The Twenty Minute VC

Scooter Braun on Being Enough, Insecurity, Wealth, Investing, Fame, Marriage and Much More | E1002

From college party promoter to managing global stars to CEO and investor. Scott “Scooter” Braun is one of the most powerful people in media and one of the most multi-faceted entrepreneurs we have ever met. As the founder of media company SB Projects and the co-founder of TQ Ventures, he has backed prominent companies such as Pinterest, Spotify and Uber and managed some of the world’s biggest names in music including Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande, and Demi Lovato. Braun’s other accolades include founding Ithaca Ventures (acquired by HYBE for $1BN+) in 2021, and philanthropic efforts such as being a Make-A-Wish board member, raising $55M+ for Hurricane Harvey and Irma relief and continuing to instill the value of social good wherever possible. --------------------------------------- Timestamps: 0:00 Introduction 1:22 Happiness & Success: Finding Balance 7:37 How Money & Power Changes You 10:08 Who’s there for you? 13:49 Scooter Braun’s Approach to Online Hate & Conflict 18:53 Discovering Justin Bieber: A Career-Changing Moment 21:32 Manchester Terrorist Attack and Ariana Grande’s Response 24:01 Biggest Professional Mistake and Lessons Learned 28:23 Inside Look at Billion-Dollar HYBE Deal 32:11 What I Learned from Jeff Bezos 37:52 Scooter’s Investment Hits and Misses 43:06 TQ Ventures: Investing in the Future 44:31 Friendship with Ashton Kutcher 46:28 On Being Vulnerable 51:55 Scooter’s Advice to Harry 1:00:10 Why Everyone Needs One Week Off a Year 1:06:47 How Kids Changed Scooter’s Mindset 1:09:00 Biggest Catalyst in Scooter’s Life 1:14:02 What do you still need to unlearn? Growth and Self-Reflection 1:18:37 What achievement are you most proud of? 1:20:10 Lessons I Want My Children to Learn 1:28:52 Call Me Scott Braun: Identity and Reinvention 1:31:47 Quick-Fire Round 1:34:51 Favorite Memory Working with Justin Bieber 1:37:43 How I Discovered Ariana Grande 1:39:03 What would you like to change about the music industry? 1:41:25 Where do you see yourself in five years? --------------------------------------- In Today’s Episode with Scooter Braun We Discuss: 1. From College Party Promoter to Managing The World’s Biggest Superstars: What was the single most catalytic moment of Scooter’s career? What was Scooter’s most painful professional mistake, and what did he learn from it? What was the decision-making behind Scooter’s HYBE deal? What is the biggest challenge in scaling the trajectories of the people Scooter works with? If Scooter could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be? 2. College Party Promoter Turned Venture Investor: How did Scooter originally get into investing? How did Scooter’s party promoting business almost lead to an early investment in Facebook? Do people approach Scooter differently as an investor because of his success in the music industry? Why is vulnerability helpful for investing? 3. Scooter’s Lessons on Success (And How to Deal With It): Why does Scooter believe happiness and success are not aligned? How does Scooter approach deal-making? Is work-life balance bullshit? Does Scooter think you have to break your back to become as successful as Jeff Bezos? Is Scooter scared of mediocrity? Why does Scooter think all entrepreneurs are bad at having faith? 4. The Secrets to Being a Better Parent, Child, and Partner: How does Scooter approach trust? How did having kids impact Scooter’s mindset? Why was divorce the biggest catalyst in Scooter’s entire life? Does Scooter worry that money will negatively influence how his children are brought up? What is the most important thing a child can hear from a parent? 5. Finding the “Scott” Buried Inside “Scooter”: It’s easy to become the brand you create. How does Scooter prevent losing himself when that happens? What does Scooter need to unlearn in the future? What has Scooter changed his mind on in the past 12 months? How does Scooter approach his relationship to regret? What single lesson you most would Scooter most want a young person listening to this conversation to take away? --------------------------------------- Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3j2KMcZTtgTNBKwtZBMHvl?si=85bc9196860e4466 Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-twenty-minute-vc-20vc-venture-capital-startup/id958230465 Follow Harry Stebbings on Twitter: https://twitter.com/HarryStebbings Follow Scott “Scooter” Braun on Twitter: https://twitter.com/scooterbraun Follow 20VC on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/20vc_reels Follow 20VC on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@20vc_tok Visit our Website: https://www.20vc.com Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://www.thetwentyminutevc.com/contact --------------------------------------- #ScooterBraun #HYBE #HarryStebbings

Scooter BraunguestHarry Stebbingshost

Apr 16, 20231h 42mWatch on YouTube ↗

WHAT IT’S REALLY ABOUT

Scooter Braun on Success, Self-Worth, Faith, and Redefining Winning

Scooter Braun and Harry Stebbings have an unusually vulnerable, therapy‑like conversation about the illusion that success brings happiness, and how both of them have tied self‑worth to achievement and external validation.
Scooter traces his journey from building the persona of “Scooter” to finally accepting “Scott,” describing how divorce, public controversy, and deep self‑work forced him to confront childhood shame, insecurity, and the feeling of not being enough.
They explore money, fame, online hate, parenting, investing, dealmaking, work–life ‘harmony,’ and faith in the universe, repeatedly returning to the theme that real success is being okay with your own mess and loving your unvarnished self.
Throughout, Scooter blends personal stories—from Bieber and Grande to Hybe, Uber, and Spotify—with practical lessons on boundaries, generosity, accountability, and the value of taking a week each year for intensive self‑work.

IDEAS WORTH REMEMBERING

5 ideas

Success does not fix your inner emptiness or insecurity.

Scooter hit his lifelong financial ‘number’ at 27 and felt deep depression within 30 seconds, realizing that no level of money or status would magically make him feel at peace or “enough.”

You can build a powerful mask and forget who you really are.

He spent decades building the persona ‘Scooter’ to hide the insecure ‘Scott’; only after intense self‑work (like the Hoffman Process) did he start to like his given name again and accept that the scared kid actually built everything.

Take one full week a year for intensive self‑work with no phone.

Scooter argues that a single uninterrupted week annually—at a retreat, in therapy, or in silence—can radically change your life, and he wishes he’d started decades earlier instead of waiting for rock bottom to force him.

Generosity can be a form of freedom, not just kindness.

When he sold to Hybe, Scooter gave $50M of his own stock to employees and artists, not just to be ‘nice’ but to ensure everyone shared in the win and to free himself from future guilt, resentment, or obligation.

Boundaries teach others how to treat you and protect your energy.

He learned that having no boundaries isn’t strength; it’s self‑abandonment. Clear boundaries let you insist on being seen as a human, not a wallet, fixer, or ‘brand,’ and let you step away from relationships that don’t honor your growth.

WORDS WORTH SAVING

5 quotes

Real happiness is being okay with your mess, being okay that you're not okay.

— Scooter Braun

We both have this thing that we're not enough; who would ever love us if we just showed up as ourselves without the achievements?

— Scooter Braun

Boundaries are there for you to teach other people how to treat you.

— Scooter Braun (via his therapist)

Why should you have to balance two things that you love? You should harmonize them.

— Jeff Bezos (as quoted by Scooter Braun)

Being mature is loving your 12-year-old self.

— Scooter Braun’s grandmother (as quoted by Scooter)

The disconnect between external success and internal happinessChildhood shame, masks (Scooter vs. Scott), and self-worthDivorce, public controversy, and deep personal “self‑work”Boundaries, trust, relationships, and vulnerability in high-status rolesMoney, wealth, generosity, and the impact of financial safetyCareer inflection points, artist management, and crisis moments (Manchester, Taylor Swift saga)Venture investing philosophy, dealmaking, and work–life ‘harmony’

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