Founder, Chief Executive, pocket.watch
As the chief executive of pocket.watch, Williams is responsible for setting the company’s vision. He founded pocket.watch, a content creator for children and families, in 2017. The company recently became the largest independent kids and family content studio, now offering a library of over 40,000 hours of content available to distributors, as the demand for kids and family content on streaming platforms continues to grow. Williams has 20 years of experience in both predicting and capitalizing upon marketplace holes that have dictated the future of media and entertainment. Most recently, he served as the chief audience officer of Maker Studios, and prior to that was the founder and CEO of venture-backed startup Take180. Both companies were acquired by The Walt Disney Co., where Williams also launched Disney Online Originals, a division dedicated to the creation of Disney branded short-form content. The earlier part of Williams’s career was spent at Yahoo, where he was one of its first 100 employees.
What’s the best advice you ever got?
The best advice I ever received was from an old boss and mentor who told me to never surprise anyone in business. Since then I have always gone out of my way to make sure relevant collaborators always know something in advance.
What’s your favorite movie, all time and in any category?
Unfortunately, I cannot keep this to just one. The movies that I can watch 1,000 times and they’re always great are “Dazed and Confused,” “Goodfellas” and “Swingers.”
What’s at the top of your bucket list?
Skiing in Hokkaido, Japan, with my family.
What was your first car?
A hand-me-down white Mazda 626. It was a great first car.
Like to have the car back?
I loved it then but definitely would not want it now.
What’s the best thing about living in Los Angeles?
As an East Coast transplant it is absolutely the weather.
YEARS ON LA500: 1
