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“RockWater is my oracle for the media and commerce world. They help me think many, many moves ahead of most players…”

– Kevin Kurtz, CEO of Bigger Bolder Banking/The Bold Banking Network

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2021 Year In Review: Sticky Acceleration and Birth of the “Ownership Economy”

January 13, 2022

Dev Sethi — Head of Sports at Instagram on Launching a Sports MCN, Athlete Creators and NIL, and Metaverse Fandoms

December 15, 2021

The US-China $295 Billion Livestream Gap

December 9, 2021

Brian Volk-Weiss — CEO at The Nacelle Company on Netflix’s 1st Streamer Deal, Betting Big on Comedians, and Toy Shopping Therapy

November 18, 2021

Cameo Buys Represent and 3 Market Entry Strategies for Content x Commerce

November 11, 2021

Why the “Creator Economy” is Now Worth $104 Billion (and Counting…)

October 28, 2021

NTWRK + Whatnot Raise More $$, and Twitter Commerce Rumors

October 20, 2021

Creator Fund Watch List

October 12, 2021

Doug Bernstein — GM at House of Highlights on AOL’s “Digital Mailroom”, Sports Fandoms, and Pitching Social Media M&A

October 7, 2021

The Future of Creator Funds and Tools

October 5, 2021

Why MGM Sold for 28x EBITDA and How Private Equity Will Fund the “Bullet Makers” of the Streaming Wars

September 29, 2021

Fashion Tech Investment Watch List

September 21, 2021

Alison Eakle — EVP at Shondaland on Netflix Pacts, Bridgerton, Promotions After 30, and Motherhood

September 9, 2021

Naomi Shah — CEO of Meet Cute on Raising $6M During COVID, Leaving VC, and Rom-com Podcasts

August 19, 2021

Hello Sunshine Sells for $900M and High-Priced Studio M&A

August 18, 2021

Netflix Shop and 4 Ways Streamer-Led Commerce Will Evolve

August 12, 2021

The Audio Wars: Buyer-verse Expansion (Pt 2)

The Audio Wars: No End In Sight

Dan Levitt — Founder and CEO of Long Haul Management on $6,000 Salaries, Disney’s Big Miss, and Cracking YouTube SEO

From 9-Figure Cash Grabs to Redefining Sport: The Evolution of Creator Competitions

Kids Screen Time: Crossing the Chasm and New Revenue Models

16 Podcasts, 13 Writings, and Celebrating 1H 2021

Food Media x Commerce Watch List

Damian Pelliccione — CEO of Revry on Launching a Queer TV Streamer, 4x Founder Diversity, and Grassroots Power

Paul / Mayweather and the Growth of Sports Creator Competitions

Etsy Buys Depop for $1.6 Billion and the Rise of Resale

Sports Betting x Media Watch List

How Media Operators Capture the $60 Billion US Sports Betting Market

Whatnot Raises $50M and the Future of Livestream Commerce

Matthias Metternich — CEO of Art of Sport on Being a 5x Founder, Skincare for Athletes, and Pitching Kobe Bryant

Bitcoin Pizza and Food Commerce Momentum

Introducing Our New Microcast, the RockWater Roundup

AT&T Exits WarnerMedia and Lessons Learned

The Future of Livestreaming: Music and Sports

The Duality of Social Audio: How will the landscape unfold?

Sports Betting Media in Overdrive

Kevin Jones — Founder of Blue Wire on Getting Fired for a 49ers Tweet, $3.5 Million from WynnBet, and the Future of Sports Podcasts

Rise of Social Audio

The Duality of Social Audio: Leaning In While Leaning Back

NFT Platform Watch List

How To Buy an NFT (like an “NFTweet”)

Chris Ovitz — President at OK Play on Being a 3x Founder, Humble Leadership, and Reimagining Kids Screen Time

Kids Screen Time Explodes, 20+ Deals, and How To Win the Next Generation of Viewers (and Their Parents)

Audio M&A Watchlist

Aditi Dash — Partner at CircleUp on Surprise FDA Visits, Clubhouse, and Consumer Investing

Livestream Commerce Watch List

2021 Predictions: How to Close the $150 Billion Livestream Commerce Gap Between US-China

Aaron Levant — CEO of NTWRK on Launching 30 Event Brands and Shopping at the Speed of Culture

February 24, 2021

2021 Predictions: Sportsbook Content Strategy for the $60 Billion Online Gambling Market

February 11, 2021

Kevin Gould — CEO of Kombo Ventures on $75 Million of Beauty Sales, Liquidating His IRA, and the Hottest Role in Town

February 3, 2021

2021 Predictions: 4 New Audio Buyers + Food Commerce Gets “Re-stacked”

January 28, 2021

From Attention to Passion. A Look Back at 2020.

January 14, 2021

Gretta Cohn — CEO of Transmitter Media on $7,000 of Startup Capital, Touring with Bright Eyes, and Making Beautiful Things

January 11, 2021

Surfline Gets $30 Million: Our Deal Concerns, the CEO on Growth, and the Future of Water Sports

December 22, 2020

Mike Gaston — President of Stage TEN Studios on Bankruptcy, Founding Cut.com, and the Future of Livestreaming

December 17, 2020

Why Only 61% of Gen Z Watches Sports, and How to Future-Proof Sports Media by Unbundling Live Rights

December 3, 2020

Interview with Christian Baesler, President of Complex Networks on German Village Life, Being a Touring DJ, Hot Sauce, and ComplexLand

November 18, 2020

How to Win the Next Frontier of Consumer Engagement with At-Home Audio (Part 2)

November 12, 2020

How 640 Million Smart Speakers by 2024 Will Reinvent At-Home Audio (Part 1)

November 6, 2020

Interview with Chas Lacaillade, Founder of Bottle Rocket Management on $5,000 Startup Loans, Jerry Maguire Moments, and the Digital Video Revolution

October 28, 2020

How YouTube Is Playing Catch-Up in Online Shopping, $825 Million of Sports SPACS, Kroger’s New Ghost Kitchens

October 16, 2020

Interview with Adam Sachs, COO of Team Coco on Podcasting with Conan O’Brien, Group Dating, and Selling Midroll Media

October 7, 2020

Why Every Brand Needs a Livestream Media and Selling Strategy in 2021

October 2, 2020

Explained: 4 Deals Powering the “At-Home-ification” of Stadium Foods and the War Against the Couch

September 18, 2020

Nicole Staple — Founder and CEO of Brideside on Investor Bias, Cancer Battles, and Rap Lyrics

September 16, 2020

The Come Up: A New Podcast by RockWater

September 10, 2020

How “Player Empowerment” Will Unlock Billion-Dollar Sports Brands: The Rise of Athlete Podcasters (Part 2/2)

August 13, 2020

Sports Media Enters 3rd Wave: The Rise of Athlete Podcasters as the Next Billion-Dollar Brand Builders (Part 1/2)

Why Only 10% of Beauty Sales are Online, and How to Fix the Consumer “Trust Gap”

11 Must-Read Articles for Nextgen Consumer Execs

Winning in Livestream Shopping: The RockWater Playbook (Part 2/2)

Exploding Kittens and What Surprises Us About Tabletop Games and Lo Fi Media

Can the US Replicate China’s $63B Livestream Shopping Industry?

The Future of Food & Beverage: When Will Manufacturers + Media Converge?

Profits and Purpose: Crooked Media, Black Rifle Coffee, Ben & Jerry’s

Leadership Traps and How to Discuss Racism

Leadership Principles During Crisis: How to Steer to Better Times

Winning in Nextgen Sports Media: The RockWater Playbook (Part 3/3)

Lessons from Call Her Daddy: IP, Food, Talent, Leadership

What Does Joe Rogan’s Exclusive Spotify Deal Signal for the Future of Podcasting?

How to “Follow Your Fans” – Lessons from Fortnite, NFL, WWE (Part 2/3)

Explained: Amazon (Not) Buying AMC

How Will Eko’s Litigation Against Quibi Result in Hedge Fund ROI?

How Gambling and ‘Live’ Impact Fandom, the Real Money Maker in Sports Media (Part 1/3)

How WarnerMedia’s CEO Pick Will Change the Hiring Strategy for New Hollywood

What COVID-19 Means for the Future of the Dining Ecosystem

How to Be an Industry Leader During COVID-19

Explained: The Future of Ad-Supported TV

Time Out, MeatEater, NY Times, Complex: The Role of Commerce in Food Media

February 21, 2020

Barstool Sports & The Ringer: Lessons About Growth

February 6, 2020

RockWater 2020 Predictions

January 23, 2020

Breaking Down SiriusXM Video vs. Spotify Video

December 21, 2019

KSI vs. Logan Paul Rematch: The Most Aggressive New Bet in Sports Media

November 20, 2019

Is Spotify Kids a Smart Growth Bet?

November 7, 2019

Is Nike Adventure Club, a Subscription Service for Kids, a Winning Commerce Strategy?

October 23, 2019