#348: Maaz Sheikh on Building Starz Play, Surviving the Storm, and Scaling to $370M

What does it take to go from survival mode to a $370 million exit – all without breaking?   Maaz Sheikh, co-founder and CEO of Starz Play, has lived the answer.    In this episode, Maaz opens up about the high-stakes journey of building one of the Middle East’s leading streaming platforms, from battling burnout and chasing investment, to navigating a buyout and preparing for what’s next.   This is the untold story behind one of the region’s biggest media growth plays, and a powerful conversation about resilience, vision, and the relationships that hold it all together.   01:48 – Where Starz Play fits in the global streaming race 05:52 – COVID’s impact: 6 years of growth in 6 weeks 13:41 – How audiences are shifting, fast 16:55 – Hitting content home runs  21:37 – The power of the right investors 30:00 – Inside the buyout 40:46 – Resilience under pressure 42:23 – Gym time, support, and real relationships 52:27 – The $370 million milestone and what’s next 01:04:32 – Why in-person connection still matters Show Sponsors: AYS Developers: A design-focused company dedicated to crafting exceptional homes, vibrant communities, and inspiring lifestyle experiences. https://bit.ly/AYS-Developers   Allsopp & Allsopp: Redefining real estate, through cutting-edge technology and setting new standards for seamless, elevated customer experience. Keep moving with Allsopp & Allsopp. https://bit.ly/Allsopp-and-Allsopp Socials: Follow Spencer Lodge on Social Media https://www.instagram.com/spencer.lodge/?hl=en https://www.tiktok.com/@spencer.lodge https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencerlodge/ https://www.youtube.com/c/SpencerLodgeTV https://www.facebook.com/spencerlodgeofficial/  Follow Maaz Sheikh on Social Media https://www.linkedin.com/in/maazsheikh?originalSubdomain=ae https://x.com/maaz_starzplay?lang=en