Why Inclusion Wins in the Long Run with Damian Pelliccione

What if the thing investors call a “liability” is actually your biggest edge?

In this episode of Don’t Be a Jerk, I sit down with Damian Pelliccione, co-founder & CEO of Revry, an LGBTQ+ streaming network built on a simple, powerful belief: diversity isn’t charity… it’s a competitive advantage.

We talk about what it really takes to lead diverse teams across generations, build an identity-driven business that’s also ruthlessly pragmatic, and keep going when the world tells you “no” (over and over again). Damian is hilarious, sharp, and deeply real about the operator journey.

You’ll learn:- Why Damian believes “no is a motivator” and how to reframe rejection into momentum

- Why diversity of thought beats “more resources” (and how to build teams that challenge assumptions)

- The investor red flags Damian wishes they’d seen earlier and how to avoid “poster child” capital

- The business case behind the $1.7T “rainbow economy” and why “June-only” marketing is a trap

- The intersectionality lesson every B2C brand needs right now: “It drives dollars.”

- The mindset pattern that separates elite performers (and founders): your bounce-back after a miss

- Why “founder therapy” (aka your cohort/tribe) can be the difference between quitting and surviving

🎧 If you’re a founder, exec, marketer, or anyone building teams in 2025, this one will change how you think about inclusion, performance, and leadership.

Watch / listen now and if it resonates, send it to one person on your team who needs to hear it.

Timestamps

00:00 — “Diversity is the ultimate competitive advantage” (opening theme)

00:05 — Meet Damian + the most intersectional founding team I’ve met

00:08 — Sheryl Sandberg / “pods” + why diverse teams outperform

00:10 — “Diversity is not charity.”

00:13 — VCs, bias, and the comment Damian will never forget

00:15 — Fundraising lesson: don’t chase money, choose partners

00:19 — “I’m motivated by no.” The rejection reframe

00:20 — Top 5 vs Top 25 tennis players: the bounce-back mindset

00:22 — Near-death startup moments + how Revry survived

00:28 — The scrappy SF Pride launch (yes… porta-potties)

00:32 — The $1.7T rainbow economy + why Pride-month-only is “rainbow washing”

00:39 — Founder neutrality: having a voice vs fiduciary reality

00:47 — Leading across generations + building a mission-driven culture

00:52 — “Founder therapy” + why you need a tribe

00:54 — Damian’s advice to their 25-year-old self