I had a nice chat with Rafat Ali, founder and CEO of PaidContent in Madison park, just two blocks from our studios.

The former journalist has bootstrapped this fledgling media property that covers digital media as well anyone. Today, he is well on his way to building an influential media brand. With funding help, he has expanded and now has a staff of 18 and is hiring.

Rafat talks a about his company’s growth and contemplates an eventual "exit." That’s not happening for a while, for sure, but Rafat is building a great brand that will surely become more valuable in time.

He reflects on the online video boom — and on the "foolish money" out there to invest in media and video companies. He says that funding valuations, meaning the value of a company that is soliciting outside investment, is actually higher without revenues than with. Imagine that! Wow, sounds like the Bubble is Back.

Continued success Rafat, Staci and the whole team.

— Andy Plesser

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