How I Built a $1B Business – Cameo CEO Steven Galanis

Thursday, March 6, 2025

Steven Galanis is CEO and cofounder of Cameo, valued at over $1 Billion. Cameo is an innovative marketplace allowing fans to book personalized video shoutouts from celebrities. He has been recognized as one of "Hollywood's Top Innovators" by The Hollywood Reporter, named to Crain's Chicago Business "40 under 40" and Ernst & Young's Entrepreneur of the Year for the Midwest Region.

Today, Steven Galanis gave us an insider's look at building a revolutionary marketplace platform that disrupted the celebrity engagement industry. From their entrepreneurial journey to the platform's remarkable 500% revenue growth during the COVID pandemic, this episode offers a glimpse into the strategic thinking and core values that propelled Cameo's success.

The conversation explores the fundamental nature of entrepreneurship, revealing Steven Galanis' belief that entrepreneurs are born with a unique mindset, and delves into how Cameo navigated critical challenges like the Brett Favre incident and post-pandemic market shifts. Through candid insights, Steven Galanis also shares how core values like 'Roll out the Red Carpet' have been instrumental in shaping the company's culture and driving its unprecedented growth.

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🎯 Takeaways:

Embrace core values like rolling out the red carpet and simplicity for sustainable business culture.
Maintain resilience and adaptability by learning from setbacks and crises.
Create environments that foster diverse talents but align everyone under a unified mission.

💬 Sound Bites:

Now one thing that I'll tell you is that entrepreneurs can be fostered by being around other entrepreneurs.
I don't have any regrets, but, you know, I do tell people that I always knew I was gonna start a company.
Are you learning? Are you growing? If not, find something else.

🔗 Connect with Steven Galanis:

Website: www.cameo.com

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/stevengalanis

📖 Chapters:

00:00 Introduction

05:49 Duke Alumni Entrepreneurs Flourish

09:10 Fostering Future Entrepreneurs at Cameo

10:26 Finding Your Ikigai Point

14:44 "Roll Out the Red Carpet"

19:23 Radical Follower Ownership Solution

20:47 Non-Ad Based Revenue Model

23:53 Antisemitic Video Controversy Involving Brett Favre