One founder’s journey to a billion-dollar valuation

Interesting read about the founder’s journey of Michael Acton Smith, co-CEO of wellness and mental health app Calm.

Having founded a string of businesses including Moshi Monsters and various ecommerce startups, Acton Smith was well versed in the power of story to differentiate a business and get funding. Partly because of his own stress and non-stop entrepreneur lifestyle, his most recent venture is the Calm, the number one app for sleep and Apple’s App of the Year in 2017.

Acton-Smith has created a business that focused on his own desire to “look after himself” whilst embarking on venture-fueled growth. Calm goes beyond meditation and looks to eventually help individuals with all aspects of mental fitness. And all of this within the neat hook of “bedtime stories for adults”.

[Image credit: inc.com]