Using a vetted global network of the world’s best creators on a proprietary AI platform, Exordi (2021) allows brands to publish authentic and aspirational content, at scale and speed. Founder Carlo Scaglia hopes that this blend of cutting edge tech with unparalleled artistry will establish them as the vanguard of visual innovation.
Exordi’s Brand Values
Tell us about your background and what led you to this specific area of interest?
It definitely hasn’t been a linear path, and there have been a few elements that have come together for me to get to where I am. I’m fully Italian and I grew up between Milan and London. I was lucky enough to be put on skis at the age of 2, a passion which led me into competitive skiing until I was 22. I even decided to go to university in Switzerland so I could keep it up.
Now, at the age of 26 – it’s safe to say skiing has played a central role in my life! Travelling and living in multiple places has shaped me into a deeply curious person, always questioning how and why things are done the way they are. Sports gave me a highly disciplined structure and taught me the importance of determination. I’ve developed a passion for hard-earned talent: the kind that you rarely see on social media. And this is how the seed of Exordi was planted, through a desire to create something which valued passion and talent above all else.
I eventually moved into retail consulting in Milan, and alongside my degree, I feel this heightened my business acumen and problem solving capacity. It was also during this time that I noticed how hard it is for brands and agencies to keep up with content production. I saw first hand how much budget gets wasted across the content advertising chain and I decided to embark on the journey of creating a one-stop platform which covers content production, distribution and analytics under the same roof. Of course, all while staying true to my romantic desire of valuing only real passion and raw talent.
Could you elaborate on your experience of the relationship between your love of sports and content?
They complement each-other. Selfishly, I became friends with the photographers and videographers during competitions because I wanted the content faster. And I noticed just how skilled they were at telling stories through their work. These weren’t just aesthetic pictures. They captured how you felt in key moments, how you related to a product, how steep a slope truly feels… I was blown away by their seemingly effortless passion.
I understood that to produce truly authentic content, you had to work with creators that are truly obsessed about their field. This is the only way to obtain a creative output that really engages people, providing them with aspirational yet relatable dreams. This is what makes Exordi so special, because it only connects brands and agencies with creators who share the same desire, and who are already in the right location and vocation.
How does Exordi allow brands to source these creators and develop content both at scale and speed?
We have carefully curated a global network of creators over the years; each of them 100% vetted by us. The vetting goes beyond their content skills and considers things like efficiency, punctuality and articulate communication – we ensure that each and every one of them are well rounded professionals.
We’ve built our platform on two key AI algorithms: Natural Language Processing and Computer Vision. These ‘read’ and ‘see’ content like us; for example, say there’s a picture of a chef preparing a meal by a fire outside – the algorithms would pick up on the details of the food, trees, sky etc and proceed to tag each piece of content. In the same way, we’re able to pinpoint the details of core passions from each of our content creators.
When a client has a request they create a brief, and our platform is able to suggest the most relevant hires within seconds. Clients have used our platform for various types of content, from a single UGC video to an entire commercial campaign video or year long contracts. Moreover, since our creators are already on location, we drastically reduce production time; You no longer need to ship camera crews, go location scouting, or bring all your gear.
Working beyond superficial metrics – how does Exordi assess short and long-term value?
If we’re talking about clients, the value is the ROI. Exordi cuts costs and saves companies time across the board. And while we don’t yet have total control of distribution, we have seen that when clients use Exordi content in their ads, it performs 3-5 times better.
For creators, there’s both quantitative and qualitative value. There are creators that are earning a monthly salary through Exordi and working on jobs they love. We also host global creator meet-ups, masterclasses, and connect creators as they travel.. so there’s a lot of ‘soft’ value from being part of this community.
Being self-employed can be a lonely world, so we ensure that they see us as an ally. For example, if a creator has a contract for a job outside of Exordi and they’re unsure about the T&Cs, they can always send it to us to double check! Finally, many creators are often used to getting paid without getting recognition for their work. But with Exordi, their name is always next to the client’s name. We understand the power of brand value and credit.
We know that if we look after our clients and creatives, they will in turn deliver their best work and our own business will grow from this positive momentum and feedback. If we were only focused on revenue, we would lose our core value and values.
How do you see the AI landscape evolving in this industry?
This is a really interesting topic for us. Personally, I don’t ever see it replacing original content. Firstly, all Generative AI works on past data, meaning that none of its outputs are new. This is why Gen AI is a larger threat to stock content because it’s great at reproducing generic content which all has an underlying similarity. Secondly, tech in general is never designed to be used as the end solution, it’s a tool not a goal. We use it a lot for things like modelling mood-boards, shot lists, or for visualising briefs to better allow clients and creators to align on their vision.
Within those limitations, I find it incredibly useful. Although we are hedging our bets somewhat, Exordi does house a number of highly skilled Generative AI artists and they do get work; So we feel ready to tackle whatever developments might unfold. However call me a romantic, but I personally believe that in a world that craves authenticity, brands who over-use Gen AI will ultimately shoot themselves in the foot.
The Business Of Creation
How was the business fundraising process for Exordi?
Fundraising is hard – very hard. There are so many factors at play, especially after the economy of easy money fell. But I think that was a blessing because so many silly start-ups were getting funded.
Raising our first round was hard because advertising doesn’t sound sexy to many people, despite it being one the largest industries in the world. In the early days I lacked the confidence I have now, so I never really went out and sold the big vision. I spoke about Exordi as just a creator marketplace – in reality we’re coming for the whole content advertising industry, and turning it into a highly streamlined process!
When we got our first angel investor, everything became easier. I found him on LinkedIn and after just two phone calls he decided he wanted to invest! After getting him on board, I was able to secure two agencies that had always been interested but hadn’t wanted to be first. So it all fell into place eventually, but it’s a struggle!
I clearly remember the day I received funds from our angel investor – I had just £2 in our bank account! Now we’re gearing up for our second fundraise so let’s see how that goes, but we’re so much more confident. There’s some seriously big names in our client roster, alongside growing revenue, an expanding team, and a clearer vision for the future – so I’m buzzing to get it off the ground!
What is the company’s revenue model?
It’s a commission-based model where we take a % of the various campaigns. As the platform improves we’ll scale up to include a subscription model as well, so we can lower the commission and pay more to creators.
What are your overall goals for your growth trajectory, and why?
Funnily enough I have our 3 main goals written on the back of an economy plane ticket from an overseas conference.
Firstly, we will control the source which is Content Production – Exordi will become the sole best option for any consumer business to source their content. By owning the source, you have customers engaged from the very first step. Therefore, goal number two is to Control The Distribution. Once a client has produced and stored their content on our platform, it’s relatively easy for us to provide content distribution from within the same platform. Conveniently, Distribution comes with performance data and so goal number three is to Control Analytics. By blending basic performance data with our AI tools, we can actually begin to create predictive analytics and determine what content will perform better for any given audience.
Each of these steps leads to the ultimate goal: to create the first closed-loop content advertising platform. Giving clients full visibility of their advertising spend, reducing their costs by up to 20% and increasing advertising performance around 3 to 5 times. At the same time, one of our goals is to create a truly global and powerful community of top tier creators. Like the RedBull of content creators. While we have global coverage, we will now begin building creator bases in key cities for a more localised presence.
I could go into a lot more detail as each goal has its own subset of goals. For example, this year our goal was to have 10 clients that love us – not like, not enjoy, not use – but love. I got this inspiration from AirBnB’s founders who explained this as a crucial part of understanding what your customers need about your solution. So here we are now, with 8 customers that love us and 3 months left to get a further 2!
What kind of outreach does Exordi use to grow their own client base?
We don’t follow many of the traditional methods. We’ve never spent a dime on any advertising, cold outreach or sponsored leads. We have a curated approach that consists of going to targeted events like Cannes Lions and personally building our brand.
Another thing we do is successfully hosting Creator Meet-Ups, which are very cool and a lot of fun; Since we’re organising them regardless, we also give brands the opportunity to support us in exchange for visibility and a boatload of great content. This is an easy and soft way to introduce brands and creators to the platform.
Once we’ve secured a client, we never want it to be a one time thing – we put a lot of effort into getting to know them, understanding their challenges, strengths, and goals. We then craft a solution for a longer-term contract. So, what we’ve seen is that for now, it’s considerably more valuable to maximise the value both from and for a client by building a deeper bond, rather than going after loads of clients who rarely use us.
What’s the smallest change that’s given the biggest return?
Great question, I’ve never been asked this.
Understanding that you can create a product out of your solution and customise it. In other words, truly understanding that every client is different. At the same time, it can also be boiled down to the same repeatable, scalable process.
This has two massive impacts. Firstly, tailored proposals go a long way because the client sees that you care and they feel safe in your hands. This has allowed us to secure much bigger clients than we expected simply because we didn’t approach the negotiation like sharks. Secondly, it allowed us to execute everything much faster, and we quickly learned what we needed to build to make the platform a success.
Founder Feelings
What motivates you?
Motivation is a tricky, fickle thing. I’m motivated by Exordi’s potential – I know that it can and will become something truly game changing. I’m also motivated by all the creators I meet who take a leap of faith by working for themselves, or booking that one way ticket into the unknown just to follow their dreams. I’m motivated by friends who are further ahead than me on this journey, yet still within reach.
However all of the above is useless without discipline. Motivation fluctuates and in a journey like a start-up which is filled with so many highs and lows, you can’t rely on fickle resources. It’s discipline that pushes you to do the work, especially when you don’t want to. So the question is how do you get that discipline? Personally, it always begins with ‘why’ – why do I want this so bad? If you don’t have a true reason, it’s not worth it.
What has been your biggest lesson, fear, or failure?
Biggest lesson: you aren’t that special. I think this is really powerful because it forces us to remember that whatever idea we may have, or feeling, or emotion, or ‘hard time’, we are not the only ones who have had it. So if you’ve had a great idea, question why someone else hasn’t done it – or perhaps they have. I find this useful when I’m tired – the truth is everyone is tired, but we can choose to act regardless and it’s here that we can set ourselves apart from the rest.
Fear: that we forget our purpose. I think it’s really easy, especially during hard times, to forget what we truly love. We then fall into a robotic routine, and are never truly satisfied. I think it’s vital to remind ourselves of why we do what we do, as a way to keep us in check and accountable to ourselves.
Failure: I’ve had countless failures and I know I will have many more. I failed as an athlete, I failed my As exams (the ones before A levels), the very first idea of Exordi failed miserably (a social media app for passion-specific content), my first team for Exordi was a massive fail – they all left me and I had to start again from scratch because the initial idea was too hard. Even though it’s cliché, it’s only a failure if you don’t learn from it. The truth is, most of these failures feel so much bigger in our heads, and it’s quite easy to get going again – the hard part is processing and putting the emotions behind you.
Do you have a mentor or people you ask for advice?
Oh for sure! Big time. I’m 26, there’s only so much I can know or have experienced. I’m incredibly thankful for my mentors, each one helps me with something different, and without them I wouldn’t have made it here. I really encourage everyone to have a mentor or two.
If you did not have your own company, what would you be doing?
I have no clue. I would probably have followed a conventional route and continued in consulting or would have done some Finance Masters and ended up in Investment Banking… However I’ve always had such a passion for the outdoors, mountaineering, and exploration, so I wouldn’t be surprised if at some point I still cast ‘normality’ aside and opened up an adventure-focused travel agency.
How has what you do changed you as a person?
It’s had its good and bad impacts.
The best outcome is that I have more experience. For example, planning can be a massive waste of time as it inhibits action. But it’s necessary to understand the core problems, deeply listen to people without preparing answers, and keep a clear vision. Experience and awareness allow you to make decisions only when you’re in the right state of mind. I truly believe that a profound sense of awareness is extremely powerful.
However, I also recognise that this journey can have negative impacts. My mind is always wired towards Exordi which leaves little space for other people. I believe founders become highly critical as well, which permeates into everyday interactions. I believe you have to be dictatorial as a founder, especially in the early days, and I find it hard to put this demanding part of me to the side at times.
As founders can be prone to burn out, what practices do you adopt to ensure you stay healthy and health-conscious / aware?
In all fairness it’s quite simple and it comes back to discipline. Do sports, eat healthy, read and sleep 7 hours. Take the time to see friends. Work will never end so it’s vital to set goals for each day, and do them really well. Go to bed at the same time, wake up at the same time – it works like magic. There’s also a large mental component at play, and I have a theory that the more you talk about your problems the bigger they become. So it’s vital not to give negative thoughts any energy.
What is your opinion on plant medicines (cannabis / psilocybin) as tools for living in alignment?
I don’t have much authority in this sector so please just see it as an opinion. But I think they’re dangerous. It’s so easy to leverage drugs to reduce stress but I think it’s an easy solution. We trick ourselves into easy solutions to avoid doing the hard things. A great sports session will reduce more stress, release more dopamine, endorphins and testosterone than any plant could – yet, consuming drugs is easier. I’m also of the idea that anything which alters your brain chemistry isn’t good for founders. It’s vital to be locked in and focused, and you can’t afford to lose that mental state.
What does spirituality mean to you?
For me, spirituality means humility. It’s recognising that we are mere passengers on this earth and that we have the potential to do good and create value for future generations. I think spirituality serves as a reminder that there are larger forces at play and we cannot control everything, nor should we try to. Also, a little bit far fetched, but in my head spirituality leaves room for wonder which allows people to ask the “what if” questions, to push the boundaries of what’s possible and build new things!
If time and money were no object – what would be on your to-do and to-see list?
Ahh, I would take 3 weeks and go Heliskiing every day in Alaska! I’d then like to climb an 8000m peak (next autumn I’m going to the Himalayas for a 7000m peak), swim with orcas, freedive with whales, see the gorillas in Rwanda, explore the deserts and connect with the nomadic tribes!
Honestly, there’s so much to do and I love the idea of exploration – two of my favourite books are The Great Game and Nathaniel’s Nutmeg: you read them and you’re just left open-mouthed by the bravery and absolute drive these people had in exploring some of the most remote parts of the planet. Perhaps there’s something primal and mildly selfish about that, but yes those would be on my list for sure.
