The Chris Harder Show 349. How To Successfully Build & Sell Businesses - with Ilya Pozin
In This Episode You Will Learn About:
- Growing up with an entrepreneurial tendency
- Incorporating the lessons you learn into future businesses
- The value of data
- Customer acquisition versus lifetime value of a customer
- The business opportunities that are available now
- The immigrant edge
Resources:
Show Notes:
Ilya Pozin is the founder of Pluto TV, which sold to Viacom last year for $340 million dollars — making him one of the most successful entrepreneurs we have ever sat down with. Ilya is such a motivating figure in my life, and we share an ethos not just for generosity but also this addiction for creating ideas and new businesses. He tells the story of his first business, which he built and sold at 17, and you're going to love his perspective on what it's like to be an immigrant in the US. You'll also love his advice around why building a business now, in the face of a recession, is a really good idea. Get ready and take notes because this episode is pure inspiration.
Question Highlights:
- What was your first business which you built when you were 17?
- What was the second business you built shortly after that?
- What did you learn from those two companies that you leveraged into Pluto TV?
- What are your thoughts around starting a business during a recession?
- Where did the idea for Pluto TV come from?
- What was the biggest hurdle from idea to selling your company?
- How do you want your children growing up to view the American Dream?
- How do you want your children to view money?
- How do you want your children to view generosity and contribution?
Guest Bio:
Ilya Pozin is a serial entrepreneur who immigrated to America in 1991 when he was 8 years old. He started his first company when he was only 17 years old. The company was a digital agency called Ciplex, which later sold for $1.5 million dollars. Still with a wealth of ideas, he created his second company called Open Me, a social greeting and gifting company that sold in 2016 for $6 million dollars. With his third company, Ilya knew that he had something special to offer the world, and Viacom recognized this too. Pluto TV, America's leading free streaming television service eventually sold to the multinational mass media conglomerate for $340 million dollars.
Ilya is a true representation of the American dream, but more importantly, a loving father to his two young girls. Every day he encourages his daughters to strive for their goals, because the man who immigrated to the United States was certainly able to achieve his.
Follow me on social media @ChrisWHarder on Instagram and check out www.ForTheLoveOfMoney.com