1 00:00:07,280 --> 00:00:11,840 Speaker 1: Welcome to Strictly Business, Variety's weekly podcasts featuring conversations with 2 00:00:11,920 --> 00:00:15,720 Speaker 1: industry leaders about the business of media and entertainment. I'm 3 00:00:15,760 --> 00:00:19,599 Speaker 1: Cynthia Lyttleton, co editor in chief of Variety Today. My 4 00:00:19,680 --> 00:00:24,320 Speaker 1: guest is Sergio Alfaro, founder and CEO of invent TV. 5 00:00:25,079 --> 00:00:28,200 Speaker 1: Alfaro grew up in the Pasadena area in an apartment 6 00:00:28,280 --> 00:00:32,000 Speaker 1: that didn't even have a television. Now he produces dozens 7 00:00:32,000 --> 00:00:35,559 Speaker 1: of hours of TV every year. Invent TV is a 8 00:00:35,600 --> 00:00:39,400 Speaker 1: busy unscripted production banner that has handled production for a 9 00:00:39,479 --> 00:00:43,120 Speaker 1: range of shows. Invent TV is a busy banner that 10 00:00:43,200 --> 00:00:46,519 Speaker 1: has handled production for a range of shows from Doctor 11 00:00:46,520 --> 00:00:50,120 Speaker 1: Pimple Popper, The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City to 12 00:00:50,240 --> 00:00:54,160 Speaker 1: numerous Oprah Winfrey TV specials over the years. He launched 13 00:00:54,160 --> 00:00:57,680 Speaker 1: the company about ten years ago in partnership with investor 14 00:00:57,720 --> 00:01:02,360 Speaker 1: and philanthropist Jeffrey Soros. Alfaro is truly a modern day 15 00:01:02,400 --> 00:01:07,440 Speaker 1: Horatio Alger. He started out in entertainment stocking dressing rooms 16 00:01:07,480 --> 00:01:12,280 Speaker 1: and cleaning up debauchery after live performances. Today he's a 17 00:01:12,360 --> 00:01:16,399 Speaker 1: business owner who was courted for prestigious board seats and 18 00:01:16,520 --> 00:01:19,080 Speaker 1: in the twenty five years in between, he had a 19 00:01:19,200 --> 00:01:23,720 Speaker 1: rise and a fall with the previous company. Alfaro explains 20 00:01:23,760 --> 00:01:26,080 Speaker 1: how he built it back up and what he learned 21 00:01:26,080 --> 00:01:29,280 Speaker 1: from the hard process of failure, and he gives us 22 00:01:29,319 --> 00:01:33,240 Speaker 1: a producer's i view on the unscripted TV marketplace. Right now, 23 00:01:33,640 --> 00:01:50,360 Speaker 1: that's all coming up after this break, and we're back 24 00:01:50,400 --> 00:01:55,040 Speaker 1: with a conversation with Invent TV founder and CEO Sergio Alfaro. 25 00:01:55,800 --> 00:01:59,640 Speaker 2: Sergio Alfaro, CEO of Invent TV, thank you for joining 26 00:01:59,640 --> 00:02:00,160 Speaker 2: me today. 27 00:02:00,160 --> 00:02:01,200 Speaker 3: Thank you for having. 28 00:02:00,960 --> 00:02:05,080 Speaker 2: Me, and dear listeners. Sergio is from Pasadena, which is 29 00:02:05,120 --> 00:02:09,520 Speaker 2: my hometown, and he brought me a gorgeous pie from 30 00:02:09,600 --> 00:02:12,640 Speaker 2: Pie and Burger. That is a very sweet gesture and 31 00:02:12,680 --> 00:02:16,280 Speaker 2: a very Pasadena gesture. Thank you. You have a fantastic 32 00:02:16,360 --> 00:02:20,200 Speaker 2: backstory and inspiring You are a born entrepreneur backstory, and 33 00:02:20,200 --> 00:02:21,639 Speaker 2: I want to talk about that, but I want to 34 00:02:21,680 --> 00:02:24,639 Speaker 2: start by you are also right now in the trench's 35 00:02:25,240 --> 00:02:29,480 Speaker 2: selling shows. Right now, we are five months in to 36 00:02:29,760 --> 00:02:33,760 Speaker 2: the macroeconomic roller coaster ride that has been the second 37 00:02:34,000 --> 00:02:37,360 Speaker 2: Trump administration. What is your sense out there right now? 38 00:02:37,400 --> 00:02:39,720 Speaker 2: Are people still finding their way through the fog? 39 00:02:40,160 --> 00:02:44,160 Speaker 3: I think there's a lot of fear in general job security. 40 00:02:44,320 --> 00:02:46,560 Speaker 3: What's the next hit, and I think it goes globally. 41 00:02:46,600 --> 00:02:49,280 Speaker 3: It's not just the production company's feeling it. I think 42 00:02:49,320 --> 00:02:52,240 Speaker 3: the networks are feeling it as well. Their next bet 43 00:02:52,400 --> 00:02:55,040 Speaker 3: may be the wrong bet, and then that costs them 44 00:02:55,080 --> 00:02:58,400 Speaker 3: their jobs and everybody else's jobs. So I think people 45 00:02:58,440 --> 00:03:01,639 Speaker 3: are playing it safe right now. I think that eventually 46 00:03:01,680 --> 00:03:04,160 Speaker 3: somebody's going to take some swings again and get a 47 00:03:04,320 --> 00:03:08,079 Speaker 3: huge hit on the air, and that might rejigger things 48 00:03:08,080 --> 00:03:09,760 Speaker 3: again and put it back to normal. I think this 49 00:03:09,880 --> 00:03:10,520 Speaker 3: is cyclical. 50 00:03:11,360 --> 00:03:16,560 Speaker 2: In the business of pitching and getting show commissions from outlets, 51 00:03:16,600 --> 00:03:19,240 Speaker 2: we've seen a lot of consolidation. Now. We have in 52 00:03:19,280 --> 00:03:22,160 Speaker 2: many cases, not every single case, but of the major platforms, 53 00:03:22,160 --> 00:03:26,240 Speaker 2: you have single execs or single teams overseeing for broadcasts, 54 00:03:26,240 --> 00:03:29,560 Speaker 2: for streaming, for a cable. How has that been for you? 55 00:03:29,600 --> 00:03:32,160 Speaker 2: As a seller, we try and be a lot. 56 00:03:32,000 --> 00:03:35,800 Speaker 3: More focused on who we're pitching and selling to. I 57 00:03:35,840 --> 00:03:38,960 Speaker 3: think it's like buying a home these days. You can 58 00:03:39,080 --> 00:03:41,840 Speaker 3: name a network and know exactly what kind of programming 59 00:03:41,920 --> 00:03:45,560 Speaker 3: they have. So if you go in kind of open ended, 60 00:03:45,920 --> 00:03:48,760 Speaker 3: here's a general idea, it only works if you have 61 00:03:48,800 --> 00:03:51,000 Speaker 3: some major talent and a lot of buyers that are 62 00:03:51,000 --> 00:03:52,240 Speaker 3: going to go into it. You know, if you're going 63 00:03:52,280 --> 00:03:55,119 Speaker 3: to the NBCs of the world and CBS, then yeah, 64 00:03:55,120 --> 00:03:58,040 Speaker 3: you better come with big talent, big format, big big big, 65 00:03:58,080 --> 00:04:01,240 Speaker 3: and you can get a bidding war. In the unscripted world, 66 00:04:01,560 --> 00:04:04,240 Speaker 3: it's pretty tailored, you know, it's pretty well focused, like 67 00:04:04,360 --> 00:04:08,600 Speaker 3: here's something that suits you, the buyer, and then they 68 00:04:08,640 --> 00:04:10,760 Speaker 3: decide if they're going to put it on their linear 69 00:04:10,880 --> 00:04:14,400 Speaker 3: channel or their streaming channel if they have one. But 70 00:04:14,640 --> 00:04:17,039 Speaker 3: we try and be very focused and thankfully because of 71 00:04:17,080 --> 00:04:20,320 Speaker 3: the relationships we have, whether it's a Lane one of 72 00:04:20,320 --> 00:04:24,000 Speaker 3: my favorite executives in Angelo over Elane's at A and 73 00:04:24,040 --> 00:04:28,400 Speaker 3: E and Angelo's at we TV. We text them, you know, 74 00:04:28,440 --> 00:04:31,040 Speaker 3: we say, hey, here's an idea, and they're so wonderful 75 00:04:31,040 --> 00:04:34,800 Speaker 3: with us to just say not for us, or that's interesting, 76 00:04:34,880 --> 00:04:38,240 Speaker 3: tell us more. Then we focus in on that and 77 00:04:38,320 --> 00:04:41,800 Speaker 3: develop it further and further, and it's it's like anything else. 78 00:04:41,800 --> 00:04:44,480 Speaker 3: It's like a relationship. I feel like we are we 79 00:04:44,520 --> 00:04:46,680 Speaker 3: are trying to sell something like a real estate agent. 80 00:04:46,760 --> 00:04:48,320 Speaker 3: Let me show you a couple of homes. It's not 81 00:04:48,360 --> 00:04:50,720 Speaker 3: always going to be the first home you see. Let 82 00:04:50,720 --> 00:04:53,080 Speaker 3: me show you another one, and that kind of words 83 00:04:53,120 --> 00:04:55,880 Speaker 3: but put a pool in it. Okay, sure, but we 84 00:04:55,920 --> 00:04:56,799 Speaker 3: can't afford the pool. 85 00:04:57,360 --> 00:05:00,240 Speaker 2: That's an interesting analogy, and all my years of talking 86 00:05:00,279 --> 00:05:02,479 Speaker 2: to producers, nobody else has ever made that analogy. But 87 00:05:02,520 --> 00:05:03,880 Speaker 2: that's a great one. Thank you. 88 00:05:03,960 --> 00:05:06,799 Speaker 3: Well, that's what we do. We got to show options, 89 00:05:06,839 --> 00:05:09,400 Speaker 3: and we can be precious either. I think a lot 90 00:05:09,400 --> 00:05:14,080 Speaker 3: of people get precious about their idea, especially newcomers, you know, 91 00:05:14,200 --> 00:05:17,000 Speaker 3: people coming into the industry and here's my idea, and 92 00:05:17,040 --> 00:05:19,920 Speaker 3: it's so great. We've heard it before. We call it 93 00:05:19,920 --> 00:05:23,120 Speaker 3: a mop most often pitched. If I hear one more 94 00:05:23,160 --> 00:05:26,599 Speaker 3: person say this is the Anthony Bourdain of like, oh 95 00:05:26,640 --> 00:05:29,720 Speaker 3: my god, that is like a weekly thing. Still and 96 00:05:30,480 --> 00:05:32,320 Speaker 3: we all smile when they say it, you know. 97 00:05:32,640 --> 00:05:35,800 Speaker 2: Rest in peace, Rest in peace, Love Kitchen Confidential, one 98 00:05:35,800 --> 00:05:38,640 Speaker 2: of the great books of the nineteen. 99 00:05:38,320 --> 00:05:42,560 Speaker 3: Ninety Yeah, these, I mean, but nobody's Anthony boardaining. 100 00:05:42,640 --> 00:05:45,080 Speaker 2: So but let me ask you, is the process with 101 00:05:45,200 --> 00:05:49,520 Speaker 2: the consolidation and the fact that there's fewer people overseeing credit, 102 00:05:49,600 --> 00:05:52,880 Speaker 2: over seeing more platforms, is that appreciably better? Yeah? For 103 00:05:52,960 --> 00:05:54,440 Speaker 2: a pitcher, is it appreciably worse? 104 00:05:54,480 --> 00:05:56,960 Speaker 3: I think it's much better because you know, you don't 105 00:05:57,000 --> 00:05:58,520 Speaker 3: have to pitch to a bunch of different teams, and 106 00:05:58,560 --> 00:06:01,520 Speaker 3: it doesn't have to go through so many more layers. 107 00:06:01,520 --> 00:06:03,480 Speaker 3: There's still plenty of layers, don't get me wrong, but 108 00:06:04,640 --> 00:06:07,360 Speaker 3: it's you're going to one person that could actually think 109 00:06:07,360 --> 00:06:13,520 Speaker 3: about multiple options. Oh, this doesn't work for this linear channel, 110 00:06:13,560 --> 00:06:15,320 Speaker 3: but this could work for our streamers. So I think 111 00:06:15,839 --> 00:06:19,200 Speaker 3: you're pitching into one person that has several options, you know, 112 00:06:20,080 --> 00:06:23,360 Speaker 3: So I think it actually works better quite frankly. But 113 00:06:23,560 --> 00:06:26,720 Speaker 3: the workload for them, I really that's tough. I mean, 114 00:06:26,760 --> 00:06:29,400 Speaker 3: the amount of hats that they're wearing now and the 115 00:06:29,440 --> 00:06:31,640 Speaker 3: things that they're juggling. I have a lot of respect 116 00:06:31,760 --> 00:06:36,240 Speaker 3: for the network executives that are just wearing too many hats. 117 00:06:36,320 --> 00:06:38,640 Speaker 3: In my opinion, it's tough. I have a really hard. 118 00:06:38,560 --> 00:06:43,640 Speaker 2: Job that the scarcity of executive jobs is definitely is 119 00:06:43,680 --> 00:06:45,840 Speaker 2: definitely notable. Let me ask you, is it still fair 120 00:06:45,839 --> 00:06:47,680 Speaker 2: to say that, you know, basically the kind of the 121 00:06:47,760 --> 00:06:52,039 Speaker 2: hierarchy of budget is broadcast, you'll have a pretty solid 122 00:06:52,040 --> 00:06:55,000 Speaker 2: budget because it's kind of got to be big streaming obviously, 123 00:06:55,080 --> 00:07:00,200 Speaker 2: because in some cases to print their own money it's 124 00:07:00,200 --> 00:07:03,000 Speaker 2: a little old school. But and then cable obviously is 125 00:07:03,200 --> 00:07:06,320 Speaker 2: very you know, very much the you know, stretch stretcher 126 00:07:06,400 --> 00:07:08,120 Speaker 2: dollars and make them work, but we'll give you a 127 00:07:08,160 --> 00:07:11,000 Speaker 2: sixty episode order. Is that kind of basically. 128 00:07:10,600 --> 00:07:12,720 Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, it all works the same and at the 129 00:07:12,800 --> 00:07:16,640 Speaker 3: end of the day, it's everything is manageable. It really is. 130 00:07:16,680 --> 00:07:19,880 Speaker 3: And I feel that again going to people being precious. 131 00:07:19,960 --> 00:07:22,760 Speaker 3: I think right now there's a lot of production companies 132 00:07:22,800 --> 00:07:25,600 Speaker 3: I don't understand why they do it, or they'll literally 133 00:07:25,640 --> 00:07:28,760 Speaker 3: pass on a network because it's not enough money. Like 134 00:07:28,960 --> 00:07:31,200 Speaker 3: roll up your sleeves, figure it out. You know, there's 135 00:07:32,040 --> 00:07:34,640 Speaker 3: you've got to change with the times, and the networks 136 00:07:34,640 --> 00:07:38,400 Speaker 3: are very accommodating to what those needs are and those 137 00:07:38,400 --> 00:07:42,000 Speaker 3: financial changes. You know, it's across the board, so the 138 00:07:42,040 --> 00:07:45,160 Speaker 3: showrunners know what's going on, the camera operators know what's 139 00:07:45,200 --> 00:07:48,640 Speaker 3: going on, the vendors know what's going on. So if 140 00:07:48,680 --> 00:07:50,960 Speaker 3: you want the business, you've got to change with us. 141 00:07:51,040 --> 00:07:56,320 Speaker 3: And thankfully we haven't had struggles working within you know, 142 00:07:56,440 --> 00:08:00,400 Speaker 3: tighter confines with some of the buyers and some of 143 00:08:00,440 --> 00:08:04,840 Speaker 3: the networks. We call our people and thankfully, I mean 144 00:08:04,840 --> 00:08:07,080 Speaker 3: I've been in the business a long time. We have 145 00:08:07,080 --> 00:08:09,080 Speaker 3: a lot of loyalty. We're good to our people. If 146 00:08:09,120 --> 00:08:11,280 Speaker 3: we have the money, we use the same people and 147 00:08:11,320 --> 00:08:13,680 Speaker 3: we take care of them and what we don't. It's 148 00:08:13,680 --> 00:08:15,720 Speaker 3: not even an ask, you know, I'm not asking for 149 00:08:15,760 --> 00:08:17,480 Speaker 3: a favor. I just say, hey, this is what we have. 150 00:08:17,600 --> 00:08:23,200 Speaker 3: We're incredibly transparent with our partners, our vendors, everybody, and 151 00:08:23,240 --> 00:08:26,760 Speaker 3: I think being kind, being honest, being consistent really works 152 00:08:26,920 --> 00:08:28,040 Speaker 3: long term. It does. 153 00:08:28,440 --> 00:08:31,160 Speaker 2: Do you are there sort of advantages Do you enjoy 154 00:08:31,280 --> 00:08:33,719 Speaker 2: working in the kind of three major mediums, whether it's 155 00:08:33,720 --> 00:08:37,640 Speaker 2: for streamer, broadcast, k but you flex different muscles for sure. 156 00:08:37,960 --> 00:08:41,240 Speaker 3: My favorite is still live. You know, I started with 157 00:08:41,320 --> 00:08:44,200 Speaker 3: Ken Rlick that way back in the day. But whenever 158 00:08:44,240 --> 00:08:47,839 Speaker 3: I'm on a live set, that's family. It's different because 159 00:08:48,040 --> 00:08:53,959 Speaker 3: unscripted projects and scripted projects are very contingent to the genre, 160 00:08:54,160 --> 00:08:56,640 Speaker 3: the network, and there are certain people that I would 161 00:08:56,720 --> 00:09:01,080 Speaker 3: consider family within those groups. Live events it's the same people. 162 00:09:01,280 --> 00:09:04,360 Speaker 3: The only person changing is on top the production company 163 00:09:04,400 --> 00:09:06,280 Speaker 3: and the executive producer Serjo. 164 00:09:06,400 --> 00:09:09,280 Speaker 2: This is a great segue. Tell us what it was 165 00:09:09,320 --> 00:09:13,000 Speaker 2: about live events that that was your path into the industry. 166 00:09:13,400 --> 00:09:17,120 Speaker 3: So I got offered a job in the mid nineties 167 00:09:17,160 --> 00:09:20,560 Speaker 3: on a show called Motown Live. So when I grew 168 00:09:20,640 --> 00:09:23,920 Speaker 3: up we didn't have a television. We had a radio 169 00:09:24,040 --> 00:09:30,000 Speaker 3: on top of a refrigerator and we played radio. It's 170 00:09:30,040 --> 00:09:33,800 Speaker 3: a Spanish station that was just always on. And I 171 00:09:33,840 --> 00:09:35,959 Speaker 3: was raised by a single mom, me and my brother, 172 00:09:36,520 --> 00:09:38,720 Speaker 3: and she was always working. She was an auditor and 173 00:09:39,160 --> 00:09:40,920 Speaker 3: travel a lot. My brother and I just kind of 174 00:09:40,960 --> 00:09:44,679 Speaker 3: raised ourselves. We play out on the streets and listen 175 00:09:44,720 --> 00:09:48,160 Speaker 3: to the Spanish radio. So when I got it, when 176 00:09:48,160 --> 00:09:50,120 Speaker 3: I got a job in television, I didn't know what 177 00:09:50,160 --> 00:09:53,600 Speaker 3: that really meant. I was dating somebody at the time 178 00:09:53,640 --> 00:09:56,520 Speaker 3: and the father offered me a job to do dressing rooms. 179 00:09:56,760 --> 00:09:59,600 Speaker 3: I didn't know what that meant. So I went to 180 00:09:59,640 --> 00:10:03,920 Speaker 3: this show a Motel live at Renmar Studios, and I 181 00:10:03,960 --> 00:10:08,400 Speaker 3: would work after college. I would work from i'd say 182 00:10:08,400 --> 00:10:10,920 Speaker 3: about four pm till about three in the morning, sometimes 183 00:10:10,960 --> 00:10:13,640 Speaker 3: two in the morning, and my job was to put 184 00:10:13,880 --> 00:10:17,960 Speaker 3: drinks and sodas and waters and towels in dressing rooms 185 00:10:17,960 --> 00:10:20,200 Speaker 3: of celebrities and motown Live if you know that was 186 00:10:20,240 --> 00:10:24,360 Speaker 3: like Snoop Dog and Bust the Rhymes and just all 187 00:10:24,440 --> 00:10:29,079 Speaker 3: kinds of rowdy groups in the mid nineties. 188 00:10:29,160 --> 00:10:31,000 Speaker 2: These were live TV special live TV. 189 00:10:30,920 --> 00:10:35,680 Speaker 3: Specials, correct, and my job was to fill them with 190 00:10:36,760 --> 00:10:39,559 Speaker 3: supplies when they're there, and then hang out and at 191 00:10:39,559 --> 00:10:42,320 Speaker 3: the end of the night, which was the crazy part. 192 00:10:42,559 --> 00:10:44,719 Speaker 3: It was like the scene of sixteen Candles at the 193 00:10:44,840 --> 00:10:48,040 Speaker 3: end with the pizza on the record player and things 194 00:10:48,120 --> 00:10:51,000 Speaker 3: thrown everywhere, and I would walk in and scratch my 195 00:10:51,080 --> 00:10:54,160 Speaker 3: head and clean up. And this was my job, Like 196 00:10:54,600 --> 00:10:57,040 Speaker 3: I didn't like it, and I was making I think 197 00:10:57,040 --> 00:10:59,560 Speaker 3: it was like seventy five dollars a day. It was 198 00:10:59,679 --> 00:11:03,080 Speaker 3: bad then it's bad now twenty five cents a mile. 199 00:11:03,440 --> 00:11:05,439 Speaker 3: My car only started half the time. By the way, 200 00:11:05,480 --> 00:11:08,559 Speaker 3: I had a seventy one Volkswagen that to this day 201 00:11:08,600 --> 00:11:10,760 Speaker 3: I back in everywhere I go, not because I'm cool, 202 00:11:10,800 --> 00:11:15,800 Speaker 3: but because I'm just you know, I'm scarred. My car 203 00:11:16,040 --> 00:11:18,559 Speaker 3: never started, so I'd have to open the door, put 204 00:11:18,600 --> 00:11:20,199 Speaker 3: it in neutral. If you know how to jump a car, 205 00:11:20,480 --> 00:11:22,439 Speaker 3: push it down the hill, jump in, put it in second, 206 00:11:22,440 --> 00:11:23,840 Speaker 3: pop the clutch, and then I get to go. 207 00:11:23,880 --> 00:11:25,120 Speaker 2: So it facing front. 208 00:11:25,160 --> 00:11:29,400 Speaker 3: Are conduc always so at the end of the season, 209 00:11:29,800 --> 00:11:33,520 Speaker 3: you know, people liked my work ethic. I never complained. 210 00:11:33,600 --> 00:11:35,920 Speaker 3: I just did the job, kept my head down, and 211 00:11:35,960 --> 00:11:39,400 Speaker 3: they offered me another job to go work on another project. 212 00:11:39,840 --> 00:11:41,960 Speaker 3: So at the end of the season. I got offered 213 00:11:41,960 --> 00:11:45,280 Speaker 3: a job to do the Grammys. I didn't know what 214 00:11:45,320 --> 00:11:48,240 Speaker 3: that was. And I would be doing more dressing rooms 215 00:11:48,240 --> 00:11:50,640 Speaker 3: for more celebrities. And I was like, oh, I don't 216 00:11:50,720 --> 00:11:53,280 Speaker 3: know if I want to do that. That doesn't sound appealing. 217 00:11:53,880 --> 00:11:57,760 Speaker 3: But I would be now the coordinator, which is that's 218 00:11:57,760 --> 00:11:59,079 Speaker 3: the guy that was telling me what to do that 219 00:11:59,160 --> 00:12:03,480 Speaker 3: did nothing. Wow, that sounds interesting, and am I going 220 00:12:03,520 --> 00:12:06,320 Speaker 3: to make a little bit more money? And yes, it 221 00:12:06,360 --> 00:12:10,559 Speaker 3: was like twelve hundred dollars. Now I'm nineteen, maybe twenty 222 00:12:10,600 --> 00:12:13,640 Speaker 3: at the time, and I got offered twelve hundred dollars 223 00:12:13,760 --> 00:12:17,839 Speaker 3: a week. That was just out of my mind. I 224 00:12:17,840 --> 00:12:20,080 Speaker 3: mean I still remember to this day. I walked into 225 00:12:20,679 --> 00:12:23,240 Speaker 3: a bank called Washington Mutual at the time it's now 226 00:12:23,280 --> 00:12:25,680 Speaker 3: I don't even know what has transitioned into and after 227 00:12:25,760 --> 00:12:28,880 Speaker 3: taxes like eight hundred and seventy something dollars. I don't 228 00:12:28,880 --> 00:12:31,320 Speaker 3: know what my problem was, but I thought I was busted, 229 00:12:31,760 --> 00:12:33,800 Speaker 3: Like this check is not going to clear, this is 230 00:12:33,840 --> 00:12:37,080 Speaker 3: some sort of this is so much money. There's no 231 00:12:37,360 --> 00:12:39,680 Speaker 3: way that a bank that I don't even have a 232 00:12:39,679 --> 00:12:43,040 Speaker 3: bank account is going to cash this eight hundred and 233 00:12:43,040 --> 00:12:46,200 Speaker 3: seventy something dollars check. So I was paranoid walking into 234 00:12:46,240 --> 00:12:48,240 Speaker 3: the bank. They asked for my ID. I swear I 235 00:12:48,280 --> 00:12:51,520 Speaker 3: was robbing the place. I just felt so much anxiety 236 00:12:51,559 --> 00:12:54,880 Speaker 3: and stress. And then they counted out the money and 237 00:12:54,920 --> 00:12:56,880 Speaker 3: then I'm freaking out that I have eight hundred dollars 238 00:12:56,920 --> 00:12:59,040 Speaker 3: in my pocket and somebody's going to rob me as 239 00:12:59,040 --> 00:13:02,160 Speaker 3: if the world knows and I have eight hundred dollars 240 00:13:02,240 --> 00:13:05,080 Speaker 3: in my pocket. So then I opened to bank account 241 00:13:05,120 --> 00:13:06,880 Speaker 3: so I wouldn't have to carry around that kind of 242 00:13:07,320 --> 00:13:07,920 Speaker 3: large though. 243 00:13:09,679 --> 00:13:10,200 Speaker 2: And that was it. 244 00:13:10,480 --> 00:13:14,160 Speaker 3: I actually there are three moments in my life where 245 00:13:14,880 --> 00:13:18,240 Speaker 3: I feel I have had like this feeling of the 246 00:13:18,280 --> 00:13:21,400 Speaker 3: world changing. That was one of those moments. When I 247 00:13:21,480 --> 00:13:24,480 Speaker 3: was cashing that check and opening an account, I stopped 248 00:13:24,480 --> 00:13:27,760 Speaker 3: for a moment to think, this is a career, Like 249 00:13:27,960 --> 00:13:30,000 Speaker 3: I could actually do this for a living, and if 250 00:13:30,040 --> 00:13:32,880 Speaker 3: I'm making this now, And this is where that epiphany came. 251 00:13:33,200 --> 00:13:37,600 Speaker 3: I had this like flash of Kennerlick's house and his 252 00:13:37,880 --> 00:13:41,600 Speaker 3: cars and the people that I was around from Ricky Minor, 253 00:13:41,640 --> 00:13:44,800 Speaker 3: who now does all these major shows at the time, was, 254 00:13:44,880 --> 00:13:47,319 Speaker 3: you know, starting as a musical director. I don't know 255 00:13:47,320 --> 00:13:49,400 Speaker 3: about starting, but he was definitely on the come up 256 00:13:49,400 --> 00:13:52,040 Speaker 3: in the nineties to Paul Sandwise, who was a music 257 00:13:52,200 --> 00:13:54,400 Speaker 3: like I went to all these people's homes as a 258 00:13:54,400 --> 00:13:57,559 Speaker 3: as a runner, and I just saw everything and how 259 00:13:57,640 --> 00:13:59,480 Speaker 3: beautiful it was and the things that they had, and 260 00:13:59,520 --> 00:14:02,720 Speaker 3: I'm like, oh my god, if I'm this young working here, 261 00:14:02,840 --> 00:14:04,920 Speaker 3: And that was the epiphany, where will I be in 262 00:14:05,000 --> 00:14:07,800 Speaker 3: ten years? That's it? What does the next person do? 263 00:14:07,880 --> 00:14:10,160 Speaker 3: And what does the next person do? And just went 264 00:14:10,200 --> 00:14:12,880 Speaker 3: through that. The other two are pretty basic, not basic, 265 00:14:12,920 --> 00:14:14,600 Speaker 3: but equally as beautiful. 266 00:14:15,240 --> 00:14:18,320 Speaker 1: Don't go anywhere. We'll be back with more from Invent 267 00:14:18,440 --> 00:14:27,520 Speaker 1: TV CEO Sergio Alfaro after this break, and we're back 268 00:14:27,560 --> 00:14:30,920 Speaker 1: with more from Invent TV CEO Sergio alfarow. 269 00:14:31,600 --> 00:14:33,040 Speaker 3: The other one was when I got on my knee 270 00:14:33,080 --> 00:14:35,360 Speaker 3: to propose to my wife, and I knew I was 271 00:14:35,400 --> 00:14:38,200 Speaker 3: doing it. I bought the ring. She was out of town. 272 00:14:38,880 --> 00:14:41,480 Speaker 3: When she left town, I realized we had been together 273 00:14:41,520 --> 00:14:44,200 Speaker 3: two years. I can't live without her. That's what my 274 00:14:45,000 --> 00:14:47,960 Speaker 3: determining factor was. So when I bought a ring, and 275 00:14:48,000 --> 00:14:49,800 Speaker 3: I had this whole plan of when she comes back, 276 00:14:49,800 --> 00:14:51,000 Speaker 3: I'm going to take her to where we had our 277 00:14:51,040 --> 00:14:53,760 Speaker 3: first date. I'm going to propose to her, and when 278 00:14:53,760 --> 00:14:56,040 Speaker 3: I put my knee down on the ground, it was 279 00:14:56,080 --> 00:14:58,520 Speaker 3: like in the movies where like a sonic wave went 280 00:14:58,560 --> 00:15:02,720 Speaker 3: through my body went through the earth earth of responsibility. 281 00:15:02,800 --> 00:15:06,480 Speaker 3: This is it, this is my person for life. And 282 00:15:06,680 --> 00:15:09,440 Speaker 3: it was a great decision. We've been together twenty years. 283 00:15:09,840 --> 00:15:14,040 Speaker 3: Name Tiffany, Tiffany Alfaro, She's a love. And the third 284 00:15:14,080 --> 00:15:15,880 Speaker 3: one was when my first son was born. Not that 285 00:15:15,920 --> 00:15:18,400 Speaker 3: I don't love all my children, but I didn't know 286 00:15:18,440 --> 00:15:21,160 Speaker 3: what it was like to have a child. And I 287 00:15:21,200 --> 00:15:24,600 Speaker 3: think until you do, you really don't know the meaning 288 00:15:24,640 --> 00:15:28,640 Speaker 3: of life at all. You don't know true love. Not 289 00:15:28,680 --> 00:15:30,800 Speaker 3: that I don't love my mom and my grandmother. There's 290 00:15:30,800 --> 00:15:35,160 Speaker 3: something instinctual about having your own child that just changes 291 00:15:35,360 --> 00:15:39,480 Speaker 3: absolutely everything. And the moment my son was born, that 292 00:15:39,680 --> 00:15:43,280 Speaker 3: changed everything for me. And again that same wave of responsibility, 293 00:15:43,280 --> 00:15:46,080 Speaker 3: and it was instant. The moment I held that kid 294 00:15:46,520 --> 00:15:50,720 Speaker 3: in the emergency room, that was it. I knew love 295 00:15:50,920 --> 00:15:53,480 Speaker 3: in a different way. I knew responsibility in a different way. 296 00:15:53,520 --> 00:15:56,760 Speaker 3: And yeah, those are those are the big the big three. 297 00:15:56,840 --> 00:15:59,280 Speaker 2: I guess for me based on what she said, the 298 00:15:59,320 --> 00:16:02,680 Speaker 2: work that you grew up with, what would you say then, 299 00:16:02,800 --> 00:16:04,880 Speaker 2: in like the next five to ten years. What were 300 00:16:04,880 --> 00:16:08,360 Speaker 2: the steps that you took that led you to now 301 00:16:08,400 --> 00:16:10,680 Speaker 2: being the head of your own company and having juggling 302 00:16:10,720 --> 00:16:12,400 Speaker 2: this portfolio of multiple ventures. 303 00:16:12,640 --> 00:16:15,040 Speaker 3: So I was with Kenny for literally, I think it 304 00:16:15,080 --> 00:16:19,280 Speaker 3: was thirteen years. And in Kenny's house there was really 305 00:16:20,240 --> 00:16:25,280 Speaker 3: four people. You know, there was kennerlick Ron Vacilly, Lisa Gears, 306 00:16:25,360 --> 00:16:26,520 Speaker 3: and Paige Hapley. 307 00:16:26,840 --> 00:16:29,960 Speaker 2: All names that you know from credits of a gazillion. 308 00:16:29,520 --> 00:16:32,760 Speaker 3: Show of a gazillion shows. And it didn't matter which 309 00:16:32,840 --> 00:16:35,200 Speaker 3: whether it was the Emmy's or and Grammy's was a 310 00:16:35,200 --> 00:16:37,920 Speaker 3: little different because I was always tied with Cosette. So 311 00:16:38,280 --> 00:16:41,840 Speaker 3: we we would build the shows, just a small group 312 00:16:41,920 --> 00:16:44,920 Speaker 3: of us and knock them down, and it was over 313 00:16:45,000 --> 00:16:46,640 Speaker 3: and over and over, and we would. 314 00:16:46,360 --> 00:16:51,320 Speaker 2: Do and you're talking about physical sets, every rigging cameras. 315 00:16:50,840 --> 00:16:53,160 Speaker 3: Every single thing. So, you know, a show would come 316 00:16:53,200 --> 00:16:56,960 Speaker 3: in and say here's the idea, and then you know, 317 00:16:57,080 --> 00:16:59,080 Speaker 3: Kenny would come up with, you know, some of the 318 00:16:59,120 --> 00:17:02,000 Speaker 3: ideas of the talent and who we're going to use 319 00:17:02,000 --> 00:17:05,560 Speaker 3: for staging and lighting and all these different things, and 320 00:17:05,600 --> 00:17:09,040 Speaker 3: then we would find those people, we would hire those people. 321 00:17:09,080 --> 00:17:12,000 Speaker 3: But again, like I said earlier, it's all the same people. Right, 322 00:17:12,040 --> 00:17:15,280 Speaker 3: It's literally family, and I grew up with all of 323 00:17:15,320 --> 00:17:20,280 Speaker 3: them like literally my entire career. So the transition really 324 00:17:20,320 --> 00:17:23,359 Speaker 3: came for me now running the companies is there was 325 00:17:23,400 --> 00:17:26,359 Speaker 3: a writer strike at the same time there was a 326 00:17:26,400 --> 00:17:29,360 Speaker 3: market crash. This was how many years ago. 327 00:17:29,200 --> 00:17:30,800 Speaker 2: Two thousand and seven, two thousand and eight. 328 00:17:31,400 --> 00:17:34,280 Speaker 3: So at that time I had two kids. I now 329 00:17:34,359 --> 00:17:37,400 Speaker 3: had three at a house. I bought a second house 330 00:17:37,400 --> 00:17:39,560 Speaker 3: that I was going to try and flip because I 331 00:17:39,600 --> 00:17:42,560 Speaker 3: thought it was the right thing to do. Everything came 332 00:17:42,640 --> 00:17:45,000 Speaker 3: to a crashing halt at the same time. There was 333 00:17:45,200 --> 00:17:50,240 Speaker 3: no work for me anywhere. And it's not something I'm 334 00:17:50,280 --> 00:17:52,960 Speaker 3: proud of, but I you know, I'm the breadwinner of 335 00:17:53,000 --> 00:17:56,480 Speaker 3: my household. I don't have a family with wealth that 336 00:17:56,560 --> 00:17:59,040 Speaker 3: I could turn to. I lost my house and I 337 00:17:59,080 --> 00:18:05,800 Speaker 3: had a transition into this new smut business called reality television. 338 00:18:06,720 --> 00:18:09,840 Speaker 3: What the hell is that? I literally had no clue. 339 00:18:10,040 --> 00:18:12,280 Speaker 2: There was this wonderful guy and in your mind it 340 00:18:12,400 --> 00:18:14,960 Speaker 2: had kind of used to call the smut business. It 341 00:18:15,080 --> 00:18:17,440 Speaker 2: had a kind of a negative connotation. 342 00:18:17,600 --> 00:18:20,840 Speaker 3: I mean, you're doing the Emmys and the Oscars, and 343 00:18:20,920 --> 00:18:23,600 Speaker 3: you're doing these huge shows with the biggest stars in 344 00:18:23,680 --> 00:18:28,280 Speaker 3: red carpet. You just think you're so cool. So there's 345 00:18:28,320 --> 00:18:31,280 Speaker 3: this wonderful human being, one of my favorite in the 346 00:18:31,280 --> 00:18:35,840 Speaker 3: industry named Jay Peterson. He brought me into do a 347 00:18:36,000 --> 00:18:39,359 Speaker 3: development tape for a company that he was going to 348 00:18:39,440 --> 00:18:43,720 Speaker 3: called Original Media, not Original Pictures of Original Media. People 349 00:18:43,800 --> 00:18:46,880 Speaker 3: always confuse that. And I came in and I did 350 00:18:46,880 --> 00:18:51,320 Speaker 3: this project. What was crazy is it was a development project. 351 00:18:51,359 --> 00:18:55,000 Speaker 3: And now, having gone through everything I went through, you know, 352 00:18:55,119 --> 00:18:59,359 Speaker 3: losing my home, you know, having losing both homes actually 353 00:18:59,440 --> 00:19:02,679 Speaker 3: because it was I couldn't make the payments, and I 354 00:19:02,720 --> 00:19:06,600 Speaker 3: got offered a job from Jay to be I forgot 355 00:19:06,600 --> 00:19:10,840 Speaker 3: what it was. It was some like development tape, like 356 00:19:10,960 --> 00:19:13,840 Speaker 3: just overseeing eight projects, a tiny little thing. And I 357 00:19:13,880 --> 00:19:17,400 Speaker 3: think I got paid twelve hundred dollars that many years 358 00:19:17,480 --> 00:19:20,600 Speaker 3: later to oversee this project. But it had hope for 359 00:19:20,640 --> 00:19:22,480 Speaker 3: this other job that he was looking at to bring 360 00:19:22,520 --> 00:19:25,600 Speaker 3: me in over to Original Media. So I did it. 361 00:19:25,640 --> 00:19:27,680 Speaker 3: I didn't care, like, look, I need I don't care 362 00:19:27,680 --> 00:19:30,119 Speaker 3: what the job is. I need a job I wasn't 363 00:19:30,240 --> 00:19:34,000 Speaker 3: proud to take less. I get this job and I 364 00:19:34,080 --> 00:19:36,840 Speaker 3: do it, and I'm asking Jay a lot of questions 365 00:19:36,880 --> 00:19:40,120 Speaker 3: that he's so polite and so kind that I'm sure 366 00:19:40,119 --> 00:19:43,400 Speaker 3: I irritated him because it was a development. Now I understand, 367 00:19:43,400 --> 00:19:45,920 Speaker 3: like it was just a sizzle like relax. I'm like, well, 368 00:19:46,080 --> 00:19:47,920 Speaker 3: who's doing the books? He's like the books? 369 00:19:48,359 --> 00:19:48,639 Speaker 2: You do? 370 00:19:48,720 --> 00:19:49,359 Speaker 3: The books? You know? 371 00:19:49,440 --> 00:19:50,639 Speaker 2: And who's getting the insurance? 372 00:19:50,760 --> 00:19:54,119 Speaker 3: You get the insurance? Like you keep out? Just do it, like, 373 00:19:54,160 --> 00:19:57,080 Speaker 3: stop asking me all these questions. The good thing is 374 00:19:57,119 --> 00:19:59,359 Speaker 3: he saw what I was capable of and he offered 375 00:19:59,359 --> 00:20:03,280 Speaker 3: me a job to be a line producer at Original Media. 376 00:20:03,560 --> 00:20:05,600 Speaker 3: So I went over there and. 377 00:20:05,880 --> 00:20:09,080 Speaker 2: Edited by one Charlie Corwin. Charlie went an alumnus of 378 00:20:09,080 --> 00:20:14,399 Speaker 2: this podcast and alumnus of Imagine Entertainment and also in 379 00:20:14,440 --> 00:20:15,040 Speaker 2: the Maullshine. 380 00:20:15,119 --> 00:20:18,359 Speaker 3: Yeah, and they made me a line producer on a 381 00:20:18,400 --> 00:20:21,520 Speaker 3: show called La Inc. We had just brought over Kat 382 00:20:21,600 --> 00:20:25,040 Speaker 3: Vondie from Miami and we were doing this series called 383 00:20:25,160 --> 00:20:28,679 Speaker 3: La Inc. And they wanted me to just look at 384 00:20:28,720 --> 00:20:30,679 Speaker 3: the LA office. Let me know what I think of 385 00:20:30,720 --> 00:20:33,240 Speaker 3: how things are being run and how things are going and. 386 00:20:34,520 --> 00:20:36,200 Speaker 2: Kind of production logistics. 387 00:20:36,280 --> 00:20:39,439 Speaker 3: Christ I wasn't on the creative side yet. I was 388 00:20:39,520 --> 00:20:42,640 Speaker 3: just looking at the numbers. And I because I come 389 00:20:42,680 --> 00:20:46,040 Speaker 3: from a live events background, I tried to apply that 390 00:20:46,640 --> 00:20:51,560 Speaker 3: business acumen to the unscripted world, which worked well. I 391 00:20:51,600 --> 00:20:53,640 Speaker 3: felt there was a lot of waste in my opinion 392 00:20:53,680 --> 00:20:56,879 Speaker 3: that we were just doing I mean, we were just 393 00:20:57,160 --> 00:20:59,240 Speaker 3: there was a lot of I don't know if this 394 00:20:59,280 --> 00:21:01,520 Speaker 3: is appropriate to say, so, I don't know, it's kind 395 00:21:01,520 --> 00:21:05,200 Speaker 3: of great, it was very wasteful. So I was doing 396 00:21:05,320 --> 00:21:08,240 Speaker 3: LA Inc. They brought me into Light Produce la Inc. 397 00:21:08,280 --> 00:21:11,000 Speaker 3: And quickly they're like, hey, could you take on another project? 398 00:21:11,080 --> 00:21:14,360 Speaker 3: The way on scripted working, you can give me ten projects. 399 00:21:14,400 --> 00:21:18,800 Speaker 3: This is not a difficult job for me by comparison 400 00:21:18,840 --> 00:21:21,240 Speaker 3: of what I used to do, you know, even from. 401 00:21:21,240 --> 00:21:24,480 Speaker 2: Creating a big, gigantic live event to all come together 402 00:21:24,600 --> 00:21:25,760 Speaker 2: in one two hour time. 403 00:21:25,840 --> 00:21:28,320 Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean like live events is, you're working on 404 00:21:28,400 --> 00:21:30,080 Speaker 3: it for a few months, you do it in one day, 405 00:21:30,080 --> 00:21:31,440 Speaker 3: and you knock it down in a week. 406 00:21:31,640 --> 00:21:33,760 Speaker 2: You get out and you get no second take. 407 00:21:33,800 --> 00:21:37,080 Speaker 3: No, and you're out. And I'm looking at these budgets 408 00:21:37,080 --> 00:21:42,479 Speaker 3: and fourteen weeks of edit per episode, Like I was like, 409 00:21:42,640 --> 00:21:45,439 Speaker 3: what is it? That's crazy? Like I couldn't wrap my 410 00:21:45,440 --> 00:21:48,080 Speaker 3: head around it. So I was looking at the economics 411 00:21:48,080 --> 00:21:49,520 Speaker 3: of it, and I came up with a few business 412 00:21:49,560 --> 00:21:52,800 Speaker 3: plans and I presented them to Charlie and Jay and 413 00:21:52,960 --> 00:21:55,440 Speaker 3: ultimately I ran the LA office for a long time. 414 00:21:55,600 --> 00:22:00,000 Speaker 3: I started looking for some venture capital folks to see, 415 00:22:00,080 --> 00:22:03,960 Speaker 3: you like, put somebody back my company, and I found one. 416 00:22:04,400 --> 00:22:07,080 Speaker 2: You weren't scared off of jumping in some of the 417 00:22:07,119 --> 00:22:08,879 Speaker 2: shark infested VC waters. 418 00:22:09,080 --> 00:22:12,960 Speaker 3: I was scared. I'm always scared. So I partnered with 419 00:22:13,000 --> 00:22:17,520 Speaker 3: William Johnson from Demorest. William Johnson is Franklin Temple dit 420 00:22:17,560 --> 00:22:19,840 Speaker 3: Johnson's I'm still friends with him. I now help him 421 00:22:19,880 --> 00:22:23,800 Speaker 3: with his stem cell rejuvenation hospitals in Thailand. I am 422 00:22:23,840 --> 00:22:28,320 Speaker 3: not a doctor, but they're still friends. That company, you know, 423 00:22:28,840 --> 00:22:32,320 Speaker 3: it was a good stepping stone to learn wasn't the 424 00:22:32,440 --> 00:22:36,240 Speaker 3: long term company I was going to stay with. And 425 00:22:36,280 --> 00:22:40,760 Speaker 3: then I was fortunate enough to find somebody that was 426 00:22:40,920 --> 00:22:45,240 Speaker 3: also in media, Jeffrey Sorrows, who started Los Angeles Media Fund, 427 00:22:45,480 --> 00:22:48,719 Speaker 3: and we've been partners. I think it's nine years now 428 00:22:48,760 --> 00:22:51,679 Speaker 3: if I'm not mistaken, and he's great, I mean, just 429 00:22:52,520 --> 00:22:55,879 Speaker 3: solid human being. He believed in he believed in me, 430 00:22:56,040 --> 00:22:57,880 Speaker 3: he believed in the vision of what we were going 431 00:22:57,920 --> 00:23:02,040 Speaker 3: to do. We've done it. It's definitely ups and downs 432 00:23:02,080 --> 00:23:05,679 Speaker 3: throughout the nine years. But he's about as solid of 433 00:23:05,680 --> 00:23:08,480 Speaker 3: a person as they come. He's a good human, he's 434 00:23:08,480 --> 00:23:11,560 Speaker 3: a good father, and that's that's what I try and 435 00:23:13,119 --> 00:23:15,480 Speaker 3: look for now. I grew up in the world Don 436 00:23:15,480 --> 00:23:19,080 Speaker 3: Mischer about Baying great Sales, Kenderly, you know Lewis J. 437 00:23:19,080 --> 00:23:21,920 Speaker 2: Horror, that's a hall of fame of you know, big 438 00:23:21,960 --> 00:23:25,199 Speaker 2: TV events the last thirty forty years for sure. Let 439 00:23:25,240 --> 00:23:28,200 Speaker 2: me ask you about Jeffrey Soros, what is it about 440 00:23:28,240 --> 00:23:32,040 Speaker 2: your partnership and the way that that whether the how 441 00:23:32,040 --> 00:23:35,119 Speaker 2: the investment works or what level of input they have. 442 00:23:35,480 --> 00:23:38,360 Speaker 2: What is it about that partnership that works. We've seen 443 00:23:38,480 --> 00:23:42,119 Speaker 2: examples of times when private equity combining with creative people 444 00:23:42,200 --> 00:23:44,480 Speaker 2: doesn't work. What is it? What is it you think 445 00:23:44,480 --> 00:23:46,439 Speaker 2: that has allowed it to work in your case, in 446 00:23:46,480 --> 00:23:47,560 Speaker 2: the case of invent TV. 447 00:23:48,119 --> 00:23:50,840 Speaker 3: Well, he's very smart. So he's not you know, he's 448 00:23:50,880 --> 00:23:54,560 Speaker 3: not a passive investor that doesn't understand the industry. He 449 00:23:54,720 --> 00:23:58,119 Speaker 3: knows the business, he knows the trends. He's very well read, 450 00:23:59,480 --> 00:24:01,280 Speaker 3: not just in general, but like he's well read in 451 00:24:01,359 --> 00:24:03,200 Speaker 3: the industry. I mean, he knows he has a pulse 452 00:24:03,240 --> 00:24:07,000 Speaker 3: on the market. So when we're having conversations about ideas 453 00:24:07,080 --> 00:24:10,160 Speaker 3: or shows. We talk every week, sometimes more. But it's 454 00:24:10,160 --> 00:24:13,600 Speaker 3: not you know, here's money, go go do something. It's 455 00:24:13,680 --> 00:24:16,439 Speaker 3: you know, we're strategic with each other. We have conversations. 456 00:24:16,480 --> 00:24:20,560 Speaker 3: He asks smart questions. You know, he watches our sizzles 457 00:24:20,560 --> 00:24:23,280 Speaker 3: when we're going to sell a show. He gives good 458 00:24:23,320 --> 00:24:26,040 Speaker 3: input on those cuts. And he brings ideas as well. 459 00:24:26,040 --> 00:24:28,439 Speaker 3: He's like, hey, what if we do this project? And 460 00:24:28,480 --> 00:24:31,960 Speaker 3: he brings ideas to the table. And he's obviously well connected, 461 00:24:32,000 --> 00:24:35,720 Speaker 3: so sometimes he brings talent or relationships to the table 462 00:24:35,760 --> 00:24:38,919 Speaker 3: as well. So I feel like he's not you know, 463 00:24:39,040 --> 00:24:43,320 Speaker 3: Goldman sachs Or or Chase Bank or some lender that says, 464 00:24:43,320 --> 00:24:45,840 Speaker 3: here's money, let us know what the numbers are. He's 465 00:24:45,840 --> 00:24:49,640 Speaker 3: obviously interested in the numbers as well, but it's he's 466 00:24:49,760 --> 00:24:53,200 Speaker 3: very collaborative and he cares. It's not again and cares 467 00:24:53,200 --> 00:24:55,439 Speaker 3: in a different way. It's not just where's the money, 468 00:24:55,440 --> 00:24:59,720 Speaker 3: what's now? He cares about the greater good of the company. 469 00:25:00,080 --> 00:25:02,800 Speaker 2: So do your career path has been really interesting and 470 00:25:02,880 --> 00:25:06,720 Speaker 2: illuminating about how the media business works and where entrepreneurs 471 00:25:06,720 --> 00:25:11,240 Speaker 2: can find can find their ins Entrepreneurs and hardworking inventive 472 00:25:11,280 --> 00:25:13,840 Speaker 2: people what would you say your goals five to ten 473 00:25:13,920 --> 00:25:16,280 Speaker 2: years for invent TV. Do you kind of like where 474 00:25:16,320 --> 00:25:17,800 Speaker 2: you are? Do you want to grow? 475 00:25:18,160 --> 00:25:21,080 Speaker 3: I definitely want to grow. One thing that's working well 476 00:25:21,200 --> 00:25:25,040 Speaker 3: right now is you know, I'm on eight boards, soon 477 00:25:25,080 --> 00:25:29,080 Speaker 3: to be nine. It's learning. These boards that I'm on 478 00:25:29,760 --> 00:25:32,440 Speaker 3: teach me a lot of what we're doing, what we're 479 00:25:32,480 --> 00:25:35,320 Speaker 3: not doing, where things are going. There's a company I'm 480 00:25:35,359 --> 00:25:37,399 Speaker 3: on the board of right now called Partners in Kind 481 00:25:37,840 --> 00:25:41,280 Speaker 3: and going back to the you know, just doing kind 482 00:25:41,320 --> 00:25:43,639 Speaker 3: and doing what's right for the world. Like this is 483 00:25:43,640 --> 00:25:48,560 Speaker 3: a phenomenal organization. They're doing shows that have an impact 484 00:25:48,560 --> 00:25:52,639 Speaker 3: on the world. So they're co financing ideas and projects. 485 00:25:52,640 --> 00:25:55,360 Speaker 3: But it's not just like feel good projects. It has 486 00:25:55,440 --> 00:25:58,840 Speaker 3: to have an impact campaign that follows so that long 487 00:25:58,920 --> 00:26:01,240 Speaker 3: term we're actually making a difference in the world. We're 488 00:26:01,280 --> 00:26:06,440 Speaker 3: actually doing something that's going to better things, whether it's 489 00:26:06,480 --> 00:26:12,159 Speaker 3: climate change or awareness of certain issues, whether it's autism 490 00:26:12,280 --> 00:26:14,520 Speaker 3: or down syndrome, or I have a kid on the spectrum. 491 00:26:14,520 --> 00:26:17,520 Speaker 3: So that's very important to us. But they're not just 492 00:26:17,560 --> 00:26:21,160 Speaker 3: going to finance shows that's a one off, right. They 493 00:26:21,200 --> 00:26:23,960 Speaker 3: want to make sure that it has legacy and that 494 00:26:24,040 --> 00:26:26,440 Speaker 3: it follows and that people actually do something, And that 495 00:26:27,359 --> 00:26:31,560 Speaker 3: to me is just phenomenal approach on our industry. I 496 00:26:31,560 --> 00:26:33,320 Speaker 3: wouldn't it be great to watch a show that you 497 00:26:33,400 --> 00:26:36,000 Speaker 3: walk away a better person or that you make an 498 00:26:36,080 --> 00:26:38,560 Speaker 3: actual difference just by consuming it. Like I'm going to 499 00:26:38,600 --> 00:26:41,359 Speaker 3: watch this show and I'm going to binge watch it, 500 00:26:41,760 --> 00:26:44,800 Speaker 3: and unlike you White Lotus, I'm not going to go 501 00:26:44,880 --> 00:26:48,560 Speaker 3: kill somebody for their money, but rather, I'm going to 502 00:26:49,480 --> 00:26:52,080 Speaker 3: learn to live a more sustainable life. I'm going to 503 00:26:52,200 --> 00:26:58,800 Speaker 3: learn to be more appreciative of a certain ailment somebody 504 00:26:58,840 --> 00:27:03,280 Speaker 3: may have, whether it's Luke or anything, just to just 505 00:27:03,320 --> 00:27:06,080 Speaker 3: to be a better human in general. To be able 506 00:27:06,119 --> 00:27:08,000 Speaker 3: to get that from consuming goes back to like what 507 00:27:08,040 --> 00:27:11,000 Speaker 3: I said about Housewives. Right, you watch Housewives and it's 508 00:27:11,000 --> 00:27:12,879 Speaker 3: a mess, but you turn off the TV and you're like, oh, 509 00:27:12,920 --> 00:27:15,119 Speaker 3: I'm happy with what I have. I would love to 510 00:27:15,119 --> 00:27:20,399 Speaker 3: be able to create content that just brings hope, inspiration 511 00:27:20,520 --> 00:27:23,879 Speaker 3: and changes, you know, the out the outcome of something 512 00:27:23,880 --> 00:27:26,280 Speaker 3: that could have been negative. Like American Idol. I love 513 00:27:26,359 --> 00:27:32,200 Speaker 3: that show because somebody from Middle America with nothing stands 514 00:27:32,200 --> 00:27:34,360 Speaker 3: on a stage and sings a song that we all 515 00:27:34,359 --> 00:27:36,960 Speaker 3: fall in love with that person. How do we create 516 00:27:37,040 --> 00:27:41,920 Speaker 3: something that somebody falls in love with, doing right by 517 00:27:41,960 --> 00:27:45,600 Speaker 3: the world, doing right by a community, doing right by 518 00:27:46,640 --> 00:27:50,040 Speaker 3: by everybody, and in turn helping other people, keeping employment, 519 00:27:50,520 --> 00:27:54,640 Speaker 3: keeping ratings, keeping you know, investors in like I want 520 00:27:54,640 --> 00:27:57,760 Speaker 3: to keep growing and teaching as well. Like I love 521 00:27:57,840 --> 00:28:00,320 Speaker 3: being on these boards because they also, you know, learn 522 00:28:00,400 --> 00:28:03,040 Speaker 3: from each other. So long term, I hope to join 523 00:28:03,640 --> 00:28:07,000 Speaker 3: more boards that can benefit invent and that we can 524 00:28:07,240 --> 00:28:11,240 Speaker 3: help as well be strategic partners. I'm really getting a 525 00:28:11,320 --> 00:28:14,000 Speaker 3: kick out of that. I think it's a it's a 526 00:28:14,040 --> 00:28:16,439 Speaker 3: good education. It's a lot of work, but it's a 527 00:28:16,440 --> 00:28:18,120 Speaker 3: good education as well on both sides. 528 00:28:18,280 --> 00:28:21,520 Speaker 2: Well. That is incredibly high standards. Sergio, thank you so 529 00:28:21,600 --> 00:28:27,920 Speaker 2: much for this conversation. Thank you, thanks for listening. 530 00:28:28,320 --> 00:28:31,280 Speaker 1: Be sure to leave us a review at Apple Podcasts 531 00:28:31,440 --> 00:28:32,520 Speaker 1: or Amazon Music. 532 00:28:32,720 --> 00:28:34,400 Speaker 2: We love to hear from listeners. 533 00:28:34,600 --> 00:28:37,239 Speaker 1: Please go to Variety dot com and sign up for 534 00:28:37,280 --> 00:28:41,440 Speaker 1: the free weekly Strictly Business newsletter, and don't forget to 535 00:28:41,560 --> 00:28:46,040 Speaker 1: tune in next week for another episode of Strictly Business.