20VC: Founding Legendary Entertainment and Creating Batman, The Hangover and 300, The Importance of Luck vs Skill in Success, How Relationships to Money Change & Why Velocity is the Most Important Factor in Company Building Success with Thomas Tull
Thomas Tull, the visionary founder of Tulco, LLC and former CEO of Legendary Entertainment, shares insights from his incredible journey in film and investment. He discusses how growing up with financial struggles shaped his entrepreneurial mindset. Tull emphasizes the delicate balance between luck and skill in achieving success and examines his evolving relationship with money. He also reflects on resilience in entrepreneurship and recent investments in groundbreaking genetic technologies, showcasing his forward-thinking approach to the industry.
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question_answer ANECDOTE
Laundromat Beginnings
Thomas Tull's first business venture was laundromats in an economically challenged area.
He applied innovations like dynamic pricing, sparking his entrepreneurial drive.
insights INSIGHT
Money's True Value
Money provides freedom, choices, and time, but it's not the path to happiness.
An unhealthy relationship with money can lead to entitlement and a distorted view of one's abilities.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Legendary Luck
Thomas Tull's Legendary Entertainment began with no media experience, highlighting the role of luck.
Meeting Chris Nolan and collaborating on Batman Begins was a stroke of luck.
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The Lord of the Rings, written by J.R.R. Tolkien, is an epic high fantasy novel set in Middle-earth. The story follows Frodo Baggins, a hobbit who inherits the One Ring from his uncle Bilbo. The Ring, forged by Sauron, holds the power to control all other Rings of Power and must be destroyed in the fires of Mount Doom to prevent Sauron's return. Frodo is joined by a fellowship of other characters, including Gandalf the Grey, Samwise Gamgee, Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, and Boromir, as they embark on a dangerous quest across Middle-earth. The novel explores themes of good vs. evil, the corrupting influence of power, and the struggle between fate and free will[3][4][5].
Sapiens
A Brief History of Humankind
Yuval Noah Harari
This book surveys the history of humankind from the Stone Age to the 21st century, focusing on Homo sapiens. It divides human history into four major parts: the Cognitive Revolution, the Agricultural Revolution, the Unification of Humankind, and the Scientific Revolution. Harari argues that Homo sapiens dominate the world due to their unique ability to cooperate in large numbers through beliefs in imagined realities such as gods, nations, money, and human rights. The book also examines the impact of human activities on the global ecosystem and speculates on the future of humanity, including the potential for genetic engineering and non-organic life.
Thomas Tull is a leading entrepreneur and investor as the Founder, Chairman and CEO of Tulco, LLC. he has made notable investments in the likes of FIGS, Colossal, IL MAKIAGE, Pinterest, Zoox and Oculus Rift. Previously, Tull was the founder, CEO and Chairman of Legendary Entertainment, the film company that produced blockbusters including The Dark Knight trilogy, 300 and The Hangover franchise. Outside of his investment work, Thomas is a trustee of Carnegie Mellon University, Yellowstone Forever, the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, and the Smithsonian Institution. If that was not enough, Tull is also part of the ownership group of the Pittsburgh Steelers, the six-time Super Bowl champions.
In Today’s Episode with Thomas Tull You Will Learn:
1.) From Laundromats to Legendary Entertainment:
How did Thomas first make his way into the world of business starting with laundromats?
How did growing up without money impact Thomas' early mindset?
What advice does Thomas give to young people today on starting their own business?
2.) Thomas Tull: The Investor:
How does Thomas approach risk today? Where is the boundary of acceptable vs unacceptable risk?
How does Thomas assess his own relationship to money? How has it changed over time?
How does Thomas protect himself from people and occasions where one is being used for their money or status?
To what extent does Thomas believe success is luck vs skill?
3.) Legendary Entertainment:
How did Thomas make his way into the movie business with the founding of Legendary Entertainment?
How did Thomas first meet Chris Nolan? What did the early days of making Batman Begins look like?
What were some of the most memorable times from making 300 with Gerard Butler?
What were some of the most challenging elements of scaling Legendary? With the benefit of hindsight, is there anything that Thomas would do differently?
4.) The Macro:
Why does Thomas believe public markets are the least rational they have ever been?
From geo politics to climate change, what is Thomas most worried about today in the world?
What does Thomas believe we should focus on as positives moving forward? What should we be excited about?
Item’s Mentioned In Today’s Episode with Thomas Tull
The Twenty Minute VC (20VC): Venture Capital | Startup Funding | The Pitch 
