From Start-Up to Grown-Up

#103 Patrick Lee— Rotten Tomatoes founder: the secrets to building an enduring business.Building Rotten Tomatoes, Managing Fame, and Staying True to Your Mission

Listen Later

Patrick Lee is best known as the co-founder and founding CEO of Rotten Tomatoes, the groundbreaking review platform that reshaped how audiences connect with movies and television. What started as a side project born out of his love for film became a global authority that continues to influence critics, fans, and the entertainment industry.

In this conversation, Patrick shares his journey from running a small web design firm to creating one of the most recognizable brands in pop culture. He opens up about navigating the chaos of the dot-com boom, the lessons learned from selling his company, and how he’s managed imposter syndrome and focus throughout his entrepreneurial career.

Today, Patrick continues to merge storytelling, technology, and fandom through his latest venture, Fanverse, a curated community for passionate fans. His insights reveal what it truly takes to build something people love and to keep evolving long after success.


Where to find Patrick:

  • X
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn


Timestamps:

(00:00) Founding Rotten Tomatoes

(02:57) Transitioning to a Business

(07:50) Selling Rotten Tomatoes

(25:29) Entrepreneurial Spirit

(30:58) Other Business Ventures

(37:46) The Importance of Product Focus

(39:04) Dealing with Failure and Self-Doubt

(40:12) The Impact of Company Culture

(41:31) Lessons Learned from Zombie Companies

(42:46) The Importance of Company Growth and Culture

(43:27) Creating a Curated Community at Fanverse

(50:28) Learning from Other Communities

(51:57) Building Community and Bonding

(55:06) Learning from Other Communities and Models

(01:00:58) Dealing with Imposter Syndrome and Self-Doubt

(01:05:01) The Importance of Focus and Network

(01:06:44) Advice for Founders on Growing into Leaders



Connect with Alisa!

Follow Alisa Cohn on

  • Instagram: @alisacohn
  • Twitter: @alisacohn
  • Facebook: facebook.com/alisa.cohn
  • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alisacohn/
  • Website: http://www.alisacohn.com

Download her 5 scripts for delicate conversations (and 1 to make your life better)

Grab a copy of From Start-Up to Grown-Up by Alisa Cohn from Amazon

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store
From Start-Up to Grown-UpBy Alisa Cohn
  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9

4.9

63 ratings

More shows like From Start-Up to Grown-Up

View all
Acquired by Ben Gilbert and David Rosenthal

Acquired

4,584 Listeners

The Knowledge Project by Shane Parrish

The Knowledge Project

2,683 Listeners

How I Built This with Guy Raz by Guy Raz | Wondery

How I Built This with Guy Raz

30,238 Listeners

Invest Like the Best with Patrick O'Shaughnessy by Colossus | Investing & Business Podcasts

Invest Like the Best with Patrick O'Shaughnessy

2,320 Listeners

Founders by David Senra

Founders

2,137 Listeners

Y Combinator Startup Podcast by Y Combinator

Y Combinator Startup Podcast

228 Listeners

Where Should We Begin? with Esther Perel by Esther Perel Global Media

Where Should We Begin? with Esther Perel

14,943 Listeners

My First Million by Hubspot Media

My First Million

2,641 Listeners

Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques by Matt Abrahams, Think Fast Talk Smart

Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques

806 Listeners

A Bit of Optimism by Simon Sinek

A Bit of Optimism

2,185 Listeners

The AI Daily Brief: Artificial Intelligence News and Analysis by Nathaniel Whittemore

The AI Daily Brief: Artificial Intelligence News and Analysis

594 Listeners

The Ben & Marc Show by Marc Andreessen, Ben Horowitz

The Ben & Marc Show

120 Listeners

The Pragmatic Engineer by Gergely Orosz

The Pragmatic Engineer

64 Listeners

Good Hang with Amy Poehler by The Ringer

Good Hang with Amy Poehler

10,105 Listeners

How I AI by Claire Vo

How I AI

145 Listeners