Max Cutler is an American entrepreneur, creator, author and businessman best known for founding the podcast studio Parcast in 2016.
Max Cutler | |
|---|---|
 Max Cutler | |
| Born | Max Cutler Los Angeles, California, US |
| Occupation(s) | founder and creator |
| Known for | Founding Parcast |
| Relatives | Ron Cutler (father) |
Spotify acquired Parcast in 2019.[1] Max Cutler has been featured on Fortune 40 Under 40,[2] The 40(ish) Most Powerful People in Podcasting,[3] Forbes 30 Under 30,[4] and The Hollywood Reporter's 35 Rising Executives Under 35 lists.[5] In 2023, Cutler stepped down from Spotify.[6]
Early life
editCutler was born and raised in Los Angeles, California.[7] He attended Viewpoint School, a nondenominational school in Calabasas, California. He earned a bachelor's degree in finance and entrepreneurship from the University of Arizona in 2013.[4]
Cutler's father, Ron Cutler, is a veteran radio broadcaster who went by the name Ron Diamond. Ron started Cutler Productions, a radio syndication[8] company in the 1980s. Max has cited his father as having a huge influence on his career and life.[7]
Career
editIn June 2016, Max Cutler and his father founded the podcasting Studio Parcast[9] without outside investment. While he has cited podcast Serial by Sarah Koenig as an inspiration, his vision was to consistently produce high-quality content across various genres.[10][11] In the latter half of 2021, Parcast ventured into limited-run investigative series, including podcasts Imposters and Revelations (with Blumhouse Productions).[12] At its peak, Parcast achieved over 1 billion downloads, employed a team of over 120 staff and produced more than 140 shows weekly in eight different languages. Cutler is known for creating and producing podcasts like Conspiracy Theories, Supernatural, Horoscope Today[13] and International Infamy.[14]
On April 1, 2019, Spotify acquired Parcast for $56 million.[5][6] Cutler would become Spotify’s VP, head of creator content and partnerships, responsible for deals and partnerships.[15][16]
Under Cutler's guidance, Spotify attracted notable podcast creators including Ashley Flowers (Crime Junkie), Ash and Alaina (Morbid), Alex Cooper (Call Her Daddy),[17] Emma Chamberlain (Anything Goes),[18] Mark Fischbach (Markiplier) and the Fantasy Footballers. Cutler also greenlit a number of nontraditional podcasters such as Kim Kardashian, Brené Brown,[19] and Addison Rae.[20] In addition, Cutler was tasked with leading Kids Content and Audiobook Originals as well as developing content for Spotify’s push into live audio.
Cutler is also the author of Cults: Inside the World's Most Notorious Groups and Understanding the People Who Joined Them, based on the podcast Cults. Cutler left Spotify in 2023 to launch a new venture.[17] In April 2024 Pave Studios launched, describing itself as a production company "at the intersection of audio, video, books, and entertainment."[21]
References
edit- ^ Lunden, Ingrid (26 March 2019). "Spotify acquires true crime studio Parcast to expand its original podcast content". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2020-12-30.
- ^ "Max Cutler | 2020 40 under 40 in Media and Entertainment". Fortune. Retrieved 2020-12-30.
- ^ T. H. R. Staff (2022-10-05). "The 40(ish) Most Powerful People in Podcasting". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2023-10-29.
- ^ a b "Max Cutler, 30-under-30". Forbes. August 2, 2018. Retrieved December 14, 2019.
- ^ a b Ford, Rebecca; Sandberg, Bryn (6 November 2019). "Next Gen 2019: Hollywood's 35 Rising Executives 35 and Under". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2020-01-02.
- ^ a b Chan, J. Clara (2023-02-21). "Spotify's Top Creator Partnerships Executive to Depart in May". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2023-10-29.
- ^ a b "The Story Behind Parcast". Podcast Business Journal. February 13, 2019. Retrieved December 13, 2019.
- ^ "Radio Kid Sells Company To Spotify". Radio Ink. 2019-03-27. Retrieved 2020-01-02.
- ^ Locker, Melissa (August 19, 2019). "Spotify Parcast just launched a new daily true-crime podcast for all you crime junkies". Fast Company. Retrieved December 13, 2019.
- ^ Coyne, Marley (June 4, 2018). "Parcast Founder Max Cutler On Creating Original Content". Forbes. online. Retrieved December 12, 2019.
- ^ Engel, Jonah (April 16, 2018). "Pulp Nonfiction: Podcasts Go Mass-Market". The New York Times. Retrieved December 2, 2019.
- ^ White, Peter (2021-10-01). "Blumhouse TV & Vespucci Team On Spotify Original Cult Podcast Series 'Revelations'". Deadline. Retrieved 2022-01-03.
- ^ Jarvey, Natalie (3 September 2019). "Spotify's Parcast Launches 'Horoscope Today' Podcast Series | Hollywood Reporter". www.hollywoodreporter.com. Retrieved 2020-12-30.
- ^ Marks, Andrea (2021-06-08). "Ashley Flowers of 'Crime Junkie' Goes Global in New Podcast 'International Infamy'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2022-01-03.
- ^ Steele, Anne; Cheung, Philip (2022-08-27). "WSJ News Exclusive | Spotify's Head of 'Talk' Talks Crime, Creators and Exclusivity". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 2023-10-29.
- ^ Spangler, Todd (2022-05-12). "Spotify Reorgs Podcast Content Studios, Promoting Parcast's Max Cutler and The Ringer's Bill Simmons to New Roles". Variety. Retrieved 2023-10-29.
- ^ a b Ferris, Luke (2023-06-24). "Former Spotify Executive Max Cutler on What's Next in Podcasting". Foundr. Retrieved 2023-10-29.
- ^ Spangler, Todd (2022-11-17). "Emma Chamberlain Inks Exclusive Spotify Podcast Deal". Variety. Retrieved 2023-10-29.
- ^ Jarvey, Natalie (23 September 2020). "Brené Brown Signs Exclusive Podcast Deal With Spotify (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2020-12-30.
- ^ "TikTok Star Addison Rae And Her Mom Launch 'Mama Knows Best' Podcast For Spotify/Parcast". All Access. Retrieved 2020-12-30.
- ^ "Max Cutler Launches New Media Company-- Pave Studios". Pave Studios. Retrieved 2024-04-17.