik's personal team on other projects he's incubating. He's hiring a Chief of Staff, EA, Head of Special Projects, Investment Associate, and more. For a list of JDs, check out: eriktorenberg.com.

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🎙️ECON 102 W/ NOAH SMITH - Keeping econ entertaining - Noahpinion author Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg break down business news and politics every week.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1696419056

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TIMESTAMPS

(00:00) Episode Preview

(02:49) Greg's inspiration for starting a personal holding company and building differently

(04:34) Greg Isenberg for X

(06:10) Why start an agency?

(08:00) Cashflow opportunities for people without audiences or expertise

(10:30) What platforms are ripe for audience-building and what's changed in 2023?

(16:45) Email is king

(17:28) Y-Combinator for PHCs and the "do things that don't scale" for creators

(22:51) Acquisitions and ownership percentages