Episode 232: Global media executive, Sophie Watts talks about financing film projects, managing risk, and guiding A-list celebrities into the metaverse.

Guest Biography

Sophie is a global media executive with a focus on venture creation for A-list stars, including "Mike Tyson's Legends Only League," the sports enterprise which, in November 2020, staged the Tyson-Jones fight, the 8th most profitable pay-per-view event of all time. Previously, Watts served as the President of STX Entertainment, playing an instrumental role in the company's formation and growth, including the establishment of a fully-fledged movie studio, and both reality and scripted TV studios. During her tenure, STX grew from a start-up into a multi-billion-dollar media company that includes several studios, and which secured 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.

Early in her career, Watts worked in music film, videos and programming in London. She moved to Los Angeles in 2007, where she was a producer and financier on film projects including the award-winning documentary Bully, and the NBC show "State of Affairs". Watts has been named one of Hollywood's Top Dealmakers by Variety, listed in Fortune magazine's 40 under 40, and featured in Variety's Power of Women Report, Hollywood Reporter's Women in Entertainment Power100, and in ELLE magazine's power list.

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In this episode, you'll learn:

• How STX grew from a start-up into a multi-billion dollar media company
• Successful fundraising to finance films projects from investors from the US to Asia
• Why Sophie is keen on NFTs going mainstream, and how blockchain can realign how artists are protected and paid

Show notes: http://www.inspiredmoney.fm/232

Find more from our guest:

• Twitter
• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• Metacurio

Mentioned in this episode:

• Mike Tyson's Legends Only League
• Hotboxin' with Mike Tyson (podcast)
• STX Entertainment

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