Chris Savage — CEO and Co-Founder of Wistia | Taking on YouTube
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About The Guest
Chris Savage, the CEO and co-founder of Wistia, a leading video platform, embarked on the entrepreneurial journey with Brendan Schwartz in 2006, establishing the company in Schwartz’s living room after graduating from Brown University with a degree in Art-Semiotics. Wistia has evolved into a multimillion-dollar business with over 80 employees and 350,000 customers. In a pivotal decision in 2018, Savage and Schwartz turned down a substantial acquisition offer, choosing instead to take on $17.3M in debt, demonstrating their commitment to independently building and growing Wistia. Chris is a vocal advocate for the Boston startup scene and is particularly enthusiastic about unconventional paths in the tech industry, entrepreneurship, marketing, video, and company building.
Before founding Wistia, Chris Savage gained recognition for co-producing an Emmy Award-winning feature-length documentary and was honored as a Top Young Entrepreneur by BusinessWeek in 2009. Beyond his professional pursuits, Chris and his wife have embarked on another significant venture — starting a family. Their daughter, Zoë, assumes a managerial role, and their latest addition, Olympia, seemingly grasps the importance of company values, having been born just hours after an all-hands meeting, showcasing a remarkable alignment of personal and professional milestones.
Talking Points
- 00:00 — Introduction
- 01:19 — Chris Savage’s Origin Story
- 09:04 — Trailblazing in Video Hosting
- 09:58 — Entrepreneurial Lessons Learned
- 16:25 — Breaking Out of Your Shell
- 21:24 — What Makes a Good Podcast?
- 24:15 — Wistia’s Future: To Sell or Not to Sell
- 28:45 — Video’s Business Model Evolution
- 36:42 — Surviving Beyond Investment
- 39:07 — Strategic Prioritization Insights
- 43:02 — Sponsor: The Sales Evangelist Podcast
- 43:46 — Delegating Ownership Wisely
- 47:20 — Entrepreneurial Time Commitments
- 53:03 — The Mental Side of Entrepreneurship
- 55:08 — Embracing Fear for Growth
- 57:20 — Demystifying Company Culture
- 1:04:00 — Passionate Perspectives on Marketing
- 1:10:12 — Connect with Chris Online
- 1:11:55 — Advice to the 20-Year-Old Self
- 1:15:11 — Defining Success
Show Links
Podcast & Newsletter Sponsors
- Collective — https://collective.com/success
- Hubspot — https://hubspot.com/
- Kajabi — https://kajabi.com/success (Code: success)
- ButcherBox — https://butcherbox.com/success (Code: success)
- Justin Wine — https://justinwine.com/ (Code: success)
- Green Light — https://greenlight.com/success
- Indeed — https://indeed.com/clary
- The Product Boss Podcast — https://www.theproductboss.com/podcast
- NetSuite — https://netsuite.com/scottclary/
- Factor — https://factormeals.com/successpod50 (Code: successpod50)
- HelloFresh — https://hellofresh.com/50successpod (Code: 50succespod)
- ZBiotics — https://zbiotics.com/success (Code: success)
Watch on YouTube
What is the Success Story Podcast?
Welcome to the Success Story Podcast, hosted by entrepreneur, business executive, author, educator & speaker, Scott D. Clary. On this podcast, you’ll find interviews, Q&A, keynote presentations & conversations on sales, marketing, business, startups, and entrepreneurship.
Scott will discuss some of the lessons he’s learned over his own career, as well as have candid interviews with execs, celebrities, notable figures, and politicians. All who have achieved success through both wins and losses, to learn more about their life, their ideas, and insights. He sits down with leaders and mentors and unpacks their stories to help pass those lessons on to others through both experiences and tactical strategies for business professionals, entrepreneurs, and everyone in between.
Website: https://www.scottdclary.com
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