# Lady Gaga & Atom Factory: Troy Carter (2018)

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2018-05-28
- Length: 47m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-05-28-lady-gaga-atom-factory-troy-carter-2018

## Summary

Troy Carter, founder of Atom Factory, recounts his journey from a failed rapper to managing Eve and eventually Lady Gaga, detailing how he rebuilt his life after going bankrupt. He explains the strategic use of early social media platforms like MySpace and YouTube to build Lady Gaga's global fanbase before radio acceptance, and how Atom Factory evolved into an investment firm backing companies like Uber and Spotify. Carter discusses the emotional toll of financial ruin, including foreclosure and pawning wedding rings, and his philosophy on managing high-profile talent without formal business credentials.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-05-28-lady-gaga-atom-factory-troy-carter-2018#t=0) Introduction: Troy Carter and Atom Factory
- [3:14](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-05-28-lady-gaga-atom-factory-troy-carter-2018#t=194) Early Rap Career and Meeting Will Smith
- [6:44](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-05-28-lady-gaga-atom-factory-troy-carter-2018#t=404) Managing Eve and Building Irving Wonder
- [14:07](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-05-28-lady-gaga-atom-factory-troy-carter-2018#t=847) Selling to Sanctuary Group and Subsequent Failure
- [19:46](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-05-28-lady-gaga-atom-factory-troy-carter-2018#t=1186) Bankruptcy, Foreclosure, and Financial Ruin
- [25:03](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-05-28-lady-gaga-atom-factory-troy-carter-2018#t=1503) Discovering and Managing Lady Gaga
- [30:14](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-05-28-lady-gaga-atom-factory-troy-carter-2018#t=1814) Bootstrapping with Social Media and YouTube
- [36:34](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-05-28-lady-gaga-atom-factory-troy-carter-2018#t=2194) Founding Atom Factory and Investing in Startups
- [45:39](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-05-28-lady-gaga-atom-factory-troy-carter-2018#t=2739) Postscript: Parkarr App Update

## Topics

- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/direct-to-consumer)
- [Fundraising & investors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/fundraising)
- [Marketing & brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/marketing-and-brand)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- U.S. Bank (company)
- Lady Gaga (product)
- Atom Factory (company)
- Eve (product)
- Sanctuary Group (company)
- Uber (company)
- Spotify (company)
- Warby Parker (company)
- Lyft (company)
- Dropbox (company)
- Slack (company)
- Parkarr (product)
- MySpace (other)
- YouTube (other)
- Facebook (other)
- Twitter (other)
- Interscope (company)
- Def Jam (company)

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## Citing this page

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