I spent years messaging Cyan Banister on X and getting nothing back.
Then I tried something different. Instead of asking for her time, I offered to cast her as an Undercover VC on my show, Going Public.
She responded within 24 hours.
Cyan is a Partner at Long Journey Ventures, which just closed a $181M Fund IV, and one of the most iconic early-stage investors of her generation.
Seed investor in Uber, SpaceX, DeepMind, and Postmates. She has seen everything, and she does not say yes to things she does not want to do.
Season 3 of Going Public streamed on X and cleared 100 million views. Cyan showed up, held her own at the poker table against Phil Hellmuth, and was a total natural on camera.
She is now an investor in Crush Capital, our studio behind the show.
The takeaway for every founder trying to reach an investor, partner, or customer who keeps going dark: stop asking for their time, and start giving them something worth showing up for.
Sometimes the best door opener is not a knock.
It's an invitation.
Our next investor networking event will be held at this waterfront mansion on Biscayne Bay in Miami Beach on April 23rd 🌴
If you’re a serious investor interested in the intersection of Hollywood and Wall Street, comment below or DM me.
The @WOLF_Financial VC Show Episode 1
with my cohost @KyleSonlin
0:00 Kyle sold his company
8:12 How founders navigate the path IPO
14:23 @darrenmarble executive producer of @goingpublic joins the show to talk Season 4
The launch of a new video show
THE VC SHOW EPISODE 1 with @SelfTSuccess and @KyleSonlin
- Kyle selling his first company
- Why Venture Capital is broken
- Special Guest @darrenmarble talking about Season 4 of @goingpublic
It was an honor to speak at the CfPA Annual Summit in Washington DC yesterday 🇺🇸
How do we take equity crowdfunding mainstream?
Through massively mainstream shows where viewers can invest in high quality deals—startups, real estate and more—while they watch 💵
The destination? Netflix, Amazon, FOX, CNBC, and others.
The path is visible, and the time is near.
amazing day in palo alto at Restart IL. so many great founders and investors!
my friend @darrenmarble, EP of @goingpublic led an inspirational one-on-one conversation with the world’s greatest poker player @phil_hellmuth, using poker as an analogy for startup investing.
a few big takeaways from phil:
• we create our own reality
• be ready for every opportunity that comes your way
• you are always in the right place at the right time
as a child, phil’s mom wrote on the bathroom mirror: “you are what you think. you become what you think. what you think becomes reality.” he read it every single day. it shaped his belief that he could choose his own reality and accomplish anything he wanted.
We’ve always had a simple thesis for how to make @goingpublic as big (or bigger) than Shark Tank:
1: Cast winning companies
2: Secure mainstream distribution
3: A-list celebrity attachments
4: Allow viewers to invest
To say we were thrilled when boxing icon @MikeTyson leaned in would be an understatement.
Our livestreamed finale, hosted by the magical @crystalcarson_ , Going Public Exec Producer @toddmgoldberg , and Iron Mike, cleared 500,000 live viewers on X.
After the show, we signed with Tyson’s agency, Paradigm Talent Agency, and are now ready to take Going Public mainstream.
Paradigm signs Crush Capital: https://t.co/cVVxKje3lp
Thank you our strateigc advisor and super connector Sandy Climan of Entertainment Media Ventures for helping make all of this possible.
Congrats @GoingPublic team!!
We will do some great work w @paradigm, including our new show KingMaker!
‘Going Public' Series Creator Crush Capital Signs With Paradigm https://t.co/AnCYUoPFt1
The news is out! I’m thrilled to share that we’ve signed with Paradigm Talent Agency! ✍️
We’re taking the “Going Public” franchise across new formats, platforms and markets.
The future of entertainment is interactive—viewers will become investors.
https://t.co/2OUPlEuYF8
After a whirlwind tour and the high of watching one of my biggest dreams materialize… I’m finally catching my breath.
What. A. Ride.
What a reminder that when alignment meets action, the impossible becomes inevitable.
Will be sharing BTS @goingpublic@darrenmarble