DeepSummary
In this episode, Scott 'Scooter' Braun, an influential figure in the entertainment industry, discusses his journey from being a college party promoter to managing global superstars like Justin Bieber and Ariana Grande. He shares candid insights into the challenges of dealing with success, wealth, and fame while maintaining personal happiness and well-being.
Braun delves into his venture capital endeavors, including his early interest in investing and his firm's investments in companies like Pinterest, Spotify, and Uber. He emphasizes the importance of vulnerability in building trust and connecting with entrepreneurs, as well as the need for self-work and personal growth.
Throughout the conversation, Braun reflects on the lessons he has learned about parenting, marriage, and personal relationships. He discusses the impact of his divorce, which he considers the biggest catalyst for his personal transformation, and the realization that true happiness lies in accepting oneself rather than solely pursuing achievements.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- Success and happiness are not necessarily aligned, and true happiness often comes from self-acceptance and personal growth.
- Vulnerability and self-work are crucial for personal growth and building meaningful connections with others.
- Surrounding oneself with positive influences and letting go of negative distractions is important for maintaining a healthy mindset.
- Balancing ambition with appreciation for the present moment is a challenge, but finding harmony between the two can lead to greater fulfillment.
- Divorce and personal challenges can serve as catalysts for personal transformation and self-discovery.
- Parenting requires being present and providing unconditional love and support for children to thrive.
- Financial success can provide freedom, but true wealth lies in cultivating meaningful relationships and personal growth.
- Embracing uncertainty and having faith in the journey can lead to a more fulfilling life.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “If you have people calling you, saying, oh, you need to know this person's talking shit about you, you should probably remove those people from your life, too, because half the time they're talking about someone who you don't even see anymore, or they're barely in your life, and all they're doing is stirring up drama.“ by Scott Braun
- “I think that when you just said, scooter, do you find yourself successful? I'd actually prefer if you say, Scott.“ by Scott Braun
- “If I could give anyone any takeaway from today, I hope that they don't take, like, me, 39 years to get to a place where they take one week a year, no phone, no email, and do a week of self work.“ by Scott Braun
- “And it's funny, because all the things that I thought I had to build to be successful have nothing to do with that.“ by Scott Braun
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Episode Information
The Twenty Minute VC (20VC): Venture Capital | Startup Funding | The Pitch
Harry Stebbings
4/17/23
From college party promoter to managing global stars to CEO and investor. Scott “Scooter” Braun is one of the most powerful people in media and one of the most multi-faceted entrepreneurs we have ever met. As the founder of media company SB Projects and the co-founder of TQ Ventures, he has backed prominent companies such as Pinterest, Spotify and Uber and managed some of the world’s biggest names in music including Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande, and Demi Lovato. Braun’s other accolades include founding Ithaca Ventures (acquired by HYBE for $1BN+) in 2021, and philanthropic efforts such as being a Make-A-Wish board member, raising $55M+ for Hurricane Harvey and Irma relief and continuing to instill the value of social good wherever possible.
In Today’s Episode with Scooter Braun We Discuss:
1. From College Party Promoter to Managing The World's Biggest Superstars:
- What was the single most catalytic moment of Scooter’s career?
- What was Scooter's most painful professional mistake, and what did he learn from it?
- What was the decision-making behind Scooter's HYBE deal?
- What is the biggest challenge in scaling the trajectories of the people Scooter works with?
- If Scooter could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?
2. College Party Promoter Turned Venture Investor:
- How did Scooter originally get into investing?
- How did Scooter’s party promoting business almost lead to an early investment in Facebook?
- Do people approach Scooter differently as an investor because of his success in the music industry?
- Why is vulnerability helpful for investing?
3. Scooter's Lessons on Success (And How to Deal With It):
- Why does Scooter believe happiness and success are not aligned?
- How does Scooter approach deal-making?
- Is work-life balance bullshit? Does Scooter think you have to break your back to become as successful as Jeff Bezos?
- Is Scooter scared of mediocrity?
- Why does Scooter think all entrepreneurs are bad at having faith?
4. The Secrets to Being a Better Parent, Child, and Partner:
- How does Scooter approach trust?
- How did having kids impact Scooter's mindset?
- Why was divorce the biggest catalyst in Scooter's entire life?
- Does Scooter worry that money will negatively influence how his children are brought up?
- What is the most important thing a child can hear from a parent?
5. Finding the "Scott" Buried Inside "Scooter":
- It's easy to become the brand you create. How does Scooter prevent losing himself when that happens?
- What does Scooter need to unlearn in the future?
- What has Scooter changed his mind on in the past 12 months?
- How does Scooter approach his relationship to regret?
- What single lesson you most would Scooter most want a young person listening to this conversation to take away?