Decisions, decisions everywhere. We need to take decisions. Four years ago, I did it.After years working in investment banking, private equity and venture capital, I became the captain of my own career, focusing on my consultancy and investment firm. So, have you ever stood at this crossroad in your life where you know the next step will redefine everything. What I'm talking about today isn't about rejecting traditional paths.It's quite the opposite. It is about encouraging and combining what you really str ...

When I was around five or six years old, my world changed overnight. I moved from Houston, Texas, when the weather was always warm and sunny, to Winchester, Virginia. I remember standing outside my new house um during that first winter, watching my breath turn into mist in the cold air.I was the new kid. I didn't know anyone, and everything was unfamiliar to me. But months later, I found myself walking outside, having fun, playing with new friends in the warm summer, no longer feeling so lost.And that's whe ...

Hello everyone, my name is Sean. It is honor to stand here and share my thoughts with all of you. Everybody, have you heard of the word curiosity.Comes from Latin word cura, meaning to care. But what if I told you curiosity is the reason you're alive today. Think about it.Our ancestors didn't survive because they were the strongest or the fastest. They survive because they ask questions. What's behind that mountain.How can we make fire. Why do stars shine. Curiosity kept them exploring, learning, and adapti ...

[Music] Have you ever held a tiny seed. It looks small yet within it lies the potential of a towering tree and endless possibilities. These are acacia seeds.Acacia seeds have a hard and impermeable covering that prevents them from absorbing water and germinating easily. To flower this tree, this seat needs to go through an unusual and to be honest a very unpleasant process. It has to be eaten by an elephant.Yes. Eaten, swallowed whole, carried through his digestive system and exposed to acid and movement th ...

It is 2005. I'm on board this train. It's called the Shinkansen train and it's in Japan. It used to be the fastest train on Earth. And at the time I was working on my post-doal research in molecular biology and genetics. And I was thinking that my career is going exactly like this train very fast but I didn't know where and when I was going to get off. Have you ever been in a situation that you feel that your career or your life hasn't been exactly determined by yourself? Have you ever felt that the path th ...

"这是我看到的第四个姜姒了，我现在满脑子都是姜姒。" "这个本子今天上了四版，观剧体验跟着男主颜值走，王道铁的军官造型帅，李沛洋奶狗型，陈凯洲腼腆型，这版刘俊达也不错，现在就等刘宇航版本 了。" "目前四个，第五个待播，以后肯定不止十个。" 正如上述评论所言，对于这种同一剧本（小说IP）被不同团队拍成多部短剧的现象，业界称之为"一本多拍"。 这种情况在短剧圈并不稀奇，甚至是一种常态化的操作模式。 当然，由不同制作团队改编同一故事，台词、拍摄角度通常高度相似，只是在部分细节和情感的呈现上会有所差异。 而这种微妙的差别，则会为观众带来多样化的观赏体验。 不过，"一本多拍"所带来的也不全是积极效应。 最明显的是内容同质化严重、缺乏创新，导致观众在连续观看多个版本后可能会产生审美疲劳。甚至部分观众开始质疑，这种"快餐式"的制作模式是否真 正尊重了原著，又是否真正满足了观众对于短剧内容的期待。 上百部短剧刷屏，只为讲同一个故事 "印象最深的一个情节，是男主正在家里和女主私会，男主妈找上门来现场抓包，敲门的时候说的台词竟然是'开门，警察临检'，结合男主妈是警察的人 物设定，就会觉得这个小设计真的很巧妙。" 入坑短剧大半年 ...

General Motors is investing $888 million in its Tonawanda Propulsion plant in Buffalo, New York, "to support the production of the sixth generation of GM's V-8 engines," the automaker announced Tuesday. The investment is a shift from a previously announced $300 million commitment to make electric-vehicle drive units at the plant, as the V-8 engines are used in GM's full-sized trucks and SUVs. GM says the newer engines will provide drivers better fuel economy and reduce emissions by utilizing "new combustion ...

HOUSTON, TX, May 23, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Key Points: Extreme Animals Alive opens May 24 at HMNS (members see it first May 23), and invites guests to investigate the stunning variety of animal adaptations found in the natural world.Animals within the exhibit include vinegaroons, Savannah monitors, axolotls, fennec foxes, and many more.Visitors learn about animal adaptations, including those that allow animals to shape-shift, glow, endure extreme temperatures, or even control the minds of other animals. ...

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported a net loss of $22 million in the quarter compared to a net income of $6.2 million in the prior year, driven by higher general and administrative expenses and marketing costs [13] - Adjusted EBITDA was $4.1 million in the quarter, down from $22.2 million in the same quarter of the previous year [26] - Revenue grew 5.3% on a constant currency basis, but reported revenue was roughly flat year over year [12] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Paid content revenue grew 2.8% on a constant currency basis year over year, driven by strength in Japan, offset by declines in Korea and the rest of the world [17] - Advertising revenue increased by 13.6% on a constant currency basis, with strong performance in Korea and Japan, but a decline in the rest of the world [18] - IP Adaptation revenue saw a 20.7% increase year over year on a constant currency basis, with significant growth in Japan [19] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - In Korea, revenue grew 3.6% year over year on a constant currency basis, primarily driven by advertising and IP adaptations [20] - Japan posted revenue growth of 9.4% on a constant currency basis, with all revenue streams contributing positively [22] - The rest of the world experienced a revenue decline of 4% year over year on a constant currency basis [24] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on building a local creator ecosystem in Japan and expanding its cross-border strategy by taking Japanese content to other markets [6] - Investments are being made in the English language platform to enhance user experience and engagement [7][10] - The company aims to leverage its flywheel of creators, content, and users to generate profitable growth over the long term [31] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the resilience of the business model despite potential market downturns, citing a low average revenue per paying user [10] - The company anticipates revenue growth in the range of 2.2% to 5.2% for the second quarter of 2025 [29] - Management is closely monitoring market health and believes in the long-term growth potential of newer markets [35] Other Important Information - The company faced challenges with a security upgrade affecting search engine indexing, which contributed to a decline in web MAU [14] - The gross profit for the quarter was $71.6 million, resulting in a gross margin of 22%, down from 25.2% in the prior year [25] - The company is making significant changes to its English language web comic app to improve user engagement [60] Q&A Session Summary Question: User growth initiatives and investment cadence - Management highlighted strong long-term growth signs in newer markets, particularly a 19% increase in English-speaking platform MAU [35] Question: Importance of local content in local markets - Management emphasized the significance of local creator IP and partnerships to enhance global reach and engagement [39] Question: MAU decline in Korea and future growth potential - Management noted that while Korea has high penetration, constant currency revenue growth of 3.6% indicates potential for future growth [46] Question: Update on advertising revenue in North America - Management stated that North America advertising is still in early stages, with a focus on building foundational products for future growth [49] Question: Impact of global franchises on monetization - Management clarified that global franchises have historically contributed positively to the core paid content margin structure [53] Question: Security update on Wattpad and user impact - Management confirmed that Wattpad's issues significantly impacted total MAU declines, but it is not a major contributor to paid content revenue [66] Question: Engagement levels of licensed IP in the U.S. - Management indicated that engagement levels depend on the specific IP, but there is potential for licensed IP to drive user engagement [85]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported a net loss of $22 million in Q1 2025 compared to a net income of $6.2 million in the prior year, primarily due to higher general and administrative expenses and increased marketing costs [13] - Adjusted EBITDA decreased to $4.1 million from $22.2 million year-over-year, with adjusted earnings per share dropping to $0.03 from $0.20 [26][27] - Revenue growth was 5.3% on a constant currency basis, but reported revenue was roughly flat year-over-year due to tough comparisons from Q1 2024 [12] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Paid content revenue grew by 2.8% on a constant currency basis, driven by strength in Japan, but was offset by declines in Korea and the rest of the world [16] - Advertising revenue increased by 13.6% on a constant currency basis, with strong performance in Korea and Japan, while the rest of the world saw a decline [17] - IP Adaptation revenue surged by 20.7% year-over-year on a constant currency basis, with significant growth in Japan [18] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - In Japan, revenue grew by 9.4% on a constant currency basis, with all revenue streams contributing positively [22] - Korea experienced a revenue growth of 3.6% on a constant currency basis, driven by advertising and IP adaptations, despite a decline in paid content [20] - The rest of the world saw a revenue decline of 4% year-over-year, with significant drops in paid content and advertising [23] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on expanding its presence in Japan and leveraging local content to drive growth in other markets [6] - Investments are being made in the English language platform to enhance user experience and engagement, with a focus on onboarding and content discovery [7][11] - The company aims to maintain a resilient business model that can withstand potential market downturns, emphasizing the value of microtransactions and free content [9][30] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the company's ability to navigate current macroeconomic uncertainties and highlighted the importance of ongoing investments in marketing and infrastructure [30] - The company anticipates revenue growth in Q2 2025 in the range of 2.2% to 5.2% on a constant currency basis, with adjusted EBITDA expected between $500,000 and $5.5 million [27][29] - Management remains optimistic about long-term growth prospects, particularly in newer markets and through product innovations [36] Other Important Information - The company is addressing a security issue that affected Wattpad, which contributed to a decline in MAU in the rest of the world [14][63] - A change in methodology by Nabor for measuring MAU in Korea has impacted reported metrics, but the company believes this will not affect long-term growth potential [21][44] Q&A Session Summary Question: User growth initiatives and investment cadence - Management highlighted strong long-term growth signs in newer markets, particularly a 19% increase in English-speaking platform MAU, driven by content flow and product innovation [35] Question: Importance of local content in local markets - Management emphasized the significance of local creator IP and the ability to publish globally, showcasing successful adaptations and partnerships [39] Question: MAU decline in Korea and future growth potential - Management noted that while Korea has high penetration, the focus should be on constant currency revenue growth, which was positive despite MAU fluctuations [44] Question: Update on advertising revenue in North America - Management indicated that North America remains a significant opportunity, with ongoing investments in product and selling organization to drive future growth [47] Question: Impact of global franchises on monetization - Management stated that global franchises enhance the core paid content margin structure and attract a larger audience [52] Question: Changes to the English app and product rollout - Management confirmed extensive product innovations based on global learnings, with promising results from AB testing indicating significant potential for user engagement [56][72] Question: Security update on Wattpad and user impact - Management clarified that Wattpad's issues primarily affected MAU but did not significantly impact paid content revenue, and they are working to resolve these issues [63] Question: Engagement of licensed IP in the U.S. market - Management noted that engagement levels depend on the specific IP, but there is potential for licensed IP to drive user engagement and attract new users [81]