Unwell

What Unwell does

Unwell (legal entity I AM UNWELL, formerly known as Trending) is a private digital media and lifestyle company founded in 2023 by Alex Cooper and Matt Kaplan, headquartered in Los Angeles with approximately 100 employees. The company operates the Unwell Network, a portfolio of 10+ podcasts anchored by the flagship Call Her Daddy show, and targets Gen Z women with content on relationships, sexuality, mental health, and pop culture. Distribution spans YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and SiriusXM (premium and exclusive Call Her Daddy content), with a 24-hour Unwell music channel on SiriusXM Canada.

Beyond audio content, Unwell has built a vertically integrated media operation spanning TV/film production and distribution across Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, Paramount+, and Lionsgate; live events including Unwell Live (Las Vegas 2025), SXSW (Austin 2026), and city pop-ups; DTC merchandise and a beverage brand via Shopify-powered storefronts (shop.iamunwell.com, drinkunwell.com); a college creator development program (Unwell University, 85+ creators across 60+ universities, 11M+ reach); and an in-house creative agency led by President Joanne Bradford. Revenue mechanics include podcast licensing royalties (reported $60M Spotify deal in 2021, $125M SiriusXM deal in 2024), brand partnership fees, advertising through the agency, e-commerce sales, and TV/film distribution royalties. The technology stack is composed of Shopify for commerce, standard podcast hosting platforms, and Google's ecosystem (Pixel, Workspace, Android, Gemini AI) integrated under an October 2025 strategic partnership for content production workflows.

The business model is a hybrid of B2C (direct audience monetization through merchandise, beverages, live events) and B2B (licensing deals with SiriusXM and Spotify, agency partnerships with Google and other enterprise advertisers). The customer base is bifurcated: a large consumer base of Gen Z women driving organic social reach, and a concentrated set of enterprise distribution and brand partners generating the majority of disclosed deal value. The company is founder-controlled with no disclosed institutional investors, though the 2026 addition of senior operators from Honey, SoFi, Pinterest, Yahoo, and Microsoft suggests preparation for scaled commercialization or a potential capital event.

Name

Unwell

Legal name

I AM UNWELL

Website

https://iamunwell.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2023

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Unwell is a Gen Z-focused digital media company founded in 2023 by Alex Cooper and Matt Kaplan, operating the Unwell Network podcast portfolio led by Call Her Daddy, TV/film production, DTC merchandise and beverages, live events, a campus creator program, and an in-house creative agency serving major brand partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Digital Media and Podcast Network

NAICS

Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (51621), Sound Recording Industries (5122)

akta.pro primary industry

Podcast Networks & Studio Platforms (MPAIADAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Creator Tools & Monetization Platforms (Podcasts/Audio) (MPAIADAG)

Keywords

• Podcast network
• Digital media production
• Consumer merchandise sales
• Brand partnership agency
• Live event experiences

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Podcast Licensing and Content Deals: Major licensing agreements with streaming platforms. Alex Cooper's Call Her Daddy generated a reported $60 million Spotify deal in 2021 and a $125 million SiriusXM deal in 2024, representing the primary revenue driver.
2. In-House Advertising and Brand Partnerships: Unwell's in-house advertising agency secures multiyear partnerships with major brands. Joanne Bradford oversees this function as president, indicating a structured brand partnership revenue stream.
3. Merchandise and E-Commerce: Direct-to-consumer sales of Unwell-branded merchandise (apparel, accessories) through the company's own Shopify-powered storefront at shop.iamunwell.com.
4. Unwell Beverages: A proprietary beverage brand sold through drinkunwell.com, representing a lifestyle brand extension beyond media.
5. Live Events and Activations: Revenue generated from live touring events including Unwell Live (Las Vegas), SXSW, spring break, and city pop-ups, with creators from Unwell University participating in IRL brand experiences.
6. TV/Film Production and Distribution: Film and television projects produced or co-produced by Unwell, distributed through platforms including Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, Paramount+, and Lionsgate. Includes adaptations such as 'To All the Boys I've Loved Before' trilogy, 'XO, Kitty', and original content.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Unwell operates a Gen Z-focused digital media and podcast network anchored by the Call Her Daddy podcast, the most-listened to podcast by women since 2018. The company produces a network of 10+ podcasts covering relationships, comedy, and true crime, distributes TV/film content on major streaming platforms, sells branded merchandise and beverages via Shopify-powered storefronts, runs an in-house creative agency for brand partnerships, and produces live events targeting young female audiences.

Product overview

Unwell operates as a multi-faceted Gen Z media and lifestyle brand centered on podcasts, live events, and content creation. The flagship product is the Call Her Daddy podcast, which serves as the anchor for the Unwell Network—a platform that aggregates multiple shows including Not Married To This, Extra Dirty, Boyfriend Material, In Your Dreams, Not So Little, Disgraceful, Cheers!, Pretty Lonesome, and Going West. Beyond podcasts, Unwell has expanded into TV/Film productions (8 consecutive years as the #1 film on Netflix), merchandise (The Unwell Shop, Unwell Beverages), a creative agency with major brand partnerships (including a Google Pixel 10 ad with T-Mobile), Unwell University (creator development program with 85+ creators across 60+ universities and 11M+ reach), the Unwell Foundation (mental health initiative supporting organizations like Project Healthy Minds and Harvest Home LA), and Unsaid newsletter. The company positions itself as a community for women championing real conversations and authentic experiences.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Unwell Beverages: Beverage brand under the Unwell umbrella
• Unwell University
• Unwell Foundation
• Unsaid

Products and services

• Unwell Network Curated network of Gen Z-focused podcasts spanning relationships, comedy, and true crime, hosted by diverse talent and distributed across YouTube, Spotify, SiriusXM, and Apple Podcasts. Home to Call Her Daddy and 10+ other shows.
• Call Her Daddy Alex Cooper's flagship relationship and lifestyle podcast, releasing new episodes every Wednesday and throwback episodes every Friday. Available free on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and premium/exclusive content on SiriusXM.
• Not Married To This Reality TV veterans Joe Amabile and Serena Pitt share pop culture deep dives, relationship advice, and reality TV star interviews. New episodes every Thursday.
• Extra Dirty Hosted by NYC influencer Hallie Batchelder, Extra Dirty delivers unfiltered personal sex and relationship stories, lifestyle content, and weekly recaps. New episodes every Thursday at Midnight PST.
• Boyfriend Material Harry Jowsey provides the male perspective on dating, sex, and relationships in your twenties, offering candid advice on relationships and late-night texts. New episodes every Tuesday at Midnight PST.
• In Your Dreams Comedian Owen Thiele explores how to become famous through candid, laugh-out-loud adventures in the late-night hours. New episodes every Friday at Midnight PST.
• Not So Little A weekly vlog-style talk show where Kendall Vertes navigates post-grad life in real time, juggling parents as roommates and figuring out adulthood.
• Disgraceful Comedian Grace O'Malley hosts a weekly comedy podcast auditioning fellow comedians to become her permanent co-host. New episodes every Thursday at Midnight PST.
• Cheers! Hosted by Avery Woods, Cheers! is a weekly podcast featuring deep dives into all things life with guests, delivered in a sit-down-wine-with-a-friend format. New episodes every Monday at Midnight PST.
• Pretty Lonesome Madeline Argy explores the unspoken conversations about anxiety, imposter syndrome, sexuality, mental health, relationships, and boundaries. New episodes every Friday.
• Going West True crime podcast hosted by Daphne Woolsoncroft and Heath Merryman discussing haunting details of disappearance and murder cases. New episodes every Tuesday and Friday at Midnight PST.
• Unwell Beverages Proprietary beverage brand extension of the Unwell media company, sold directly to consumers through drinkunwell.com.
• The Unwell Shop Official merchandise storefront offering Unwell-branded apparel, accessories, and lifestyle products, powered by Shopify.
• Unwell University Campus ambassador and creator development program supporting college creators with mentorship, live events, and brand collaborations. Spans 60+ universities with 85+ active creators and 11M+ combined audience reach.
• Unwell Foundation Mental health initiative focused on expanding women's access to mental health care, supporting organizations including Project Healthy Minds, Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program, UCLA Homeless Healthcare Collaborative Fund, #HalfTheStory, and Harvest Home Los Angeles.
• Unwell TV/Film Television and film production arm producing content distributed across Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, Paramount+, and Lionsgate. Includes Unwell Winter Games, Call Her Alex documentary, Hannah Montana special, Jingle Bell Heist, and Love Overboard, with associated productions including the To All the Boys I've Loved Before franchise and XO, Kitty.
• Unsaid Newsletter publication on Substack covering various topics for the Unwell community.
• Unwell Creative Agency In-house advertising agency producing events, campaigns, and activations with multi-year partnerships with major brands. Led by President Joanne Bradford. Collaborated on the Google Pixel 10 ad in partnership with T-Mobile.

Quantifiable outcome

• Call Her Daddy has been the most-listened to podcast by women since 2018.
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Major Brand Partners (multiple)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 16 April 2026Unwell's in-house advertising agency, led by Joanne Bradford as president, has secured multiyear partnerships with major brands. The agency creates campaigns, events, and activations leveraging Unwell's Gen Z female audience and creator network. This represents a core revenue-generating partnership model for the company.
• GoogleflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 October 2025Google announced a long-term partnership with Alex Cooper and Unwell in October 2025. Under the deal, Alex and Unwell use Google's ecosystem—including Pixel phones, Pixel Watch, Pixel Buds, Google Workspace, Android, and Gemini AI—to shoot, edit, publish content, and collaborate. Google also works with the Unwell Creative Agency on events, campaigns, and activations, including a new ad for Google Pixel 10 in partnership with T-Mobile. This is a significant cross-brand content and technology partnership.
• SiriusXMChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUnwell's flagship Call Her Daddy podcast is distributed through SiriusXM, which hosts exclusive content and premium episodes. Additionally, a 24-hour Unwell music streaming channel streams exclusively on SiriusXM Canada. The SiriusXM deal reportedly totaled $125 million in 2024.
• SpotifycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUnwell Network podcasts, including Call Her Daddy, are distributed through Spotify. The Spotify licensing deal reportedly totaled $60 million in 2021, representing one of the largest podcast licensing agreements at the time.
• ShopifycoreTechnology or IntegrationUnwell's e-commerce storefront (shop.iamunwell.com) and merchandise operations are powered by Shopify. The terms of service explicitly state that 'I AM UNWELL is powered by Shopify, which enables us to provide the Services to you.' Shopify processes payments, manages the storefront, and provides the underlying commerce infrastructure.
• HulucoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUnwell content is distributed through Hulu, including the 'Call Her Alex' documentary and 'Love Overboard' TV content. Hulu serves as a key streaming distribution partner for Unwell's TV/Film expansion.
• NetflixcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNetflix distributes Unwell TV/Film content including 'Jingle Bell Heist' and the 'To All the Boys I've Loved Before' franchise, which has held the global #1 position on Netflix for 8 consecutive years. Matt Kaplan's Ace Entertainment has a production relationship with Netflix for multiple projects.
• Disney+minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUnwell TV/Film content including a Hannah Montana special is distributed on Disney+, representing a minor distribution partnership for the company's expanded content slate.
• Paramount+minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUnwell distributes 'Love in Taipei' film content on Paramount+, expanding the company's content distribution across multiple major streaming platforms.
• LionsgateminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUnwell distributes 'I Wish You All the Best' film content through Lionsgate, representing a film distribution partnership for the company's TV/Film expansion.
• T-MobileminorGTM or Marketing PartnerT-Mobile is partnered with Google and Unwell on the Google Pixel 10 advertisement campaign, representing a co-marketing activation targeting tech-savvy and Gen Z audiences.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Barstool Sports: Founder-led digital media company built around a personality (Dave Portnoy), monetized through advertising, e-commerce, live events, and beverage extensions. Closely parallels Unwell's community-led, multi-vertical creator business model.
• Lemonada Media: Independent podcast network focused on women-driven and lifestyle content. Closely comparable to Unwell's Gen Z women audience strategy and freemium podcast monetization.
• Wondery: Amazon-owned podcast network and studio producing serialized, talent-led shows distributed across major platforms. Comparable to Unwell as a multi-show podcast network monetized through licensing deals, advertising, and IP adaptation into TV/film.
• The Ringer (Spotify): Spotify-owned podcast network spanning pop culture, sports, and lifestyle, with multi-host shows and a creator network model. Comparable to Unwell in audience-led, network-based podcast production.

Emerging players

• Rooster Teeth: Creator-led digital media network spanning podcasts, video, and live events with merchandise and DTC extensions. Comparable as a multi-vertical, community-driven media company, though historically male-skewing.
• Girlboss Media: Media brand targeting young women through content, community, and commerce. Comparable to Unwell in targeting the Gen Z women persona with lifestyle content and DTC extensions, though at smaller scale.

Broad incumbents

• iHeartMedia: Largest U.S. radio broadcaster and podcast publisher (iHeartPodcasts) operating a network of talent-led shows with significant ad-sales infrastructure. Directly comparable to Unwell's podcast network model and its in-house agency thesis.
• Hello Sunshine (Reese Witherspoon): Women-focused media and IP company producing books, podcasts, TV/film, and lifestyle content. Comparable to Unwell's women-centric brand strategy and book-to-screen IP pipeline.
• SiriusXM: Audio entertainment distributor and exclusive Call Her Daddy licensing partner ($125M deal). Comparable as a major audio content platform and counterparty in the podcast licensing economy.
• Spotify: Global audio streaming platform and Call Her Daddy's prior $60M licensing partner. Comparable as the dominant podcast hosting/distribution platform whose terms directly affect Unwell's licensing revenue.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@Unwell
• Instagraminstagram.com/unwell
• TikToktiktok.com/@unwell
• Xx.com/callherdaddy
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/unwell

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors1 record

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 Unwell