At Media Summit | SF 2025, J.J. Colao sat down with Brendan Vaughan, Editor-in-Chief of Fast Company, for a conversation about the business of modern media, revenue models, the role of print, the pressure of clicks, and what AI means for publishers.

Brendan shares how Fast Company thinks about diversifying revenue, why they maintain a print magazine in an increasingly digital world, the work that goes into their iconic lists, and why he thinks the global AI arms race is setting us up to repeat the mistakes of social media.

⏱ TIMESTAMPS

0:00 — Teaser highlights

1:24 — Welcome & introductions

1:56 — Brendan's path to Fast Company: Business Insider, The Atlantic, and the call that changed things

2:54 — What made Fast Company special from the start

4:12 — The redesign: why a design-forward brand has to walk the walk

5:21 — Going from monthly to quarterly: giving print a clear purpose

7:20 — Why Fast Company still publishes a physical magazine

8:39 — The recognition programs and why even tech giants care about being in print

10:09 — Breaking down Fast Company's revenue pie chart

12:17 — The path to growth: subscriptions, events, and the Fast Company Impact Council

13:15 — What makes an ideal Fast Company story

13:52 — The clicks problem: innovation journalism vs. internet traffic

15:39 — The lists: Most Innovative Companies, Brands That Matter, and more

16:25 — New franchise: Ignition Schools, a joint program with Inc

17:49 — David Linsky returns to Fast Company

18:36 — The Inc and Fast Company relationship: shared functions, separate editorial

20:44 — What thrills Brendan, what terrifies him: AI, traffic, and the regulatory vacuum

22:42 — Closing thoughts—

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