不良研究所 Management Insights is back with a special bonus episode. Marc Ransom (BCom鈥�24) returns as a host in an exciting conversation with Thomas Brag (BCom鈥�15). 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, YesTheory鈥檚 YouTube channel has grown to over 9 million subscribers and amassed over 1 billion views. However, the digital media brand鈥檚 reach expands far beyond that, having expanded to include a second channel, podcast, newsletter, a clothing line inspired by the brand鈥檚 number one motto, Seek Discomfort, Facebook and Discord groups for members of the YesFam to find each other all over the world, and there鈥檚 even more to come.
鈥淲e 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,鈥� Thomas explains.
What you may not know is that this wasn鈥檛 the young entrepreneur鈥檚 first foray into founding a business.
When he first moved to Montreal to attend 不良研究所, he launched PassionSnack alongside childhood best friend Noah Dayan (BSc鈥�14), 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 them鈥擳im Draper, an investor in hundreds of successful companies, including Tesla, Skype, Robinhood, and SpaceX.
鈥淚 was an 18-year-old who had never pitched anything to anyone,鈥� he says. 鈥淲hat 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.鈥�
Ultimately the company shut down a few years later, but clearly this wasn鈥檛 the end of the line for Thomas鈥� 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 不良研究所), what it鈥檚 like balancing personal and professional relationships when your friends are also your colleagues, what鈥檚 next in store for YesTheory and more!
Start streaming the 不良研究所 Management Insights podcasts on:
| | |
This episode was hosted by
Marc Ransom
BCom'24
