Cameo: Monetizing Fame - [Business Breakdowns, EP. 80]

This is Jesse Pujji and today we’re breaking down Cameo, a video-sharing marketplace where you can buy personalized videos from your favorite celebrities. Cameo was founded in 2016 and reached unicorn status last year after producing millions of messages since its founding.

To breakdown Cameo, I'm joined by the company’s CEO and Founder, Steven Galanis. In this breakdown, we discuss the unusual origin story of the business, how they manage the two-sided marketplace, and discovering a scalable pricing model. Please enjoy this business breakdown of Cameo.

For the full show notes, transcript, and links to the best content to learn more, check out the episode page here.

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Show Notes

[00:02:51] - [First question] - What Cameo is and their size and scale today

[00:03:51] - An overview of Cameo’s value proposition for creators and customers

[00:05:28] - The most common events tied to someone wanting a Cameo  

[00:07:15] - Case study of a creator making Cameo a meaningful income source

[00:09:10] - The early inspiration for the idea that eventually became Cameo  

[00:11:46] - Biggest differences between Cameo today and its original form  

[00:13:26] - What the competitive landscape looks like today in this space

[00:14:51] - How they compete and what makes them defensible 

[00:16:44] - The potential market size for this type of business and the supply side

[00:19:01] - Describing their business model from a high viewpoint  

[00:21:55] - Managing the supply side and the metrics used to do so 

[00:24:15] - Important data points to consider for customer acquisition

[00:27:09] - Interesting supply and demand dynamics that drive each other

[00:29:01] - Thoughts about customer retention and expanding Cameo’s use cases

[00:30:35] - Important sub drivers of pricing and how it affects the business and demand

[00:34:43] - How the B2B side of the business has evolved and its overall potential

[00:37:41] - Growth levers inside the core marketplace and new initiatives 

[00:39:08] - Overview of overhead, costs, and their revenue model 

[00:40:29] - The Represent acquisition and philosophy of M&A

[00:43:28] - A tendency to have legends who’ve retired joining the platform

[00:44:56] - What would contribute to an explosive future for Cameo’s trajectory in ten years

[00:47:18] - The biggest potential risks to Cameo as a business

[00:48:40] - Thoughts about brand in terms of building Cameo’s industry presence   

[00:50:04] - Competing with OnlyFans and how brand plays a role in that 

[00:51:46] - Lessons for builders and investors when studying Cameo’s story  

[00:54:42] - Where to go to learn more about Cameo and talent marketplaces