Cameo’s CEO on Rebuilding After the Pandemic [Video]

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It’s just a few seconds of video, but for the recipient, a Cameo message can mean the world. Steven Galanis, co-founder and CEO, turned the idea of personalized celebrity messages into a platform, where fans can request anything from birthday wishes to a cheeky roast.

In 2018, Cameo was honored as one of TIME’s 50 Genius Companies. The following year, it was named as one of the fastest growing online marketplaces, by venture capital firm Andresseen Horowitz. The pandemic further fueled its success as celebrities looked for new ways to make money while consumers increasingly moved online, launching Cameo’s value to $1 billion by 2021. However, as COVID-19 restrictions eased, sales slumped, wiping out 90% of Cameo’s value by March 2024.

Galanis is convinced Cameo is more than a pandemic-era novelty. Through its CameoX pilot, which lowered the platform’s entry requirements, Cameo has welcomed …