How LinkShare's Network Model Led To a $425M Acquisition By Rakuten with Stephen Messer
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Show Notes
In todays episode we have back on the show, for a second time, Stephen Messer, serial entrepreneur and the Cofounder of Collective[i]. To find out all about that company, go back and listen to episode # 107.
In today's episode, however, we will be discussing his previous company, LinkShares, an affiliate marketing service provider that got acquired by Rakuten for a cool $425M
What to listen for:
- The opportunity he saw to build a network-based approach to winning a new kind of market
- How to convince big brands to do something they've never done before
- The role "first principles" played in their strategic thinking and what "first principles" is
- The technology they pattented that was vastly different than anything that had been developed at the time to track who was affiliated with which sales
- What he calls "insane" as it pertains to the way VC's look at AI model metrics
- The 2 things he said you must possess if you're going to be a disruptive company
- The struggle they had to endure to keep going and where they found the strength
- The moment that turned everything in their favor
- Where he was when the money hit the bank
All that and more on this episode.
Stephen was also kind enough to give me a private on AI training to break down what goes into business intelligence, machine learning and deep learning.
To access the training click on this link. https://youtu.be/aiKrAENS22c