Dave Hamilton and Shannon Jean open the episode with a light chat about peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Dave then shares insights from attending South by Southwest (SXSW), focusing on a documentary called Strange Journey: The Story of Rocky Horror. Initially intending to cover it for his music podcast, Dave realizes the documentary offers a deeper business lesson.

The film covers how Rocky Horror started as a stage musical in London, became popular, moved to L.A., and was eventually turned into a low-budget movie. It initially flopped, but the creators noticed college students were the ones staying to watch. Instead of giving up, they pivoted to midnight showings and built an audience, which turned it into the longest-running movie ever.

The main business takeaway: own your content. Richard O’Brien, who wrote and starred in the musical, was advised not to sell the rights. That ownership turned into a valuable long-term annuity, with the Rocky Horror franchise eventually earning an estimated $500 million through box office, merchandise, licensing, and more.

They end by emphasizing that audiences create cults—not producers—and reiterate the importance of retaining ownership of your creations. Shannon also teases a story about a billionaire conversation for a future episode.

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