What Colossus does

Colossus is a privately held media and publishing company operating a multi-platform content network focused on business and investing. Founded by Patrick O'Shaughnessy and formally operated as Colossus, LLC (Connecticut, USA), the company produces six podcast series—Invest Like the Best (flagship, launched 2016), Business Breakdowns, Founders, Joys of Compounding, Founder's Field Guide, and 50X—alongside a quarterly print magazine and an email newsletter. Reported headcount is 1-10 employees, indicating an asset-light operating model.

The editorial proposition centers on long-form interviews and analytical journalism with prominent investors, founders, and CEOs, including guests such as Brian Chesky (Airbnb), Josh Kushner (Thrive Capital), Reed Hastings (Netflix), Vlad Barbalat (Liberty Mutual Investments), and Scott Wu (Cognition). Distribution spans the owned colossus.com website, major podcast platforms (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, Overcast), and social media. The flagship Invest Like the Best podcast has produced over 300 episodes reaching nearly 30 million cumulative listeners, while the magazine has progressed from Issue 01 (November 2024) to Issue 06 (June 2026) on a quarterly cadence.

Revenue is generated through paid subscriptions (print magazine and private audio experience, processed via Stripe) and podcast sponsorships from B2B brands including Ramp, Vanta, Rogo, WorkOS, and Ridgeline. Note: the aggregated input dataset contains material inconsistencies—the firmographic description characterizes Colossus as a 'marketplace that delivers solar leads,' and supplemental funding and leadership entries (a $36M round in January 2022; named leaders Heather Griffin and Daniel Gloede) are inconsistent with the first-party colossus.com content. The first-party website source has been treated as authoritative per the analytical precedence applied, and the conflicting data has not been incorporated into primary conclusions.

Name

Colossus

Legal name

Colossus, LLC

Website

https://colossus.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Colossus is a privately held media and publishing company operating a podcast network (Invest Like the Best, Business Breakdowns, Founders, and others) and a quarterly print magazine focused on business and investing. It serves professional investors, founders, and business professionals through long-form interviews and analytical journalism.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Business & Investing Media

NAICS

Sound Recording Industries (5122), Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers (5131)

SIC

Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)

akta.pro primary industry

Podcast Networks & Multi-Show Publishers (MPACADAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Audio Production & Podcasting (BPAFAIAE), Podcast Production, Editing & Post-Production Services (MPACADAE), Audio Learning Content (Podcasts, Audiobooks, Listening Programs) (EDAGALAM)

Keywords

• Business podcasts
• Investing content
• Print magazine
• Media subscription
• Business journalism

Headquarters

HQ city

Revere

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Subscription / Membership: Colossus generates revenue primarily through paid subscriptions for its quarterly print magazine and private audio experience. The company also offers a paid podcast subscription tier. Payments are processed via Stripe. Subscribers can cancel at any time and retain access through the end of their billing period.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Colossus is a media and publishing company that operates a podcast network and a quarterly print magazine focused on business and investing. It produces long-form audio interviews with world-class investors, founders, and CEOs, along with curated print journalism covering companies, entrepreneurs, and business strategies. Content is distributed via the colossus.com website, major podcast platforms, and a paid subscription that bundles the print magazine with private audio access.

Product overview

Colossus is a media and publishing company operating a multi-platform content network. The core offering consists of podcast series (Invest Like the Best, Business Breakdowns, Founders, Joys of Compounding, Founder's Field Guide, and 50X) alongside a quarterly print Magazine. The flagship Invest Like the Best podcast features long-form interviews with investors, founders, and business experts, while the Magazine publishes in-depth journalism on companies and entrepreneurs. The company also offers a Newsletter for ongoing content delivery. All content is accessible through subscription, with the print magazine and private audio experiences offered together.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Invest Like the Best: Flaghship podcast featuring conversations with investors, founders, and business experts, hosted by Patrick O'Shaughnessy.
• Business Breakdowns
• Founders
• Joys of Compounding
• 50X
• Founder's Field Guide

Products and services

• Invest Like the Best Flagship podcast featuring in-depth conversations with the world's best investors, founders, and business experts, hosted by Patrick O'Shaughnessy, covering investing ideas, methods, and stories to help listeners better invest their time and money.
• Colossus Magazine Quarterly print magazine featuring long-form journalism, company profiles, and in-depth business analysis, available to subscribers with archival access to past issues.
• Business Breakdowns Podcast series analyzing individual companies and business models in depth, examining what makes them successful and distinctive.
• Founders Podcast series studying history's greatest entrepreneurs through their stories, strategies, and lessons learned, hosted by David Senra.
• Joys of Compounding Podcast series exploring compounding principles in investing, business, and wealth creation through conversations with practitioners.
• Founder's Field Guide Podcast series providing practical insights and guidance for founders and entrepreneurs building businesses.
• 50X

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• RampminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRamp is a financial management platform and a sponsor/presenter of the Invest Like the Best podcast series. Ramp sponsors the show to reach Colossus's audience of investors, founders, and business professionals.
• VantaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVanta is a security compliance platform and sponsor of the Invest Like the Best podcast. Vanta sponsors the show to reach Colossus's audience of investors and business professionals.
• RogominorGTM or Marketing PartnerRogo is an AI-powered accounts payable automation platform and sponsor of the Invest Like the Best podcast.
• WorkOSminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWorkOS is a developer platform enabling SaaS companies to add enterprise features, and is a sponsor of the Invest Like the Best podcast.
• RidgelineminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRidgeline is a cloud platform for investment managers, and is a sponsor of the Invest Like the Best podcast.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Stratechery: Ben Thompson's subscription-based tech and business analysis publication with a podcast (Sharp Tech) and newsletter. Directly comparable to Colossus in serving a sophisticated investor/founder audience with curated, long-form business insight.
• Acquired: Long-form podcast (Ben Gilbert and David Rosenthal) doing deep-dive company analyses with a premium subscription tier. Closely mirrors Colossus's Business Breakdowns and Invest Like the Best in format and target audience.
• The Generalist: Mario Gabriele's subscription newsletter and podcast covering technology and business with a similar high-end investor/operator audience. Operates as a comparable creator-led business media brand.

Broad incumbents

• The Information: Sophisticated tech and business subscription publication with podcasts and original reporting targeting professional investors and operators. Larger incumbent in the same premium business intelligence category.
• Morning Brew: Multi-product business media brand combining newsletters, podcasts, and events for a business professional audience. Comparable multi-format business media business model, though with broader consumer reach.
• Pushkin Industries: Podcast production company co-founded by Malcolm Gladwell, producing high-quality long-form audio content across business, history, and culture. A larger, more diversified podcast network with similar premium-content positioning.

Emerging players

• Substack: Subscription publishing platform powering independent writers and podcasters, including many in the business/investing niche. A platform competitor and distribution alternative for creators like Colossus.

Regional players

• The Free Press: Bari Weiss's subscription news and commentary brand combining a website, podcast, and newsletter for a professional/intellectual audience. Comparable subscription media model though focused on news/culture rather than investing.

Others

• Founders Fund (Content): While a VC firm, Founders Fund produces high-profile content (including the 'Founders' podcast David Senra hosts for Colossus) targeting the same investor/founder audience. Comparable audience signal but distinct business model.
• Spotify: Primary distribution platform for Colossus's podcasts and a strategic acquirer in the podcast space (Gimlet, The Ringer, Parcast). Acts as both a channel partner and a potential competitive threat or acquirer.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/colossussolar
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@ILTB_Podcast
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/colossussolar

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors6 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Colossus