Building a Media Empire w/ Michael Sikand, Cofounder of Our Future | Ep. 39 [HD]

In this conversation, Michael Sikand, discusses his journey from starting a podcast to pivoting to short-form content, building a team, scaling a company, being on Forbes 30 Under 30, and ultimately deciding to pursue an acquisition offer. Background: Michael Sikand was the cofounder of Our Future, the #1 source of Business for Gen Z. Our Future was acquired by Morning Brew in January of 2023. Give it a listen and hear Michael Sikand's insights on navigating the startup world, his experiences with growth and acquisition, and his advice for aspiring entrepreneurs! Check out Michael and Our Future Podcast: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@UCtrwNtR3_ilqa2nS6GEKL7w TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ourfuturehq Michael's Twitter: https://twitter.com/michaelsikand Michael's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelsikand/ Stay Connected: Subscribe for more insights: https://www.youtube.com/@nextbigthinghq Join our community: www.linkedin.com/company/nextbigthinghq/ Tweet us your thoughts: https://twitter.com/NextBigThingHQ Don't forget to Like, Share, and Subscribe for more content like this! Outline: 00:00 Introduction 01:19 Getting Started in Podcasting 04:40 Evolution to Short Form Content 07:45 Creating Engaging TikTok Stories 11:14 The Future of Short Form Content 14:49 Exposure for Young Founders 16:25 Skill Acquisition 19:19 Hiring, Acquiring, and Scaling 24:06 Transitioning to Agency Business 25:25 Getting Acquired by Morning Brew 30:05 The Post-Acquisition Experience 34:58 Forbes 30 Under 30 36:42 Behind the Scene of Our Future Podcast 37:13 The Value of Trying New Things 38:30 Advice to Younger Self 40:00 What's Next for Michael