Rich Habits Podcast

137: Trying To Build The Next Trillion-Dollar Company w/ Ilya Pozin

Sep 29, 2025
Ilya Pozin, founder and CEO of Telly and co-founder of Pluto TV, dives into his fascinating journey from immigrating to the U.S. to pioneering ad-supported media. He unveils Telly's unique model of giving away premium TVs funded by ads, explaining how commoditization enables this strategy. Ilya shares insights on building Pluto TV, navigating funding challenges, and his vision for Telly as a central home platform with innovative features. He emphasizes the importance of AI and hints at what's next for their technology, making it a must-listen for aspiring entrepreneurs.
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ANECDOTE

Humble Tech Start Sparked A Career

  • Ilya started his first web design and marketing company at 17 by hiring friends to build sites.
  • A donated computer at 12 sparked his programming interest and entrepreneurship.
INSIGHT

Linear Format Boosted Ad Revenue

  • Linear, programmed channels increased session length dramatically versus search-driven YouTube.
  • Long viewing time plus traditional ad breaks made ad-supported streaming far more viable.
ADVICE

Use Free Entry To Lower CAC

  • Acquire users cheaply with a free ad-supported model instead of expensive subscription CAC.
  • Ensure users watch long enough so ad inventory monetizes customer lifetime value.
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