This Entrepreneur Raised Millions To Build An LGBTQ+-First Streaming Media Network With Free Live TV, Movies, Series, News, And Exclusive Queer Programming

Damian Pelliccione didn’t just build a streaming platform; they built a company that redefined what representation in media can look like, proving that mission-driven businesses can be highly profitable. They are the co-founder of Revry, the world’s leading LGBTQ-first streaming service.

Damian shares how they turned a bold vision into a $50M+ company with millions of users and major brand partnerships. In this candid conversation, they reflect on the realities of fundraising during the pandemic, pitching investors at an early stage, and the power of niche markets.

Damian also talks about the emotional turning point that occurred halfway around the world in Mumbai. This is a story about scaling impact, creating opportunity, and raising capital with conviction that every founder and investor should read.

Listen to the full podcast episode and review the transcript here.

From Performing Arts to the Entrepreneurial Arena

Damian’s story begins in Toronto, Canada, raised by an immigrant Italian family deeply rooted in entrepreneurship. Their father helped build the second-largest Italian cheese distributor in Canada. But Damian wasn’t drawn to dairy, they were drawn to drama.

They worked on or starred in commercials for some of the locally grown products in Toronto and across Canada. After graduating from Performing Arts High School in Toronto and Unionville High School for the Performing Arts, Damian spent a brief but pivotal year in New York City in 2000.

They recall moving to the city just before 9/11 and experiencing the chaos resulting from the tragedy. Damian moved to Los Angeles sometime in October 2011, where they had friends working in the industry. Initially, they chased dreams in front of the camera.

But soon, a new calling emerged. Inspired by early digital storytellers like Deanna Nicole Baxter, the first Emmy winner for broadband drama, Damian began producing short-form web content. They recognized that technology could be just as creative and disruptive as the film industry.

The Genesis of Revry

That epiphany laid the groundwork for Revry. Damian reveals that they are an important figure in the LGBTQ+ community and are keen on taking action to support and raise awareness. They looked up to one of their cousins, Anthony DiCostopero, an entrepreneur.

Antonio had founded MGI Software, which had invested in Microsoft in the 1980s, and Damian saw him as a mentor. Damian combined their expertise in entertainment, specifically in film and television, which is where technology was revolutionizing industries.

One of Damian’s first jobs was a small business that they started with a roommate. They created opportunities for filmmakers to create content specifically for the web. By that time, Deanne had won her Emmy, and YouTube was coming up quickly.

Inspired by Deanne, Damian began producing numerous shorts, videos, and web content, focusing on the entrepreneurial side of technology. They loved that tech was creative and disruptive, allowing them to break, mold, and create new pathways for any sector.

Damian reveals they are neurodivergent and that their ADHD gives them an edge. They prefer to solve problems through deep thinking, hyperfocus, and intense concentration. They realized that one of the biggest challenges for their community was the lack of a one-stop platform.

Building Revry: Free Queer TV with Purpose

Founded in 2015 and launched at San Francisco Pride in 2016, Revry aimed to fill a significant gap. The community needed a hub for all the issues affecting the LGBTQ+ audience targeted by film and television.

More importantly, brands, agencies, marketers, and advertisers had few targeted, respectful ways to reach this consumer group. The media is the best way to reach the community.

Damian and their co-founders Aaliyah J. Daniels, LaShawn McGee, and Chris Rodriguez created free queer TV. This was a platform funded by advertising instead of subscriptions, democratizing access to LGBTQ content.

Today, Revry hosts over 1,000 hours of content from prominent partners, including BBC, Lionsgate, and Warner Bros., serving 5 million monthly active viewers.

Major advertisers, such as McDonald’s, L’Oreal, Lexus, and Procter & Gamble, target this demographic at scale with a highly positive return on advertising spend.

Why does it work? Because the LGBTQ community represents the third-largest consumer demographic in the U.S., spending $1.7T in disposable income, an influential and often overlooked audience that Damian calls the “pink dollar.”

Through targeted advertising, brand partnerships, and original content, Revry built a media marketing engine that not only entertains but monetizes in a way that few LGBTQ platforms have before. In doing so, it is so profitable that it no longer needs to raise capital.

Revry is now 10 years old, employs approximately 50 employees across the US, and targets a demographic comprising white, Hispanic, and LGBTQ+ audiences.

The Revry Business Model

Revry makes money by selling advertising. Unlike Netflix, Hulu, or any other subscription service, it offers free TV, including two minutes of ads for every eight minutes of content. Advertisers invest in some of Revry’s original content and underwrite great new shows that are coming to market.

The social component is that ads democratize TV watching, allowing the entire community to watch and have their stories reflected, regardless of whether they can afford a subscription model or own a credit card.

Damian loves that they get to tell stories for a community of underrepresented individuals from diverse backgrounds, including different races, languages, sexual orientations, and genders. LGBTQ+ is a true representation of diversity, which is unique to the community.

As Damian points out, there are several facets of the community and stories that have never been told.

The India Revelation

Damian’s trip to Mumbai in 2019 was a watershed moment. When they stepped on stage in Mumbai as a keynote speaker at India’s LGBTQ film festival, Kashish, they had no idea how deeply their work had already touched lives across the globe.

It wasn’t just another speaking gig; it was a moment of revelation. Women lined up to speak with Damian, expressing gratitude and a connection not just to them personally, but to the show “The Other Love Story” that Revry had licensed, distributed, and branded years earlier.

The emotional reaction from Indian queer women was also due to Damian and Revry having created representation where there had been a void. In a country where LGBTQ rights had only just been decriminalized, that kind of validation was both deeply personal and strategically affirming.

Damian saw their mission at work–crossing borders, changing lives, and doing more than just building a business. Revry wasn’t just a streaming platform. It was a vehicle for social change and getting great traction from audiences in India.

That moment wasn’t just emotional, it was proof of impact. And for Damian, it validated a decade-long mission to build the world’s most powerful LGBTQ media studio.

Raising Capital During COVID: A Turning Point

Between 2015 and 2019, raising capital proved to be challenging. Media, especially niche media, didn’t attract easy venture capital dollars since it was hard to demonstrate return on investment, unlike sectors like SaaS software, supply chain issues, fintech, or even algorithms.

Furthermore, Revry’s diverse leadership team and targeted LGBTQ+ audiences frequently encountered barriers in a venture landscape still dominated by homogeneity.

For years, the startup relied on friends, family, and small checks to get by. But COVID changed the game. The push for racial equity, LGBTQ representation, and inclusive innovation from 2020 to 2022 opened doors that had long been closed.

With 50% of the founding team being Black women and Damian identifying as both male and non-binary, the company finally aligned with the mandates of newly launched diversity-focused funds. Investment started flowing, and with the right fuel, Revry’s revenue took off.

Although they had a lower hockey stick inflection point, a good cash infusion could help them overcome it. By 2023, Revry had achieved profitability and was cash flow positive — the holy grail of startup life.

Storytelling is everything that Damian Pelliccione was able to master. The key is capturing the essence of what you are doing in 15 to 20 slides. For a winning deck, take a look at the pitch deck template created by Peter Thiel, Silicon Valley legend (see it here), where the most critical slides are highlighted.

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For the first time, Damian didn’t need to pitch. And in a founder’s world, not needing to raise money is the ultimate leverage. Being profitable meant they were in control of their destiny.

Steady revenues were the most incredible gift, as they allowed Damian and his co-founders to focus on building products and working on the business, rather than pitching to investors. Revry has now graduated from the early-stage to a mid-stage company.

Lessons from the Founder Journey

Damian recalls that they were the head of business development internationally at the last company they worked for before Revry. Here, their roles were in sales and marketing, which had a mindset very different from that of an investor, venture capitalist, or angel.

Damian’s reflections on their entrepreneurial journey, which is a stark contrast, are packed with hard-won wisdom:

• Build relationships, not just pitch decks and deals. Investors are long-term bets. A “no” today can become a “yes” years later if you nurture the relationship. Focus on telling a compelling story, providing regular updates, and maintaining a friendly and positive attitude at networking events.
• Understand investor psychology. As Damian says, investors are “conservative high-risk gamblers.” They want either a sure path to profitability or a shot at the next unicorn or publicly traded business.
• Don’t sell your idea like a product. Early on, Damian approached fundraising like a sales pitch. But investors need conviction, not conversion.
• Don’t mistake niche for small. LGBTQ media may be targeted, but the community is massive, influential, and economically powerful.
• Mental and physical health are not optional. One of the best pieces of advice Damian received? Get a good therapist. High highs and low lows are baked into entrepreneurship. Resilience requires support.

What’s Next for Revry?

Damian has a bold vision: to dominate the LGBTQ media landscape. From expanding into music and retail to launching a full-scale media studio, Revry is well on its way to becoming the most powerful queer media brand on the planet.

The company’s $50M valuation, up from $3M just a few years ago, is only the beginning. For Damian, success isn’t just about financial growth. It’s about proving that LGBTQ founders aren’t just capable of leading nonprofits; they can also lead profitable, scalable businesses with a global reach.

Damian would want Revry to be acquired for a really high multiple, but they are excited about the transformation in general perceptions. People think about LGBTQ+ organizations as charities, non-profits, and NGOs. Instead, Revry proved to be a robust market with a tremendous impact.

LGBTQ+ can be a successful for-profit business at scale. When Damian started out, their goal was not a $100M cap company or an IPO; they simply had a great idea to solve a problem. They believe in it with their heart, soul, and every fiber of their being, letting their passion shine through.

What keeps Damian humble is the awareness that they have a fiduciary responsibility to their shareholders and investors. They are constantly thinking about the next big idea and the next big problem that needs to be solved in their world and the entertainment sector.

Damian thinks about how to make it easier for storytellers and for advertisers to reach the LGBTQ+ community at scale. They enjoy meeting other entrepreneurs and connecting with like-minded individuals regardless of their sector.

Damian says, “Meeting with other founders reminds me of why I do what I do, where I come from, and where I’m going. If you believe in yourself, you can make anything happen in the future.”

Final Thoughts

Damian Pelliccione’s story is one of bold creativity, business acumen, community impact, and relentless perseverance. From acting on stage to pitching VCs, from Mumbai to Los Angeles, they’ve built something that not only entertains but empowers.

In Damian’s own words, the true success of Revry is in proving “there are other types of founders who can be successful.” That belief has fueled a company that now serves millions and is just getting started.

Listen to the full podcast episode to know more, including:

• Representation builds markets. LGBTQ content isn’t just cultural, it’s commercially powerful.
• Build investor relationships before you need capital.
• Free, ad-supported models can scale with the right niche and audience insights.
• Mental health is foundational for entrepreneurial endurance.
• Media can drive social change and revenue.
• Profitability empowers founders to scale on their own terms.
• Founders from underrepresented backgrounds can thrive and lead multimillion-dollar companies.

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