Jeffery Potvin kicks off his interview with Peter Horan on how he started his career with an intersection of luck and good decisions. From writing the manual for Pong in 1975 to generating two billion dollars in transactions on the sell side, a billion dollars in transactions on the buy side, and about four billion of public market value creation. Peter has shared his views on the entrepreneurial journey, the mindset of the VCs, and how its important for early-stage CEOs to surround themselves with people they can trust. To be able to pick your brain and discuss a no mercy, no malice conversion with the people you trust is important not only to gather feedback but for the CEO’s mental health as well.
Peter also shared stories for Skift and Pinterest and how it took multiple pivots in order to figure out the right market fit and to finally gain traction. He also shared his interesting insights on the investment landscape at the time of COVID.
Peter C. Horan is an entrepreneur and digital media investor with a history of building successful media, commerce and ad technology businesses. As a CEO and independent director he has been part of eight profitable exits in the last ten years totaling almost $1.8 billion in value and more than $4 billion in public market value-creation. He has also been actively involved in $800 million in acquisitions over that same period.
In February of 2014, Peter formed Horan MediaTech Advisors as an umbrella for his investment and consulting activities. Peter currently works with and/or has investments in: AdZerk; Business.com, Candid, Digital Trends, Lending Tree; Outdoor Project; Purch; ShopPad; Skift; Slumberkins, TougHer, and WildFang. He also advises a number of other media companies. Peter is an active early stage investor and is involved with the Oregon Angel Fund, Cascade Angels, and Portland Seed Fund.