712: The Near-Death Experience That Built a $400M Year Business

Matt Pohlson was clinically dead for four and a half minutes. His heart had stopped, the doctor had already called it, and 40 ICU staff had gathered at the window like a silent choir when his mother refused to let them stop fighting.

He came back - and the clarity from that experience reshaped his entire company. Omaze, the platform he co-founded to raise money for charity by giving everyday people the chance to win once-in-a-lifetime experiences, has sent people to be mentored by Michelle Obama, ride a tank with Arnold Schwarzenegger, and win a Lamborghini handed over by the Pope. After Matt's near-death experience, he made the hard decision to kill the parts of the business he loved most - and grew revenue over 500% while increasing headcount just 10%.

In this interview, Matt breaks down the counterintuitive focus decision that unlocked Omaze's explosive growth, the controversial charity philosophy of chasing dollars over percentages, and what flatlining taught him about fear, decisions, and building a company that scales optimism.

What you'll learn in this interview:

The near-death experience that reset how he leads - and why he calls death his best friend and travel companion

Why he killed the celebrity-experience model he loved - cutting from 300 campaigns a year to 50 - and went all in on "Omaze Owned"

How a Daniel Craig campaign meant to raise $300K pulled $2.1 million - and the test that revealed the car mattered more than the celebrity

How revenue grew over 500% on just a 10% headcount increase - and the focus principle behind it

The controversial charity philosophy: why chasing dollars to the charity, not percentages, is what the nonprofit space actually needs

The exact economics of both models - 60% to charity on celebrity campaigns, guaranteed 15% on prize campaigns - and who carries the risk

How to actually partner with A-list talent: running the real numbers before giving away 5-10% of your company for star power

Why the biggest decisions don't get better the more people you ask - and his "when you don't know what to do, do nothing" rule