Sophie Watts - Executive Chairperson at Metacurio | Creating an Ecosystem for Fans

Sophie Watts is the CEO of a global venture creation company that invests in and creates globally-recognized businesses for celebrities across premium content, consumer products, and live experiences. Early ventures include Mike Tyson's Legends Only League, a sports league created as a partnership with legendary boxer and cultural icon Mike Tyson.Watts was formerly the founding President of STX Entertainment, playing an instrumental role in its formation and growth for nearly 8 years alongside co-founder Robert Simonds. During her tenure, STX grew from a start-up into a multi-billion dollar media company that includes several studios, securing capital from investors including private equity firms TPG and China-based Hony Capital; Tencent, the Chinese internet giant; Liberty Global, the media conglomerate; and PCCW, the global telecommunications provider. STX recently merged with Eros International, the Indian media conglomerate.Watts has been named one of Hollywood's Top Dealmakers by Variety, was described as "one of the 500 most influential business leaders shaping entertainment," has been listed in Fortune magazine's 40 under 40, and was featured in both Variety's Power of Women report and Hollywood Reporter's Women in Entertainment Power 100. She has been recognized by the National Diversity Council as one of the "Top 50 Most Powerful Women in Entertainment," and described as one of Hollywood's "next-to-know...heavy hitters" by ELLE Magazine.

➡️ Talking Points

00:00 — Intro

04:49 — Sophie Watts' origin story

06:44 — How did Sophie start STX and how did she work for it?

12:25 — How was Sophie serving the fans and the artists at the same time?

15:16 — Was Sophie working with creators individually and where does she take them to?

22:35 — How does Sophie quantify the ROI?

26:20 — How did Sophie build a campaign for Mike Tyson?

31:17 — What will the traditional institutes do when they realize the stars don’t need them to make money anymore?

36:42 — Are agents really the best people to protect the artists always or are platforms like Sophie’s safer for them?

42:08 — While launching a project, what is Sophie's strategy to advertise it and attract attention?

49:05 — What are some things Sophie can do for creators and talent when she thinks of a new campaign for them?

52:28 — What impact does Sophie want to have on the world?

54:13 — Where can people connect to Sophie?

54:42 — What keeps Sophie up at night?

55:13 — What is the biggest challenge Sophie has ever faced in her life?

56:42 — Most impactful in Sophie's life and what did they teach her?

57:20 — Any podcast or book recommended by Sophie Watts

58:03 — What would Sophie Watts tell her 20-year-old self?

58:13 — What does success mean to Sophie Watts?