An Inspired Chat with John Petrocelli of Los Angeles

We recently had the chance to connect with John Petrocelli and have shared our conversation below.

Hi John, thank you so much for joining us today. We’re thrilled to learn more about your journey, values and what you are currently working on. Let’s start with an ice breaker: Who are you learning from right now?
I am learning a great deal about ecommerce right now. It’s been fascinating to discover how consumer behavior is shifting so rapidly across our economy both in the US and around the world. The year 2.77 billion people, over 1/3 of the global population, will buy something online. When it comes to live shoppable video 58% of millennials and 80% of Gen Z have purchased something from a livestream. My company has recently been certified as a TikTok Shop agency which has presented us with a deep dive into this market overall but particularly on TikTok. TikTok Shop has become an undeniable method for consumers to discover and purchase items. Since launching in the US in September of ’23 TikTok Shop has grown to $9B in revenue in 2024 and will grow to $17B in 2025 with global revenue to exceed $50B. Ecommerce livestreaming in China has been estimated to be a $600B business. Ecommerce livestreams are collaborative participatory interactive broadcasts that authentically connect products and consumers in real time. Ecommerce livestreams typically see a 30% conversion rate which is 10X standard ecommerce conversation rates. It’s been fascinating to learn about this market and how we can take our years of traditional livestreaming and apply it to this market. We are eager to dive in and excited about the possibilities.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’ve been somewhat of serial entrepreneur focusing on streaming video for the better part of two plus decades after stints in the corporate world at larger companies. I moved from Boston to LA to work in entertainment and eventually saw that my backgrounds in computing/telecommunications and entertainment perfectly married at streaming video. In my career early on I was able to work with broadcasters, studios, networks and music companies because I knew their industries after working at agencies like WME. Eventually I was introduced to Prince and helped him built the first major direct to consumer music store and ticketing platform. I was able to see him perform live in small venues, arenas and intimate settings like his living room and his sound stage at Paisley Park. That interaction sparked my interest in live experiences and pushed me into livestreaming and I eventually sold my small company to AEG and in parallel helped move YouTube into live video. This entire process fueled me to start my own livestreaming studio and agency in 2012 and we just celebrated our 13th anniversary. Today Bulldog (Digital Media) DM creates, produces and distributes live video across all devices and platforms. Through compelling interactive video experiences, Bulldog DM captivates and connects audiences, transforming viewers into participants. Bulldog DM powered livestream experiences have earned over one billion audience engagements for Fortune 100 and independent clients across media, entertainment, marketing, music, and more.

Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
As a child like a lot of boys I wanted to be a professional Major League Baseball pitcher. By the time I started college at a Division 1 university it was clear that that was not going to happen and that I could not compete at that level but I also had to financially put myself through school and study in a competitive business program.
However, I rediscovered baseball by moving to LA after 8 or 9 years away from the game and I took it back up and have been playing for 25 years. I have played in the amateur World Series in Arizona several times, tournaments around the country, including the Field of Dreams field in Iowa, Fenway Park, Boston Red Sox Fantasy Camp and all over Los Angeles county in adult leagues. Baseball has become a real passion for me and I play in multiple leagues and multiple positions and even manage a team in a very competitive division of the Los Angeles Adult Baseball League. Players come from all walks of life and experiences and that’s half the enjoyment of the game – playing alongside, against and with them.

Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
I think every entrepreneur has almost given up multiple times. It’s not an easy road and it’s not for everyone. Most entrepreneurs don’t understand that sales and customers are the most important elements for any business. If you are not strong at sales you either have to find someone who is or you simply won’t succeed. Fortunately I honed my sales skills at young age and learned the value of listening. Good listeners are appreciated and they help solve customer problems. I also followed Mark Cuban and his philosophies very closely as inspiration. Mark is the godfather of the streaming industry and one of the main reasons I was attracted to the space.

So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. Whom do you admire for their character, not their power?
Definitely Mark Cuban. I have followed his career, his teachings and his philosophies since his sale of his business to Yahoo in the late 90’s. He is unafraid to fail and is an avid learner. I think those are his true strengths combined with his curiosity and altruism.
I was on a flight this past year and one of the inflight entertainment options was his Master Class for entrepreneurs. I think that is a must watch for any aspiring entrepreneur. His approach to acquiring the Mavericks changed the NBA in many ways. His creation of Cost Plus Drugs is disrupting the pharmaceutical industry.
He encourages business owners to constantly ask themselves how can I improve or how can I optimize my process and know the competition better than they themselves do. He stresses culture and competency and learning from customers. With hiring he states that trust is as important as knowledge. I could go on and on but for me he’s the definition of a true self made success with a sales background with an incredible and grounded work ethic.

Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: When do you feel most at peace?
On the pitcher’s mound. My head is completely clear and I have zero distractions and am entirely focused on the present and getting the hitter out albeit in conjunction with my catcher and my teammates. Entrepreneurs are constantly thinking about their business – morning, noon and night and it’s hard to turn off. Pitching is the antidote for me. It forces me to think about the hitter – are they right handed or left handed, are they a power or contact hitter, are there runners on base, where are we in the game, what has the hitter done against me in the past and then what pitch to throw fastball, sinker, slider, curve, change up and where to locate the pitch – away, inside, low or up. As I get older I have to rely on location far more than velocity so it forces me to focus more and without question this process brings me great peace. I’m not always successful but on some days everything works. Either way it’s deeply satisfying and I enjoy that I get to still place this game as an adult.

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