The Music Biz, Tech Investing, and Apple v. Epic -- Stu Smith (SVP, Fullscreen)

Stu Smith is an SVP at Fullscreen, leading the company’s Creator Labs, Public Figures, and Creator Partnerships business units. Stu started his career in the music industry, serving as the personal assistant to John Mayer before working in artist management. In 2012, he transitioned to the startup space, serving as the Director of Artist Partnerships & Business Development at CrowdSurge (now Songkick) before joining Teespring and later Omaze. Stu is also an active investor; he and his brother Austin formed Coughdrop Capital in 2015 and have backed a number of early stage B2B and consumer tech companies. In this episode, Stu shares his early experience in the music business before catching the startup bug. We talk about Fullscreen’s role within Warner Media and future growth strategy, and Stu provides some insight into his core investment thesis for early stage companies. Finally, we debate the outcome of the Epic Games vs. Apple battle royale and what the future holds for TikTok. Host: James Creech LISTENER SUPPORT If you’d like to make a small monthly donation  to help support future episodes, please visit https://anchor.fm/allthingsvideopodcast/support 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 media companies and engage in thought-provoking debates about the issues shaping the next generation of entertainment. From the short-form content revolution to the fragmentation of video viewership in an always-on world, All Things Video reveals the key trends and insights from the world of digital media. Follow All Things Video on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn for new episodes and updates! ABOUT THE HOST James Creech is an entrepreneur focused on technology, online video, and digital media. He is the Co-Founder & CEO of Paladin, the essential influencer marketing platform for media companies, agencies, and brands.