ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Management Insights is back with a special bonus episode. Marc Ransom (BComβ24) returns as a host in an exciting conversation with Thomas Brag (BComβ15). The co-creator of popular YouTube channel, YesTheory, Thomas has travelled all over the world alongside friends and co-creators Ammar Kandil and Matt Dahlia, experiencing new adventures and building an incredible community of people who believe that seeking discomfort is the gateway to a fulfilling life.
Since its launch in 2015, YesTheoryβs YouTube channel has grown to over 9 million subscribers and amassed over 1 billion views. However, the digital media brandβs reach expands far beyond that, having expanded to include a second channel, podcast, newsletter, a clothing line inspired by the brandβs number one motto, Seek Discomfort, Facebook and Discord groups for members of the YesFam to find each other all over the world, and thereβs even more to come.
βWe just feel that we happen to be the vehicle, the way that it currently has taken life through videos and adventures on YouTube, but really we see it as something that anyone can embody,β Thomas explains.
What you may not know is that this wasnβt the young entrepreneurβs first foray into founding a business.
When he first moved to Montreal to attend ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ, he launched PassionSnack alongside childhood best friend Noah Dayan (BScβ14), driven by their desire to make new connections with people in their area who shared similar interests.
After cold emailing Silicon Valley investors with little success, one investor actually took the time to get back to themβTim Draper, an investor in hundreds of successful companies, including Tesla, Skype, Robinhood, and SpaceX.
βI was an 18-year-old who had never pitched anything to anyone,β he says. βWhat we ended up getting out of that was that he was starting a new school for entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley, which was completely unconventional, and every day there was public speakers that were friends of his that were either very successful founders, um, or investors. We ended up meeting Elon Musk and all sorts of fascinating human beings when we were in Silicon Valley, and I was there at 18 years old, completely overwhelmed and mind blown, um, and came back extremely inspired.β
Ultimately the company shut down a few years later, but clearly this wasnβt the end of the line for Thomasβ entrepreneurial journey.
Tune in to this special bonus episode to hear how the young co-founder got his start on YouTube (spoiler alert, it happened right here at ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ), what itβs like balancing personal and professional relationships when your friends are also your colleagues, whatβs next in store for YesTheory and more!
Start streaming the ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Management Insights podcasts on:
| | |
This episode was hosted by
Marc Ransom
BCom'24