A Tale of Two Startups: Entrepreneurial Life Lessons — Mike Pusateri (Founder & CEO, Bent Pixels) & James Creech (Co-Founder & CEO, Paladin

Mike Pusateri is the Founder & CEO of Bent Pixels, a global media company serving creators and brands. As a top 25 MCN with over 24,000 creators and one billion monthly views, Bent Pixels represents celebrities like Kevin Hart and Joe Rogan as well as online video creators in the gaming and comedy verticals. Bent Pixels also offers content claiming and audience development services for brands, including FUNimation, RLJ Entertainment, Live Nation, and more.
James Creech is the Co-Founder & CEO of Paladin Software, the premier technology provider for MCNs and next-generation media companies, including Maker Studios, AwesomenessTV, Studio71, DEFY Media, Frederator Networks, and more. The Paladin platform helps digital video networks streamline processes, increase efficiency, and grow revenue.
In this episode, we discuss the humble beginnings of Bent Pixels, the growth of its software licensing business, and the launch of Paladin Software as an independent technology company. Mike and James explain how both companies have grown without outside capital and responded to constant change in the online video industry by learning from each failure and quickly adapting. Mike boldly calls out VR, saying “I don’t get it” – unconvinced that consumers will wear bulky headsets. And James predicts continued growth in viewer engagement and the eventual rise of consolidated media distribution channels.
Host: Jackie Koppell
ABOUT THE SHOW
All Things Video is a podcast dedicated to uncovering the past and charting the future of the online video ecosystem. Listen to interviews with founders, executives, and thought leaders from the world’s leading video networks and engage in thought-provoking debates about the key issues shaping the next generation of entertainment. From the short-form content revolution to the rise of multi-channel networks (MCNs) and the fragmentation of video viewership in an always-on world, All Things Video reveals the key trends and insights from the world of digital video.
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ABOUT THE HOST
Jackie Koppell is a digital media consultant and the Founder of Pinnacle, a dinner and event series for leaders and visionaries in the entertainment industry. Prior to Pinnacle, Jackie served as the Head of Talent at AwesomenessTV. She is also the creator and host of the political satire show Newsy News.
OUR SPONSOR
This episode is brought to you by Epidemic Sound, the company reimagining music licensing for the digital age. Epidemic’s library contains tens of thousands of tracks that you can license a la carte or on a subscription basis. Unlike other music licensing companies, Epidemic Sound owns its entire catalogue and makes tracks available via one straightforward license to cover all your needs, worldwide and in perpetuity – no more headaches around usage reporting, performance royalties, or murky rights ownership. It’s better for the artists and better for you, the creator. So whatever your music needs, www.epidemicsound.com has got you covered!

All Things Video