#080 From 2,000 Flyers to 5 Million Viewers: The Revry Story with Damian Pelliccione

Built For This Podcast, with Carly Pepin

September 10, 2026 by

Carly Pepin

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In this episode of Built For This, Carly Pepin sits down with Damian Pelliccione, CEO and co-founder of Revry, to explore how an idea that started in a living room grew into a global LGBTQ streaming network reaching around five million monthly active viewers.

Damian shares how Revry initially launched as a subscription service before an unexpected advertising inquiry from Lexus opened the door to an entirely different business model. That shift eventually helped Revry build relationships with major advertisers while developing original programming centered around what Damian describes as "queer joy."

Carly and Damian also explore the realities of raising capital as a minority-owned media company, how the diversity of Revry's founding team became a competitive advantage, and the role data has played in helping the company understand and serve its audience.

It's a conversation about entrepreneurship, representation, sustainability, and building a business that can ultimately operate without its founders having to hold everything together.

Key Takeaways

Pay Attention When the Market Gives You a Signal

Revry didn't begin with advertising at the center of its business model. But when Lexus unexpectedly approached the company, Damian and his team recognized what the market was telling them and were willing to change direction rather than remain tied to their original plan.

Diversity Can Be a Business Advantage

Revry's founders come from very different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. Damian believes those differences have strengthened the company by allowing the team to approach challenges and opportunities from multiple angles.

Sustainability Changes the Founder's Role

After years of worrying about payroll, bills, and keeping the company moving, reaching a point where Revry could operate without its founders being involved in everything became an important milestone. For Damian, building something that can function beyond the founders themselves is a meaningful measure of success.

About Damian Pelliccione

Damian Pelliccione is the CEO and co-founder of Revry, a global LGBTQ streaming network available across more than 60 connected TV, FAST, OTT, desktop, mobile, and smart TV platforms.

As an openly non-binary CEO and advocate for the business value of investing in queer audiences and companies, Damian has become a prominent voice across streaming media, representation, and DEI. They were named one of Business Insider's "Top 16 Power Player Execs in AD Video Streaming Space," while Revry has also been recognized by Apple as "App of the Day."

Memorable Quotes
"Passion fuels innovation. And if you truly have passion for what you're doing, you can innovate anything."
"Invest in the relationship, not the deal."
"A business is just one big problem you're trying to solve consistently, and it's just getting better and better and better at it."

Damian Pellicione