Nicholas Parasram
Met at: Google (2015-2016 timeframe) Met date: 2015-2016 Role(s): Entrepreneur, Investor, Artist Manager, Co-founder of Thin Ice Entertainment Last interaction: 2025-09-15 (Phone call reconnection after 2+ years, discussing faith journeys, music industry success, and future collaboration opportunities)
Contact Information
- Email: [Update if available]
- Phone: [Update if available]
- Location: Based in LA, currently traveling (New York for sister's baby, Saudi Arabia for business, back to LA in November)
Professional Background
- Early Career: Started at Kanvas Labs (mobile-tech startup acquired by AOL/Verizon)
- Sonar Projects: Founded creator management company specializing in content deals and brand partnerships
- Goat Capital: Principal at early-stage venture fund co-founded by Justin Kan, involved in incubating companies like Stash and Rye
- Thin Ice Entertainment: Co-founded with Twitch co-founder Justin Kan in late 2024, managing artists and producers including Stryv, Marcus van Wattum, Zone, and REMIND
- Music Industry Success: Managing roster with billions of streams, helping artists develop both music careers and new businesses
- Saudi Arabia Business: Currently doing business in Saudi Arabia, traveling there regularly
Personal Details
- Age: Younger than Gary (met when he was quite young at Google)
- Faith Journey: Baptized as child, grandmother was devout Christian who would discuss Bible with him, stopped after grandmother's death, returned to church in 2022 when he went sober
- Sobriety: Got sober in 2022, gave up alcohol and drugs
- Relationship Status: Dating devout Christian girlfriend for year and a half, Korean American, attends her church sometimes
- Family: Sister having baby in two weeks (as of September 2025)
- Lifestyle: Lives between LA, New York, and international travel (Saudi Arabia)
Our Relationship
- History: Best friends during 2015-2018 period, spent significant time together in NYC
- Connection: Strong friendship based on shared entrepreneurial interests and music industry involvement
- Shared Projects: Previously worked together on prediction markets concept (early version of what became Polymarket)
- Reunion: Reconnected after 2+ years gap, both have evolved significantly in faith and business
- Mutual Respect: Gary proud of Nicholas's growth, sobriety, and business success
Recent Interactions
- 2025-09-15: Major reconnection call covering Nicholas's music industry success with Stryv (billion streams, $2 million revenue), his faith journey and sobriety, girlfriend's Christian faith, Gary's spiritual evolution and ministry plans, discussion of future collaboration opportunities in Christian music space, and potential travel together in coming year.
Key Achievements & Current Success
- Stryv Management: Took artist from potential medical school to touring success, 100-140K monthly revenue, billion streams on independent record
- Swedish House Mafia Collaboration: Stryv played with Swedish House Mafia, they did gospel afterparty
- Independent Success: "Beat all the systems" - completely independent music operation without record labels
- Justin Kan Partnership: Angel investment from Justin Kan into management company after seeing million streams in a day
- International Business: Successful business operations in Saudi Arabia
Shared Interests
- Music Industry: Both passionate about music, especially independent artist development
- Entrepreneurship: Shared history of startup and investment activities
- Faith: Both have evolved toward Christianity, though at different stages
- Technology: Background in tech industry and understanding of digital platforms
- Travel: Both enjoy international experiences and cultural exploration
Key Insights About Them
- Evolution: Transformed from young tech entrepreneur to successful music industry executive
- Maturity: Significant personal growth through sobriety and faith journey
- Business Acumen: Proven ability to identify and develop talent (Stryv success story)
- Values-Driven: Prioritizes faith-based relationships and lifestyle choices
- Global Perspective: Experience in international business and cultural appreciation
- Independent Mindset: Preference for building independent businesses vs. corporate structures
Potential Future Interactions/Collaborations
- Christian Music Industry: Gary has gospel/praise artists who could benefit from Nicholas's management expertise
- Independent Music Development: Shared interest in bypassing traditional record label system
- Travel Collaboration: Discussed traveling together in coming year
- Ministry Through Music: Potential collaboration on faith-based music projects
- Business Development: Nicholas's investment background could support Gary's ministry initiatives
- Cultural Bridge-Building: Nicholas's international experience (Saudi Arabia) and Gary's ministry work could create interesting opportunities
Notes
Nicholas represents a significant success story of personal transformation - from young tech entrepreneur to sober, faith-oriented music industry executive with major commercial success. His evolution parallels Gary's spiritual journey in many ways, though from different starting points. The Stryv success story (billion streams, completely independent) demonstrates his ability to "beat the system" and create value outside traditional structures.
His relationship with devout Christian girlfriend and return to church shows genuine faith development, not just social Christianity. His business success in Saudi Arabia indicates sophisticated understanding of international markets and cultural dynamics.
The timing of their reconnection seems providential given Gary's focus on ministry and Nicholas's position in music industry - exactly the intersection Gary needs for gospel/praise music development. Nicholas's comment about Gary potentially becoming "the next Palantir" shows he still sees Gary's potential for major impact.
His sobriety journey (2022) and faith return demonstrate commitment to personal growth and values-based living. The fact that he "quit the fun" to focus on business success shows maturity and long-term thinking.
Key Quote: "We beat all the systems, dude. Beat all the odds, man. Ten years later, dude." - Reflects their shared journey from young entrepreneurs to successful operators who found ways to succeed outside traditional structures.
Faith Development: "I started going to church again, in 2022, when I went sober... my girlfriend is devout Christian... I pretty much have been back, kind of, you know, rediscovering faith myself."
Future Vision: "One day you'll call me and be like, yo, I'm building the next Palantir. You want to join? You know, like, who knows? You know, you might save the world one day, Gary."
Transcripts
| Transcript ID | Date | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-09-15-gary-sheng-nicholas-parasram-faith-music-industry-reunion | 2025-09-15 | Reunion conversation covering Nicholas's music industry success, faith journeys, and potential future collaborations |