Dude Perfect’s New $100 Million Creator Facility and the Future of Podcasts

Brett Johnson [: 00:00:09

Welcome to the Circle Sessions featuring the Circle of Experts. Each week, one of the Circle of Experts joins me to talk about all aspects of growing your podcast. We focus on marketing, social media, monetization, and website design to help you implement all of these together. The Circle of Experts are Yasmine Robles from Rebel Marketing, Tonnisha English Amamoo of TJE Communications, and Don The Idea Guy. I'm Brett Johnson, My Podcast Guy from Circle 270 Media Podcast Consultants. This week, Don is here with the Circle of Experts. He possesses creative powers beyond those of mere mortals. Contact Don The Idea Guy when you are in need of innovative ideas through his brainstorming sessions at 5 Buck Brainstorms.

Brett Johnson [: 00:00:51

Welcome back to the show, Don.

Don The Idea Guy [: 00:00:54

Thank you. A pleasure as always, sir.

Brett Johnson [: 00:00:56

Yeah. So, dude, there's big news about dude.

Don The Idea Guy [: 00:01:02

Perfect podcast news from Dude Perfect. Right?

Brett Johnson [: 00:01:05

Dude Perfect. There you go. I like how you spun that. You should have written the PR piece. You noted in our news of they have created themselves a juggernaut in the things that they're doing. So Dude Perfect is making a production facility for fellow creators. Now if you don't know who Dude probably been under a rock, but you've probably seen a video of them at some point in time, listener, of just their genesis of just doing the unbelievable with sports. Well, I I don't even know how to describe them quick.

Don The Idea Guy [: 00:01:43

Sports tricks. I mean, that's where they got there. It's those unbelievable shots and the ricochets and the yeah. It's it was, kind of a YouTube sense sensation. It's those videos you share with people, and you don't know if it's fixed and, or if it was legit, but it's very shareable, viral sports trick videos.

Brett Johnson [: 00:02:07

And and talk about being at the spark at the well, they may have created the curve. Stud this sort of thing, but they just took it by storm. But they didn't rest on their laurels. Now they are building a production facility with all the other things they've done. They're marketing. They've got products to buy all that sort of thing. But, they a, a $100,000,000 plus investment from a an investment firm, basically, to create this production facility. I'll let you talk a little bit more about it.

Brett Johnson [: 00:02:39

It's amazing.

Don The Idea Guy [: 00:02:41

Yeah. But, you know, basically have a, a product deal too. So Dude Perfect, again, it's a viral video makers who've kinda turned it into a media company. You know, they're selling ads and stuff in their channels. They've got capital investments from folks. Their latest thing is they're creating a a community production facility for other creators. So I don't know what rights they'll have into those shows. Be a a producer or they're gonna have the ability to sell ads into that other content that's produced there certainly opens the door for it.

Don The Idea Guy [: 00:03:19

But I got the feeling from the initial article that, I saw in Business Insider is that their that's not just for themselves, but for other creators who will be invited to come in. And they don't even have to bring their own, equipment. The facility's gonna be completely outfitted with Samsung products, which you have to figure branding deal that this stuff is produced on Samsung equipment, which is a nice investment for Samsung.

Brett Johnson [: 00:03:48

And you bet it is. Nice exposure. They do a great job in marketing, so that that's a winner for Samsung. That's a no brainer for Samsung, quite frankly.

Don The Idea Guy [: 00:03:55

Perfect context. You've got creators that come in that whether they've got a big budget to invest in equipment like that or not, they get a chance to play with some really cool toys.

Brett Johnson [: 00:04:05

Yes. And use the the expertise that the Dude Perfect bring to the table. They know how to do this stuff. So you're learning it it's you're getting a master's degree in this stuff immediately.

Don The Idea Guy [: 00:04:19

And you have to figure they've got Dude Perfect talent scouts there. So they're gonna have a first shot at looking at the recruiting them or inviting them into their own network so that they do have more content to sell their, their ad placements inside.

Brett Johnson [: 00:04:32

Yeah. And your comment to in our notes saying that this is part of start of a trend. I believe more and more. You just need to search it out.

Don The Idea Guy [: 00:04:43

Yeah. I think the deals are gonna get bigger. You know, you we one of your clients created a studio, and they have nothing to do with professional production stuff. They're, they're business. I don't know if you wanna say who they are and plug them or not.

Brett Johnson [: 00:04:59

I did then. It's an a defense attorney here in Columbus, Ohio. Yeah. He he saw it as an investment for his for marketing his, his attorney firm. He also saw, like, well, if I've got the lights to, you know, electricity to pay for, why not rent it out? Yeah. And create something bigger. Yeah.

Don The Idea Guy [: 00:05:16

They built this wonderful studio. It's great for podcasting, great for shooting videos, and then they started renting out the time that they're not

Brett Johnson [: 00:05:24

Mhmm. Exactly.

Don The Idea Guy [: 00:05:25

Exactly. You can see this happening on small scale as entrepreneurs kind of take advantage of it, but now it's larger licensed deals. You've got a giant, creator brand of Dude Perfect, Samsung, and you know it's gonna be connected to the, content development project. So I just think it's a really good mix. I think you're gonna see more of those things. Obviously, you see the, the co working spaces that are out there that have studios built. Members can, can take advantage of those additional facilities. You're not just running office space in a meeting room, but now you've got podcast studios and video production studios to come in and use as part of your membership as well.

Brett Johnson [: 00:06:05

Correct. Yeah. Well and and the, you know, ample too is that at least you've got a staff here at Dude Perfect in all these other scenarios. Well, for example, just like you mentioned here locally, the one I'm involved with, it's not just a rented out and leave. Do we have the opportunity to help you get where a co working space is like, yeah, we got a podcast space. We got a video. You know, just sign out and and and get on the calendar. Go on in.

Brett Johnson [: 00:06:30

There's no support. There's no support to it.

Don The Idea Guy [: 00:06:33

And and I don't know how much support Dude Perfect themselves is going to have, but if I was would certainly have a Samsung ambassador on-site to help people with their, their content, creation questions Yeah. Regarding their equipment.

Brett Johnson [: 00:06:46

Yes. Exactly. Well, I could see this, and I don't know how big of a a network or a a chance created. But, yeah. You know, you've got Rhett and Link out there, with, their network of of of video programming that they're not just those 2 guys talking to each kind of a cooking side channel and all these other things. You create yourself a almost a TV network. And I I can see where do perfect is going with this just branching out branching out and just raking in the money from developed programming that they're going to allow. I think for a It's

Don The Idea Guy [: 00:07:22

kinda like what College Humor was doing early on producing content specifically for online Yeah. Viewing. But the production facility is kind of a new twist, I think, for, for a brand like this and it's it'll be exciting to see where it goes.

Brett Johnson [: 00:07:36

Turnkey ish almost, but, you know, getting getting rid of some of the hurdles. Put it that way. I Patreon just came out and said that, 10,000,000

Don The Idea Guy [: 00:07:47

Speaking of content creators. Right.

Brett Johnson [: 00:07:49

Exactly. 10,000,000 fans are paying for memberships each month as the year draws to a close. So this is a very recent story. They're the the second largest category of payouts going to podcasters with that the whether that was designed or not, Patreon's been Patreon's been very friendly to to podcasters. Very friendly. They were the first one in to really kinda say, hey. Come and play in our playground to make some money. They're open to it.

Don The Idea Guy [: 00:08:17

Obviously, Patreon created by creator himself, you know, because he was selling things online and wanna make it easier for other people to do that. It's exciting to see them come back into their own as a primary source of revenue for they came on board and they kinda fell off for a little bit a little while. I think they lost their direction. But, boy, they've really doubled down and and kinda relaunched themselves with, they always have the ability of selling these memberships and you got and if you were part of a subscriber, a membership subscription service that Patreon made available for their, their content creators, you could always go in and look at the, videos that they wall. But the fact that it's emerged with the popularity of podcasting to become a, a source for podcasters to, to execute their subscription days and but whether it's bonus or, first listen subscribers, it's impressive to see them brag about being the second that that podcasting is the 2nd biggest category.

Brett Johnson [: 00:09:29

Yes. It's exciting. And it's it it should listener, a podcaster think about this just doesn't happen overnight if you want to generate income from your podcast. It's that you gotta have a game plan. And it's just like, well, let's go to Patreon and see if we get donations. Like, you've gotta you've gotta come up with good content that somebody's willing to pay for. Whether it's a buck a month, $5 a month, whatever the case might be. From the start or at least starting now, if you've got a podcast, you will work toward that end.

Brett Johnson [: 00:10:00

You've gotta plan it out. It just doesn't come overnight. A great tool to be able to to utilize, and then then they're showing their they're showing their worth.

Don The Idea Guy [: 00:10:08

And with all podcast revenues, any of those reports, you have to keep in mind the bulk of that's going to a few really big and creators, and then it trickles down to some hobbyists and and that kind of thing. Not everybody is getting an equal share with what they paid, like, 350,000,000 out to bycasters last year. That wasn't equally distributed. I think we covered the earlier episode. It's some folks are complaining about the fact that podcast revenues are being reported at this really high level, but it may only be going to 12 podcasters.

Brett Johnson [: 00:10:47

And it's those podcasters have made the decision that they want to monetize a lot. A majority of podcasters don't go into this medium to make money. I mean, if you from the interviews I've heard from, hosting platform owners, it's maybe percent of those that are on their hosting platform like a Captivate FM or a Libsyn or a Blueberry that actually want to make money from their podcast. Most podcasters look at this from a a business standpoint as a marketing tool. As, you know, content generation opportunity that they know their message can be heard orally or, you know, flip it into video and such. But they have they it's not even in their wheelhouse to wanna make money on it. Yeah. I would So take a look

Don The Idea Guy [: 00:11:32

at that. To see I would love to see the the distribution numbers. The how how many of them got those big got the biggest bites of the apple, and then let's see the people who got $5 pay. Yeah. Just so you go into it with a realistic there's a lot more people who got $5 payouts than got a $1,000,000 payout.

Brett Johnson [: 00:11:52

Yeah. And and and this led we we we decided we weren't gonna cover a little bit of this, but I it lends toward a thought that I've had too that we we put this many billions or mil let's say 1,000,000 1st, but then 1,000,000,000 of dollars that are spent in the digital space that podcasting doesn't get. It's a terrible it's a terrible metric. It's a terrible metric to be measured against because again, a majority of go into this to make money.

Don The Idea Guy [: 00:12:18

You know, that may be what they say when they don't get any money off of it, but a lot of people do. And it's just it even if you're going into it, let's say, it's somebody who's going into podcast and to make payout is still gonna be very small. Realistically, odds are Yeah. You're gonna get a smaller payout than some of these superstars. It's like any band that's touring. Not every band is making a $1,000,000 out on tour. Right? But every books that are for sale on Amazon, and most of those authors are probably getting 99¢ a year, not Stephen King money.

Brett Johnson [: 00:12:53

Right. Right. Exactly. Exactly. This leads toward we talked to we've talked about this about podcasting becoming more of a visual medium. And we we, you know, nobody's saying, hey, it's a it's a flash in the pan. Video's visual's not gonna be around. It it is.

Brett Johnson [: 00:13:10

I mean, now and now. It's just this through this past election. A piece of that was because the, you know, the the Trump's of the world started to to pick to go on podcast, and there's a visual element to that. I I I think that's great that finally in election cycle decided to be a part of podcasting, showing the strength of what podcasting can do, whether it's a visual element or not. But we the visual element played a part in this.

Don The Idea Guy [: 00:13:40

The big Yeah. I I, it does the political spectrum you you fall on. There's no denying that, Trump's appearance on, the podcast caused a lot of discussion Mhmm. And appeared on, was Call Me Call Me Mommy or something. Call me daddy. Yeah. Call me daddy. Call me daddy.

Don The Idea Guy [: 00:14:04

It was Yeah. Was on another podcast that has an incredible following, and they spoke to their basis. I mean, it podcasting a place for presidential candidates to appear and appeal to voters.

Brett Johnson [: 00:14:19

Right. And and even I think I heard a post analysis of of Harris Powell Harris' campaign even looking at it that they should have done more on podcast. That was a miss that was one mistake that they wish they would have fixed.

Don The Idea Guy [: 00:14:31

I think they both could have done more on the podcast. We appeared on a couple of ones and the you blew off a bunch of other ones, but, yeah, I I think that the next pie the next election, a lot more people on podcast. Right. And maybe across the board going on podcasts would have an audience that don't immediately align. I think even with TV, even with TV shows and networks, a habit of appearing on the networks that they're already politically aligned with instead of on the sides where they should be talking to people they could be trying to convince to vote for them.

Brett Johnson [: 00:15:09

Yeah.

Don The Idea Guy [: 00:15:10

And and maybe maybe they'll do better. Maybe they'll choose better Right. Next time as well.

Brett Johnson [: 00:15:15

Well and and, you know, talk about timing too. So Joe Rogan put, you know, got the most press for having, Trump on, basically, most exposure. Well, he just this year behind a paywall, which is interesting, the timing of this. It'd been interesting to see if this would have garnered as much attention if he was still behind that paywall. You know, this

Don The Idea Guy [: 00:15:37

you know, behind the paywall, he may have gotten some additional This goes to the debate of whether you put your content behind a paywall or not

Brett Johnson [: 00:15:45

Right.

Don The Idea Guy [: 00:15:46

To begin with. It's it's, the money that Spotify originally paid for Rogan's podcast and then made it only a bit was a mistake because the audience is smaller. From an advertising standpoint, which is what, you know, the article we're talking about from Emarketer was, when it is more freely available, that means more eyes can see it, which attracted to advertisers. So you have a chance to spike, listenership or view or viewership for these special episodes where a a big celebrity is gonna be on there, without require fee for it. So I think that being if you want to sell big advertising dollars and you need a big audience Mhmm. And putting it behind a paywall will not yet will not get you the biggest audience. It'll get you a very specific also monetize from advertising. Right.

Don The Idea Guy [: 00:16:42

But if you're going for the largest dollar amounts, the mass media, then you need the mass viewership.

Brett Johnson [: 00:16:47

Right. Exactly. Well and and, the article that you put into our notes, coming from Adweek over, I I liked one of the, line items in regards to video, why video? But the top reasons for video shift include a better focus on the show in the video format, ability to see facial expressions, and closed captioning options. Like, all of those are very valid depending on who you have as a host, guest, that sort of thing. I think I again, I I I'm not trying to lift the put more anxiety in the podcasters going, oh, I gotta do video. I gotta do video. It's an option. It's something there.

Brett Johnson [: 00:17:30

You really have to have a game plan for it. I mean, even one of the, the, graphs that are here, a growing desire to growing as well. But it it's the question was or not the question, but subtitled, a growing desire to watch podcast. It says, a share of US adults who prefer listening to podcasts with video. Think about how that stated. Podcast with video.

Don The Idea Guy [: 00:17:56

So When we have this debate all the time about Yeah. How do you it's how the audience uses your podcast. Joe Rogan started out as a TV show.

Brett Johnson [: 00:18:04

Yes. Right.

Don The Idea Guy [: 00:18:06

So the fact that he after the the show wasn't shared anymore. This Howard Stern started on radio then at a TV show and then went into, satellite. So that's kind of a members only access for him. He's not on public airwaves. But the other shows that they're listing as proof of concept that people have an interest in watching podcasts with video are very TV centric. They list Tucker Carlson, who, again, started as a TV show. Right. And then it was Charlie Kirk.

Don The Idea Guy [: 00:18:44

Again, TV show components. So it's what's, the line from Twain? Lies, damn lies, and statistics that are here support an argument for the growing desire for podcast as a visual medium. That's great if that's the way you use podcasts. I I don't use podcasts that way.

Brett Johnson [: 00:19:03

Yeah.

Don The Idea Guy [: 00:19:04

So it's I I the one who it is an increasing desire. I think as podcasts are used more like television shows, you will absolutely see that because why doesn't Roku have a podcast channel? Why isn't there just why can't I just load up a pod a Roku or my Amazon Prime and watch the video episodes of podcasts on demand like I can download the audio versions and listen to it from my phone? But I mostly listen to podcasts when I'm on the road. I can't watch the driving. Audio is the strength in how I use it. But, obviously, people who are Joe Rogan fans, a lot of those guys are watching it because they wanna see Joe Rogan.

Brett Johnson [: 00:19:46

Exactly. And so take a step back and take a look at who's really the top are and don't don't compare yourself to them when you're going into this medium. Don't. Yeah.

Don The Idea Guy [: 00:19:59

And don't and don't let the fact that there is absolutely an increase in video podcasts. There there's an absolute increase in the number of podcasts that are coming out that include a video component to it. Don't don't let that stop you from doing your audio only show.

Brett Johnson [: 00:20:19

Right. And I see also the podcast video watch time has increased for a podcast called Pod Save America. Well, Pod Save America has done a great big road tour, stage wise. So the more you're out there doing it, like they're doing in front of audiences, you kinda get them hooked to wanna see that more. So Sure. There are a lot of different things in play here. Exactly. Look at the genesis of it.

Brett Johnson [: 00:20:43

I hear way too many people saying they wanna be like Joe Rogan or, you know, look at Joe Rogan. He could just like you gotta you gotta know the path. Do the research, understand where he came from, and and why it's a success. And it's it do your do your own thing. Do your own thing. You're gonna be happier in the long run.

Don The Idea Guy [: 00:21:00

Well, that and you're gonna have to plan accordingly. What is the visual piece of the, the there's a number of other podcasts that go out kinda on the road and record them in front of a live studio audience. That's kind of a fun element, but, ultimately, you're watching a talk show. But Johnny Carson show, late night with David Letterman, all, you know, all those late shows are legendary before podcasting was a word, and people tuned in to watch an interview. They tune in to watch 2 people talking to each other.

Brett Johnson [: 00:21:28

Right.

Don The Idea Guy [: 00:21:29

So, absolutely, podcasts have the ability to draw a, but it doesn't have to be a requirement.

Brett Johnson [: 00:21:37

Right. Exactly. Exactly. And I I like this article that you put, here at the, at the last, a segment that is, basically, a sellable segment or within a podcast, the hustle, dailies the hustle daily show. Talk a little bit about that. Yeah. This is interesting.

Don The Idea Guy [: 00:21:57

Yeah. Sure. I shared this just as an I told you so moment on the on the show. We've you and I have discussed full episodes that podcasters need to think like programmers, and you wanna pre promote features in your show in your episode, and then deliver on those features later in the episode, whether it's questions beginning and then giving the answer at the end. Those kinds of things, we've we've used as examples. And this was one that crossed my radar. I'm a listener of the hustle daily show podcast. It comes out every day.

Don The Idea Guy [: 00:22:31

It's part of the hub. It's a very popular podcast, probably one of the top podcasts around, business podcast. It's business news. It is, well sponsored, and, again, part spot, podcast network. Well, I've been listening to them for a year or so. And just recently, within the last month or 2, they've begun introducing a segment they call the bottom of the ninth. So they will give, some sort of teaser about some of their content. It might be, let's say, how how many more people are watching video versions of podcasts than just the audio only They'll say, hey.

Don The Idea Guy [: 00:23:18

You know, we're gonna talk more about, where people are watching their video podcast, in our bottom of the 9th segment later in the podcast show. They call it the bottom of 9th because they have the rest of their innings of up at the in the last segment of the show, right before they thank you for listening and play their end credits and and list their last sponsorship, they give this final statistic. During Thanksgiving, they talked about how, the airline industry so much business this year, and they gave stats on how many more flights there were. And then they said, if you're interested in knowing what the top three flight routes in the US are during Thanksgiving holiday, listen to the bottom of the ninth, and then you had to wait till the end of the to hear what the top flight route was for Thanksgiving holiday. It's just a great way to tease this segment so that you get people who are interested in it listening all the way through to the end so they can get the payoff of the tease that the that you gave them.

Brett Johnson [: 00:24:16

Way. And it shakes up the show a little bit. I I I I think it's a fan fantastic, that yeah. You're right. We've talked about this, probably almost every episode of just that be creative with your your podcast, have those many pieces of programming elements that, your listeners are gonna become accustomed to, shareable moments, and you get to have fun with as well too and possibly a sponsorable moment.

Don The Idea Guy [: 00:24:39

Yeah. It gives you it gives you engagement. It gives you some, the ability to pull interested listeners through further into the show, because a lot of people hear the end of the show, and then they they bail before the credits. They don't wanna listen to the credits. There's no reason to to listen to credits. How many of us jump to the next episode? Credits. You know, Marvel movies started adding, after credit scenes to get people to stick around and and watch the credits. This is just a way to pull interested folks through.

Don The Idea Guy [: 00:25:10

Not everybody's gonna care about the 3 flight routes in the US. People will care more about, hearing who the top video platform is for podcasting. Kinda depends on your content, your audience, who you're pulling through. It's engagement. It's programming content. And like you and I have mentioned before earlier, it's sponsorable.

Brett Johnson [: 00:25:31

Mhmm. Yeah. Exactly. Exactly. Well, this episode is gonna be flying on, the very beginning of 2025 and I'm gonna throw a curve at you a little bit. I'll I'll put it out here first but some predictions. A prediction. I casting next year and and it leans toward this.

Brett Johnson [: 00:25:46

I I think there's gonna be some really good creativity with podcasts that the the let's let's let's go with, news podcast. Basically headline, you know, in-depth. I think you're gonna see a programming change within those podcasts. Let's say it's an interview podcast that I think there gonna be some elements that they're gonna change up within that, that interview pod. You know, part interview and then maybe a current event segment possibly. It just they're gonna break it up a little bit to almost feel like a TV show almost leading toward those different segments, that you're you're almost listening to an audio show versus just a straight interview. Breaks it up. There are moments that you can skip to if you wanted to but it's that.

Brett Johnson [: 00:26:37

I I think the flavor of these long form interviews are gonna change tired of the long form interview.

Don The Idea Guy [: 00:26:45

They're gonna delete it to reinvent. Yeah. If they focus on programming, they will. I mean, that that would have been good advice. I don't think it's necessarily a trend that is going to be something No. That's good programming content. They should have been doing it anyway. Right.

Brett Johnson [: 00:27:01

But it's but it takes time for those good ideas to come to a to a head.

Don The Idea Guy [: 00:27:05

Maybe they'll maybe they'll be more attention paid to it as it becomes more profitable to buy.

Brett Johnson [: 00:27:12

Exactly. So many Just shaking up programming a little bit or formatting.

Don The Idea Guy [: 00:27:15

It depends on the show. Right? Exactly.

Brett Johnson [: 00:27:17

Exactly. Yeah.

Don The Idea Guy [: 00:27:18

As far as predictions, I think you're gonna see a lot more, podcasts being acquired. I think you're gonna see podcasts that are already out there because it's gonna be cheaper to acquire an existing podcast and audience than it will be to develop one on your own. So let's say there's a fantastic, podcast podcast and camping. I think it would make absolute sense for, any of the big, outdoor stores like r REI or somebody like that to buy these pod around. And perhaps they'll create their own network of recreational outdoor podcasts that they can sell ads inside. The biggest the biggest trend you're gonna see in advertising sales next year, media advertising is, you know, all the stores that have podcasts, all the stores that play radio inside their own radio stations inside the stores, all the stores that have loyalty apps that that banner ads in. Those sales are being made directly to brands, and you're gonna see the largest growth come into advertisers who are taking money away from traditional media, traditional TV, traditional radio, and you're gonna see them putting it into REI's monthly magazine that gets mailed to all their customers, to the background music they play in the store, to the ads that are on their, their loyalty apps. It's gonna be a huge move, and one of the big things require that content, they're gonna they're gonna buy out podcasters.

Brett Johnson [: 00:28:59

Yeah. Yeah. So if you've got a podcast that you think you should be selling or could be selling or another way to monetize, hey, you may get to you'd be able to continue to somebody just now owns it. That that so what? Ultimately, if if the if the agreement terms are in your favor and you're happy with them, wow. Talk about, a a goal of creating a podcast to be sold. It's no different than somebody creating a a business that they're gonna sell a little bit later on. No bit no different at all.

Don The Idea Guy [: 00:29:31

Yeah. Well And and we didn't talk about, we didn't talk about it this time, but need to acknowledge the recent purchase of, Hot Ones.

Brett Johnson [: 00:29:46

Yeah. Right. Right. Exactly. You you brought that yeah. I forget who's bought or whatever, but, yeah, story behind that. That's a good point.

Don The Idea Guy [: 00:29:55

I'm trying trying to find the big, the big payoff on that, but it was, give me a second. Sure. The, you can riff while Yeah. Because I wanna get the exact dollar amount. Sure.

Brett Johnson [: 00:30:08

So yeah. I mean, you know, I I either you and I talked about this or, this is this has been a discussion point at least 4 or 5 years ago about the opportunity to, companies buying and just making it their own and branding it differently. But, basically hiring, not getting anything, keeping the host, keeping the co host, keeping the format, it's just, paying them to do the podcast because they don't have the in their own business or the energy or the personalities to do it. So I I I I I So

Don The Idea Guy [: 00:30:44

here's Yeah. Yeah. It's been reported in a couple of different outlets. Hot Ones is, of course, if you haven't heard talk about living under a rock, Hot Ones, the interview show that takes place as the questions get harder with a celebrity as they eat an escalating, heat level of hot wings. So every question comes with an increased on, hot sauce on wings. And they've had people like Beyonce and the biggest TV r Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman were were on a recent episode. And this was something that started from a small YouTube channel. I mean, they definitely had a couple of other food based shows, and they were looking for ways to incorporate a, food challenge into an interview show.

Don The Idea Guy [: 00:31:35

And they brainstormed up with the idea of Hot Ones, where you eat hot wings hosted by, who's their host? Sean.

Brett Johnson [: 00:31:46

I can't think of his name.

Don The Idea Guy [: 00:31:47

Try try my name, but Sean Evans. Yeah. Sean Evans hosted online. People probably shared the videos with you because it's pretty funny to watch. Talk about a podcast that needs to be video. The interviews with these guys would be fun, but not as much fun as watching them take Right. Bites of, hot wings that are setting their and causing them to sweat. Right.

Don The Idea Guy [: 00:32:09

So they've had tons of episodes. It's been very profitable, plenty of sponsorship, food products, events that they've had, but they were recently sold to a, group of investors $83,000,000 cash. Wow. So it wasn't even, like, part cash, part stock. 83 8 $82,500,000 all cash deal. And their host, Sean, is going to remain the host for a they have that continuity.

Brett Johnson [: 00:32:38

Wow. And how long has that show been the article you're you how long has it been around?

Don The Idea Guy [: 00:32:43

I'm not sure how long the show. Low. Here we go. Hot Ones first launched in 2015. Now has more than 14,000,000 on YouTube and 4,000,000,000 views to date on the platforms. That's a

Brett Johnson [: 00:32:54

lot of hot sauce. That's a lot of wings this dude is eating.

Don The Idea Guy [: 00:32:57

I hear some guessing that Gordon Ramsay, Jennifer Lawrence, Shaquille O'Neal, Jimmy Fallon, Kevin Hart, Post David Beckham. So every celebrity sports figure you can imagine.

Brett Johnson [: 00:33:09

Yeah. Yeah. Amazing. Amazing. So the potential's there. It doesn't have it may not be necessarily in the 1,000,000 of dollars per se, but it's that let and see who might be interested in it. You never know. You never know.

Brett Johnson [: 00:33:23

You're good.

Don The Idea Guy [: 00:33:23

You're gonna see more of these being acquired. So there's no reason yours couldn't be one of them.

Brett Johnson [: 00:33:27

Right. I I agree because there's only so much talent a a company has and they just don't have the talent in to to buy something. It's it's the same as any other purchase. So

Don The Idea Guy [: 00:33:38

Yeah. If you're an outdoor equipment company, do you really wanna create a content development branch of that right off the bat? It it's a lot cheaper. And even if you created one we're going to do it. You still have to develop the audience much, much more efficient to purchase a, podcaster already has the audience you want.

Brett Johnson [: 00:33:57

Correct. Correct. Ex exactly. Exactly. Well, we have a ton of ideas here. And if you're a podcaster, you you you'd be a why you would you not be one if you're not listening to this podcast? How can they get a hold of you, Don, for let's let's say one of these articles spurred an idea and it's like, I need to talk to Don. How do they get a hold of you?

Don The Idea Guy [: 00:34:16

Well, well, the one of the things that I the, the hot ones is that this concept came out of a brainstorm session. Oh. They openly admit they came up with this out of a brainstorm session. So the best and most the the best place to reach me in the first place people could ever reach custom brainstorms for people at don theideaguy.com. There's a brainstorm tab in the site. Click on that. You can schedule a brainstorm. I can sit down and talk to you 1 to 1 and talk about the next great idea you need to launch so that you can sell years for $82,500,000.

Don The Idea Guy [: 00:34:50

Mhmm.

Brett Johnson [: 00:34:51

There you go. No guarantee in the money, but the but the guarantee that we'll get you there.

Don The Idea Guy [: 00:34:57

Exactly. Everything has potential.

Brett Johnson [: 00:34:59

Yes. Exactly. And, yeah, if you wanna talk about just had an informal informational meeting with a podcaster before this recording session, quite frankly, today. It was really neat to, catch up with this guy for 45 minutes or so just to, confirm and solidify and help him move next step on what he wants to do with this podcast, but you can do that with me as well too. Go to my booking calendar at my podcast guy.com. Love to talk with you. I'm open to doing that. I that that's probably one of the more more fun thing just to have those type of sessions about where are you going with your podcast.

Brett Johnson [: 00:35:36

I know Don loves what he does with it as well too because that's that's the the fun part and then getting it implemented and getting it moving in the right direction. So, yeah, we we appreciate you listening to the episodes with the circle sessions, and we appreciate you contacting us at any point in time when you need some help with whatever we have to offer. So, Don, thank you for joining me.

Don The Idea Guy [: 00:35:55

Happy to be here.