Last week, we launched the first event in our exclusive Creators x Convos series in partnership with Lalo Tequila and Liquid Death, designed to connect tastemakers, creators, investors, and founders through deep, meaningful conversations. This event series spotlights distinguished guests of honor who share insights into their lives, craft, and philosophies, moving beyond surface-level small talk.
“Creators and Convos” aims to explore rich experiences and creative journeys, fostering an environment where every conversation opens a doorway to greater understanding and inspiration.
Keep reading to learn more about the panelists, topics covered and to see a full gallery from the event.
Topic of the Evening: Future of Media
The topic for our inaugural event was the “Future of Media,” featuring a panel of industry leaders led by our CEO & Founder, LaTecia Johnson. The panel featured insights from Mari Tippman, Rebecca Otto, Mitch Morales, Patrick Moody, and Paul O’Brien exploring the transformative trends and innovations reshaping the media landscape, offering valuable insights and strategies for navigating and thriving in the evolving media ecosystem. It was a can’t-miss opportunity to stay ahead in the rapidly changing media industry and connect with professionals driving media innovation.
Our Esteemed Guests of Honor:
LaTecia Johnson, CEO of Ingenius
LaTecia Johnson is a senior entertainment and technology executive and entrepreneur at the intersection of culture, community, and creativity. As Founder of Visionary Rising (VSNRY), a creative studio for startups, brands, and creators, she focuses on building safe digital spaces and innovative work for rising and global creators. Her career includes roles at Fortune 100 companies like Apple, Microsoft, and Nielsen Media, as well as high-growth startups like Decent Labs and A Cloud Guru. At Royal, she led Global Partnerships and delivered activations for global acts like Nas, Diplo, and The Chainsmokers. LaTecia champions a more integrated ecosystem that positions creators at the forefront, offering tools, resources, and strategies for monetizing their audiences, retaining intellectual property ownership, and forming authentic brand partnerships.
Rebecca Otto, Founder of The RKO Group
Rebecca Otto has over 18 years of experience and a BS in Public Relations from The University of Texas at Austin. As a content and marketing expert, she recently served as Vice President of Talent Marketing and Media for Wasserman, a global leader in sports, music, and entertainment. Rebecca’s mission is to amplify the voices and stories of professional athletes and advance content and marketing for them. She has successfully pitched and sold unscripted projects, developed original content, and secured media contracts for clients in every sport. Known for her expansive network and industry-leading work, Rebecca has worked with over 500 professional athletes on campaigns, books, documentaries, and podcasts, generating millions in revenue. Her expertise includes deal negotiation, strategic public relations, and talent management. Rebecca recently founded The RKO Group to empower professional athletes and small businesses through tailored talent management solutions.
Mari Tippman, Head of Sales and Customer Success at Hummingbirds
Mari Tippman is Head of Sales and Customer Success at Hummingbirds, a platform connecting creator content with fast-growing CPG brands like Olipop, Goodles, and Thelma’s. Under her leadership, Hummingbirds is on track to 5x its revenue this year. Mari has extensive experience in scaling sales teams and driving growth, having previously led direct sales at Greenlight Guru and being the first sales representative hired at Restaurant365. She excels in aligning sales and customer success teams to maximize revenue and enhance customer satisfaction, fostering collaboration and strategic growth within the company.
Paul O’Brien, CEO of MediaTech Ventures
Paul O’Brien is a veteran of the Silicon Valley technology and startup scene, now working in Venture Capital Economic Development throughout the Texas startup ecosystem. He serves the investment and venture capital economies as the founder of MediaTech Ventures and through his roles on the boards of startup development organizations and American YouthWorks. As a seasoned marketer with an early career at Yahoo! and HP, Paul led the growth of startups like Outright.com (acquired by GoDaddy), Zvents (acquired by eBay’s StubHub), and MicroVentures (Venture Capital). Featured in the book Online Marketing Heroes, Paul runs the Texas Startups communities online and continues to blog at seobrien.com.
Patrick Moody, Finance Manager at Atmosphere
Patrick Moody is a finance and strategy expert with experience spanning venture capital, investment banking, media, engineering, and early-stage ventures. He currently helps to lead finance and strategy at Atmosphere, the world’s leading streaming TV service for businesses. Before joining Atmosphere, Patrick spent time on the investment team at S3 Ventures focused on B2B SaaS, Consumer Tech, and Med Tech companies. Earlier in his career, he was in investment banking at Credit Suisse, engineering roles at General Electric and Wells Fargo, and the first employee at the consumer tech startup, LawnStarter. Outside of Atmosphere, Patrick is passionately focused on building community bringing together over 1,000 attendees across Happy Hours and SXSW events he’s co-hosted. With his diverse finance, venture capital, board experience, and current role at media company, Atmosphere, Patrick brings a unique cross-functional perspective on the future of media.
Highlights from the Event
The panel discussion was a deep dive into the transformative trends and innovations shaping the future of media. Each panelist brought a unique perspective, blending their diverse backgrounds and expertise to provide a comprehensive overview of the media landscape. Key highlights included:
1. LaTecia Johnson emphasized the importance of creators owning their intellectual property and forming authentic brand partnerships. She discussed strategies for monetizing audiences and building an integrated ecosystem that positions creators at the forefront.
2. Rebecca Otto shared insights into amplifying the voices of professional athletes and the evolving role of content and marketing in sports. Her experience in deal negotiation and talent management provided valuable lessons for navigating the media industry.
3. Mari Tippman highlighted the significance of aligning sales and customer success teams to drive growth. Her experience in scaling sales teams and fostering collaboration offered practical strategies for maximizing revenue and enhancing customer satisfaction.
4. Paul O’Brien discussed the role of venture capital in media innovation and the importance of community in the Texas startup ecosystem. His journey from Silicon Valley to Texas provided a unique perspective on the intersection of technology, media, and investment.
5. Patrick Moody provided a cross-functional perspective on the future of media, drawing from his experience in finance, venture capital, and media. His insights into community building and strategic growth were particularly valuable for early-stage ventures and startups.
Conclusion
The inaugural Creators x Convos event was a resounding success, offering attendees a rare opportunity to engage with industry leaders and gain actionable insights into the future of media. The rich conversations and diverse perspectives shared by our esteemed guests of honor set the tone for future events in the series, promising more deep dives into the creative journeys and philosophies that shape our industry.
Stay tuned for upcoming events in the CreatorsxConvos series, where we will continue to explore the intersections of culture, community, and creativity, fostering connections and inspiring innovation.
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