Nick Cannon: How I ACCIDENTALLY Built A $1.3 Billion Business & My Ex-Wife Mariah Carey Saved My Life!
Sep 21, 2023
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Actor, rapper and TV host Nick Cannon joins Steven Bartlett in a candid discussion. Topics include optimism, imagination, gratitude, unorthodox childhood, his connection with Jamie Foxx, ADHD, meeting Will Smith, losing his TV show, intuition, and the importance of fun for success.
Wild 'N Out became a billion dollar conglomerate, incubating young talent and providing them with opportunities for success.
Owning intellectual property is crucial in the entertainment industry, leading to greater opportunities and financial success.
Wild 'N Out has expanded into various aspects and became a valuable and influential entertainment brand.
Nick Cannon's self-confidence and perseverance have played a crucial role in his success and he encourages others to embrace their passions.
Deep dives
Creating a Platform for Talent
Nick Cannon discusses how he created the show Wild 'N Out as a platform for his friends to showcase their comedic talent. Little did he know that the show would become a billion dollar conglomerate. Through Wild 'N Out, he incubated and cultivated young talent, giving them the opportunity to shine and build their careers. He mentions individuals like Pete Davidson and Mikey Day, who went on to become successful stars in the comedy industry. The show provided a gauntlet for these young comedians to prove themselves and gain recognition, setting them up for future success.
The Importance of Owning Intellectual Property
Nick Cannon emphasizes the value of owning intellectual property and building a business around it. From the early stages of Wild 'N Out, he made sure to copyright and patent the name and logo. This allowed him to negotiate from a position of strength and protect his creative work. He highlights the significance of owning IP in the entertainment industry and how it can lead to greater opportunities and financial success. Nick Cannon's foresight in creating and owning his IP has played a fundamental role in his continuous success and longevity in the industry.
The Business Behind Wild 'N Out
Behind the scenes, Wild 'N Out has become much more than just a TV show. Nick Cannon has built a massive entertainment business around it. The brand has expanded into various aspects, including a successful tour generating millions of dollars annually, a cruise line, franchised restaurants, and merchandise sales. The show's popularity on digital platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram has further contributed to its success, with millions of followers and subscribers. With the combination of strategic business decisions and the show's cultural impact, the Wild 'N Out brand has become a valuable and influential force in the entertainment industry.
The Power of Self-Confidence and Perseverance
Throughout his career, Nick Cannon's self-confidence and perseverance have played a crucial role in his success. From a young age, he believed in his abilities and worked hard to pursue his passions. He emphasizes the importance of doing what you love and sticking with it to achieve mastery. Despite obstacles and setbacks, his drive and refusal to give up have propelled him forward. Nick Cannon encourages others, including his own children, to operate in their gifts, embrace self-promotion, and never let anyone extinguish their flame. His example shows the power of determination and self-belief in achieving one's goals.
Diverse Business Ventures
Nick Cannon discusses his various business ventures, such as restaurants, talent management, and his entertainment conglomerate, Incredible Entertainment, which generated over $100 million in revenue in 2009. He highlights his focus on creating a one-stop shop for consumer products and entertainment.
Philosophy on Signing Artists
Cannon shares his perspective on signing artists, expressing his aversion to signing people and owning their brand. Instead, he focuses on being a mentor, curator, and facilitator for their success, ensuring they have the support and resources they need. He emphasizes his desire to see artists thrive without taking ownership or demanding a percentage of their future work.
Dealing with Health Challenges
Nick Cannon opens up about his experience with being diagnosed with lupus and lupus nephritis in 2012. He discusses the impact it had on his life and how it changed his perspective on health and time. Cannon highlights the importance of prioritizing health, expressing gratitude for each day, and using his health challenges as a reminder to take care of himself.
Nick Cannon has lived many different lives, and if you ask him he’s won them all.
In this new episode Steven sits down with TV host, actor, rapper, and comedian, Nick Cannon.
At 16 years old, Nick began performing stand-up comedy, a year after this he appeared on the Nickelodeon sketch series, ‘All That’, as a writer for the show, at 17 years old, he became the youngest writer in TV history. Nick made the move into film in 2002, appearing in ‘Drumline’, and in 2005, he created, produced and hosted the MTV improv comedy series ‘Wild ’N Out’. From 2009 to 2016, Nick was the host of ‘America’s Got Talent’.
In this conversation Nick and Steven discuss topics, such as:
The power of optimism in his life
How imagination was his superpower as a child
His unorthodox childhood
His father turning his life around
The importance of gratitude in his life
Going down the wrong path in his childhood
Starting doing stand up comedy at 11 years old
Being wise beyond his years
His connection with Jamie Foxx
Living his life in the public eye
Believing in luck rather than alignment
Speaking himself into existence
His ADHD and not being challenged when he was younger
Meeting Will Smith at 16 years old
The lessons he learned from Will Smith
Losing his TV show at 19 years old
Likeminded people intuitively connecting and coming together
Becoming the youngest ever TV writer
The career advice he would give to his children
How fun is the battery for success
The importance of intuition in the world
Sad money vs happy money
The negativity of the music industry
The power of narcism and the need to balance it
Self funding and taking a risk on ‘Wild N Out’
The importance of owning your intellectual property
Wild N Out being an platform for young talent
Wild N Out being a billion dollar business
Working with Kehlani in her early career
Why he struggles with signing young artists
Why networking is overrated
Being an outgoing introvert
Being diagnosed with lupus at 32 years old
His near death experience
Facing his own mortality
The death of his child
How grieving is forever
Turning grief into purpose
The 20th season of Wild ’N Out’ premiered on VH1 on the 6th July.
