The Lie I Chased That Almost Broke Me & You’re Probably Chasing It Too! (Scooter Braun)
- Jun 9, 2025
- 1:54:11
- Full Episode
What happens when you build a billion-dollar music empire, but lose yourself along the way? Music mogul Scooter Braun reveals the raw truth behind his mask.
Scooter Braun is a renowned music executive, entrepreneur, and manager behind the careers of global stars like Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande, Kanye West, Taylor Swift, Demi Lovato, J Balvin and more He is CEO of HYBE America and founder of SB Projects, a dynamic entertainment and media company.
In this conversation, Scooter shares: ◽️ The mask he wore as “Scooter” and the journey back to being Scott ◽️ Why he carries guilt for every young artist he managed ◽️ How 20 years of running finally led him to confront his deepest fears ◽️ Why he felt like a complete fraud even at the top ◽️ The reason why his divorce saved his life
No conditions. No pre-approved questions. Just an unfiltered conversation about everything.
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⏱ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 02:30 What Drives You? 07:46 Your Dad 09:40 Your First Business 12:07 You’re Very Good at Forming Relationships 14:16 What Did Everyone See in You at an Early Age? 15:50 People Trying to Stop Your Dreams 18:29 Signing Your First Acts 21:21 Discovering Justin Bieber 24:36 What’s Your Relationship With Justin Bieber Now? 26:19 What Do Highly Successful Artists Have in Common? 27:54 Why Are There So Many Tragedies Around Famous People? 33:49 Did It Hurt Parting Ways With Justin Bieber? 34:14 The Artists You’ve Worked With 37:04 The Praise and Hate I Received Were Both Misunderstood 39:57 An Artist You Were Wrong About 44:31 Quitting Music Management 51:31 Ads 52:34 Selling Your Company for $1.1 Billion 54:37 How Pivotal Was the Incident With Taylor Swift? 57:41 Contending With an Unfair World 1:00:18 If I Had Seen You Then, What Would I Have Seen? 1:01:56 Your Divorce 1:07:11 Friends Being There for Me 1:11:17 Why My Marriage Fell Apart 1:22:08 The Work You Do on Yourself 1:24:52 Ads (Part 2) 1:26:59 The Power of Building Connections 1:28:35 Spotify Saving the Music Industry 1:32:25 What’s Next for Scott? 1:34:43 What Is Steve Trying to Achieve? 1:40:17 What Should We Do if We’re Always Chasing Something? 1:50:38 If You Could Do Anything Without Fear of Failure, What Would You Do?
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Brief Summary
Scooter Braun discusses his career, mental health struggles, and the importance of authenticity and relationships in the music industry.
Key points
- Scooter's Mask of Success. Scooter Braun discusses the persona he created to achieve success, driven by insecurity.
- The Power of Ignorance. Scooter reflects on how ignorance fueled his early career decisions and relationships.
- The Discovery of Justin Bieber. Scooter Braun recounts how he discovered Justin Bieber through a church video.
- The Pain of Addiction. Scooter Braun reflects on the tragic story of Spencer Lee, a talented artist lost to addiction.
- The Wisdom of Barry Gordy. Barry Gordy shares insights on life and expectations, reminding us that outcomes may differ from our desires.
- A Life-Changing Decision. After years in management, the speaker reflects on the fear of leaving a familiar role behind.
Episode highlights
- Scooter's Mask of SuccessScooter Braun discusses the persona he created to achieve success, driven by insecurity.“I created this character, Scooter, because I didn't think Scott could achieve these things.”0:42Jun 9, 2025
- The Power of IgnoranceScooter reflects on how ignorance fueled his early career decisions and relationships.“No one told me I shouldn't be there.”14:28Jun 9, 2025
- The Discovery of Justin BieberScooter Braun recounts how he discovered Justin Bieber through a church video.“I knew when I saw online, I was like, 'This is the kid I've been looking for.'”22:44Jun 9, 2025
- The Pain of AddictionScooter Braun reflects on the tragic story of Spencer Lee, a talented artist lost to addiction.“He was one of the most special talents I ever came across.”42:26Jun 9, 2025
- The Wisdom of Barry GordyBarry Gordy shares insights on life and expectations, reminding us that outcomes may differ from our desires.“It will never end the way you want it to, but it doesn't mean it didn't happen.”48:12Jun 9, 2025
- A Life-Changing DecisionAfter years in management, the speaker reflects on the fear of leaving a familiar role behind.“I was too afraid to find out who I was without it for so long.”51:07Jun 9, 2025
- A Dark MomentIn a moment of despair, the speaker contemplates a drastic decision, leading to a transformative choice.“I wanted to kill myself last night. Something's got to change.”1:04:18Jun 9, 2025
- Understanding TraumaRecognizing that everyone has trauma is essential for personal growth.“Everyone has trauma. That's the human experience.”1:12:21Jun 9, 2025





