Building a Fantasy Sports Empire | Adam Wexler Founder of Prizepicks
Chris Vasquez, Investor & Founder at Quantom here in our magical city of Miami just dropped a fascinating video featuring Adam Wexler, founder of PrizePicks.
In this episode of the World Class Podcast, Vasquez discusses with Wexler how he got started with PrizePicks as well as how it's now become the number one Daily Fantasy Sports site in North America, overtaking both FanDuel and DraftKings.
Adam shares his journey of building PrizePicks from an idea into a market-leading company, navigating the challenges of entrepreneurship, and scaling a business in one of the most competitive industries.
For more great podcasts, check out Quantum here.
How to Play on PrizePicks
PrizePicks is the easiest way to play daily fantasy. Getting started is very simple - You sign up for an account and then deposit a minimum of $10. Then:
1. Pick between 2-and-6 player squares. You can pick from a wide variety of sports and stat-types, and even mix and match different sports in one lineup!
2. Pick more or less on each player square you pick.
3. Choose Flex Play or Power Play. Power Plays have higher payouts, but all your picks must win. Flex Plays are the safer option, giving you a chance to win even if one or two of your picks lose.
4. Choose your entry fee. The minimum entry fee is $1. You'll be able to see how much your lineup would payout.
5. Submit your lineup and sweat it in real-time! If your picks turn green, you're winning!
The Adam Wexler Interview
You can jump to your favorite parts of the video by checking out the time sequences below.
0:00 - Intro
1:14 - Early Dreams and Unexpected Paths
1:31 - Exploring Majors and Entrepreneurial Roots
2:05 - First Signs of Thinking Differently
2:32 - "Doubt Me, Please Do" Mantra
2:59 - Entrepreneurial Traits and Family Influence
3:34 - Real Estate Lessons and New Directions
4:03 - First Startup: Music Discovery Website
4:59 - PrizePicks: The Big Home Run
5:18 - Early Businesses and Pivots
6:30 - Moving from Music to Influencer
7:49 - Challenges of Quantifying Value
8:24 - Entering Fantasy Sports in 2014
9:05 - SidePrize to PrizePicks Evolution
10:05 - Choosing Passion Over B2B SaaS
10:51 - Rethinking "Follow Your Passion"
12:04 - Competing with Giants on a Budget
13:42 - Sticking it Out Through Tough Times
15:07 - Birth of PrizePicks in 2017
16:46 - Creative Financing and Strong Unit Economics
18:04 - The Advantage of Constraints
19:10 - Lightning in a Bottle Moment
20:11 - Pandemic Reset and Hitting the Gas
21:08 - Competing with Superior Product Appeal
22:48 - COVID Challenges and Unshakable Mindset
24:38 - Hindsight: Key Decisions Revisited
26:41 - Transition from Founder to CEO
28:15 - Building a Strong Team Layer
29:23 - Recruiting Lessons and the Canoe Test
31:41 - Crafting a Fun, Winning Culture
34:40 - Overcoming Inner Battles
37:30 - Habits for Success: Sleep and Focus
39:23 - Balancing Greatness and Mental Health
43:40 - Defining Personal Success
46:44 - Advice for Builders: Resilience is Key
50:43 - Closing Thoughts
Adam dives deep into the mindset required to build and sustain a high-growth company, revealing key lessons on leadership, resilience, and innovation. He also shares the behind-the-scenes story of how PrizePicks disrupted the fantasy sports space, how to create a product that keeps customers coming back, and what it takes to be a successful founder in today’s rapidly evolving business landscape.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
• The story behind PrizePicks and how Adam turned an idea into a thriving business
• The biggest challenges of scaling a company and how to overcome them
• How to create a winning culture and build a strong team
• The mindset and habits of successful entrepreneurs
• Lessons in product innovation and customer retention
• The future of daily fantasy sports and PrizePicks’ next big moves
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