MICK BATYSKE
DJ | INVESTOR | SPEAKER
“It was my first exercise in rebranding because I was an overweight, hairline-receding nerd in high school. A fat drummer and a marching band kid. Two months later, I was like the coolest student in the dorm.”
Flywheel Connections
I met Mick Batyske years ago in Barcelona, and I was blown away by his incredible musical talent and entrepreneurial spirit. This guy has DJ’d for some of the biggest names: Cartier, Complex, GQ, Instagram, Jay-Z, LeBron James, Michelle Obama, Miguel, Prince, Spotify, Vanity Fair, and Will Smith. Not only is he one of the most requested DJs, but he is also an investor, speaker, podcaster, and devoted father.
But Mick’s journey didn’t start with hot nightclubs and celebrity schmoozing. “I got my start deejaying in a dorm room in college. I walked in there with two crates of records, two turntables, and a mixer that barely worked and became a DJ. It was my first exercise in rebranding because I was an overweight, hairline-receding nerd in high school. A fat drummer and a marching band kid. Two months later, I was like the coolest student in the dorm.”
Over time Mick realized he could connect with people he would never usually get the chance to meet. He got the opportunity to build connections with influential people through his music. “I realized I’d much rather be in rooms of people that we can add mutual value outside of the DJ booth versus just, like pretty people drunk at a club.”
The event and DJ industry got annihilated during the pandemic, so he began to evaluate how to pivot his attention and start to grow different revenue streams. Mick started angel investing and advising startups through his company, The Xavier Co. Mick invests in, and advises a plethora of start-ups including Anchor, BPM Supreme, and Buzzer.
Connect with Mick at mick.co.
Connect with Chris Cunningham and subscribe to the show.
MORE EPISODES
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On this episode of the Superpowers podcast, Bill and Chris talk with Deborah Wahl, Global CMO at General Motors. Growing up, Deborah earned the nickname “Big D” from her siblings for her go-getter attitude and unrelenting pursuit of success. Deborah was born and raised in Detroit. Her father was in the auto industry and she did her first internship at GM back in the 80s. She told Bill and Chris, “I looked around and said ‘wow, this is a tough industry for women…’”
Lizzie Widhelm – Trust is Earned. Not Given.
On this episode of the Superpowers podcast, Bill and Chris bring on Lizzie Widhelm, SVP Ad Innovation and B2B Marketing at Pandora. Lizzie is a witty and influential executive in media technology whose experiences as a mother have helped guide her career and vice-versa. As she told the hosts, “Raising boys is like running a sales team. You set clear expectations…”
Howard Lindzon – Social Intelligence & Self Understanding
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Ian Rapoport – Follow the Passion. Not the Dollars.
In this episode of the Superpowers podcast, Bill and Chris bring on Ian Rapoport, author of the Boston Herald blog, “The RapSheet” and National Insider at the NFL Network. Ian had aspired to follow in the footsteps of his favorite writers at sports-centric publications like Sports Illustrated even before attending Columbia University, where he covered sports for the institution’s storied student newspaper…
Matt Lombardi – Grit.
On this Episode of the Superpowers Podcast, Bill and Chris talk with Matt Lombardi, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of BEAM, a CBD wellness startup. Matt went from winning two NCAA Division I Hockey championships at Boston College, to a brief professional career in the NHL’s minor leagues, to becoming a passionate entrepreneur. Matt shared his experiences playing hockey at BC and how discipline and practice played a massive role in his personal growth…
Jeff Nicholson – Success is a Journey. Enjoy It.
In this episode of the Superpowers podcast, Bill and Chris talk with Jeff Nicholson, the charismatic and fiercely passionate CEO of the data processing platform, Tracer. A Boston native and former basketball standout at Babson College, Jeff has an entrepreneurial spirit that led him from starting a small lobster business with his dad to becoming a top name in data software.
David Kidder – Act on Passionate Obsessions
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Terence Kawaja – The Stand Up Investment Banker
In this episode of the Superpowers podcast, Bill and Chris talk with the hilarious Terence Kawaja, Founder and CEO of the investment bank LUMA Partners. Terence brightened the video conference with his engaging storytelling and unique views on the intersection between digital media and marketing. A native of Quebec, Terence was an entrepreneur from an early age. From running a paper route at 9 years old to building a prominent investment bank, he has always been a driven and creative problem solver…
Deirdre Lester – Diligent Passion
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Michael Katz – Student of the Game
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Felicity Conrad – Social Equilibrium
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Susan Ho – Modest Determination
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